Forest Management Applications Research Articles

Integrating wild mushrooms use into a model of sustainable management for indigenous community forests

Recently, the importance of fungal resources has been brought to the forefront due to their ecological and economical importance. There have been many efforts to record their diversity at local and regional scales. However, few studies deal with the potential value of fungi for the development of local communities, particularly in developing countries. The present study presents the results of a five-year inventory of useful mushrooms in the communal land of Ixtlan de Juarez, Oaxaca. We use the species list to analyze the real possibility of local communities incorporating these resources into a model of local development exploiting wood and non-wood forest products in the context of Smart wood certification. The model discusses three main strategies for mushroom management (diversification of forest exploitation, incorporation of soil function to forestry and fungal technology development); in each case we also discuss the viability and infrastructure necessary to implement it. We identified a total of 159 taxa of useful mushrooms and provide information on their habit, substrate, abundance and recorded use. Thirteen taxa were Ascomycetes and 146 Basidiomycetes; belonging to 42 families and 73 genera. A total of 38 taxa (23.9%) were new records for the state of Oaxaca. This is, to date, the most comprehensive list of useful mushrooms presented in Mexico. It demonstrates the huge mycological diversity of these resources present in the Juarez’ Mountain Range. A total of 113 species are edible, 38 species have direct applications in forest management, 19 species have medicinal properties, 12 are toxic and 12 species have recorded biotechnological applications. The diversity and heterogeneity of potential uses of these resources represent a challenging opportunity for local communities. Product diversification is a fundamental strategy to integrate a model of sustainable forest exploitation. We concluded that communities developing forestry activities must be aware of the functional properties of ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi to include them in their own forest management plans. We also outline a set of common steps for initiating sustainable and diversified forestry practices which include: awareness-raising targeted to local authorities and forestry technicians on the ecological importance of mushrooms; illustrated catalogues on useful species accessible to all the communities, which would allow taxonomic identification for all species; local technical capacity to obtain and disseminate strains of mycorrhizal and saprotrophic fungi; obtaining resources to develop infrastructure to cultivate mushrooms, among many others projects.

Effects of Turkish forest management philosophy and applications on forest ecosystem structure and functions in northeast Turkey: a case study in Saçinka Forest Management Planning Unit.

Nowadays, Turkish forest management philosophy has changed from timber management to ecosystem-based multiple-use forest planning (EBMUFM) with the principles of “sustainable forest management” criteria and indicators drafted in a few national and international agreements. This study analyzed the temporal changes in forest ecosystem structure and a few forest values such as tree species, distribution of age class, development stage, canopy closure, species mixture, timber volume and increment, carbon storage and oxygen production in Sacinka Forest Planning Unit in the northeast corner of Turkey. To assess the patterns during a 21-year period (1985-2006), the necessary data were obtained from forest stand maps and evaluated with Geographical Information Systems (GIS). Results showed that the decrease of agricultural and settlement areas caused the increase of productive forests and the decrease of degraded forests. Bark beetles, which have common effect in Artvin, had less effect on the vitality of Sacinka Forest Planning Unit forests compared to the neighboring forest ecosystems. This forest ecosystem vitality and integrity level was a result of the mechanic and biological interventions against the beetle damages and appropriate silvicultural prescriptions. Key words: Ecosystem based multiple use forest management planning, geographic information systems, land cover change, carbon storage, oxygen production.

Distribution of Red-Backed Salamander (Plethodon cinereus) with Respect to Cover-Object Characteristics in the Green Mountains of Vermont

We examined the distribution of Plethodon cinereus (Red-backed Salamander) with respect to cover-object type in the Green Mountains of Vermont by exploring their distribution under cover objects relative to the total availability of cover objects on the forest floor. We conducted cover-object searches in sixteen 50-m transects in forest stands >50 years old to explore the distribution of large (>3.47 cm snout-vent length) and small (<3.47 cm snout-vent length) salamanders with respect to object material, size, and texture. There were more salamanders than would be expected by chance under rocks and fewer under woody objects (branches and logs). Salamander counts were higher than would be expected under large cover objects and lower under small ones. Our results also indicate that salamanders were more common than would be expected under fibrous woody objects and less common under solid ones. Finally, we found that large salamanders were more common than would be expected under rocks, while small salamanders were more common under woody objects. These results could have important implications for improving the recovery of salamanders following forest management applications.

Evaluating The Effect Of Climate In A Sierran Mixed Conifer Forest

Forest growth and yield models such as CACTOS and PROGNOSIS have typically modeled future growth dynamics using unchanging climatic data. These models, applied to a future where the climate is changing, can lead to important discrepancies between actual and predicted growth rates. Yeh and Wensel (2000) first examined these discrepancies in CACTOS performance. They identified summer temperature and winter precipitation as key climatic variables influencing tree growth and developed indices to adjust growth based on the climate. However, the relationships established by Yeh and Wensel were formulated using the CACTOS growth simulator, an input-intensive growth and yield model. No independent validation of the climate-growth indices was conducted. This study examines the reliability of Yeh and Wensel’s climate adjustments to the growth model for forest management applications. Biological growth signals were removed from long-term annual growth records. These empirical records were derived from tree ring analyses. A smoothing spline was used to quantify the biological growth signal (i.e., low-frequency variation in increment). A climate signal (i.e. the residual) was derived by subtracting this spline from the long-term record. The resulting residuals were correlated against the predicted climate growth signal as given by Yeh and Wensel’s model. The correlation of climatic influence on growth for different species and crown classes was also considered. The results of this study indicate that Yeh and Wensel’s model provides growth estimates that reliably inform management decisions. However, the relationship between climate and growth is stronger in dominant tree classes, indicating that climate more predictably affects more dominant trees. For sub-dominant trees, climatic variables had little correlation. It does not appear that competition between dominant and sub-dominant trees is confounding the correlation between sub-dominant tree growth and climate. Suppressed or understory tree growth may be more dependent on edaphic and/or microclimate gradients.

Selective cutting of woody species in a Mexican tropical dry forest: Incompatibility between use and conservation

A major challenge of forest management is to maintain the biodiversity and integrity of the forests while at the same time satisfying human needs through productive activities. While selective extraction of natural resources has less severe consequences on biodiversity and ecosystem function than complete removal of vegetation, such consequences need to be evaluated in detail. “Varas” or stems cut from small trees of tropical dry forests (TDF) in the Pacific Coast of Mexico have been used as plant support stakes in horticultural fields (mainly tomato crops) since the middle of the last century. In this study, we evaluated the effects of selective cutting of plant support stakes on the diversity of woody vegetation of a TDF in northwestern Mexico. Stakes were cut by local harvesters before our assessment of cutting effects. In each of three cutting treatments (T 0 = uncut, T 1 = one cut event, and T 2 = two cut events), we established three sampling plots each consisting of ten 50 m × 2 m parallel transects. All woody plants (stems ≥1.0 cm diameter at 1.3 m height, DBH) were identified and measured on each transect. Species richness ( S) decreased as the number of cuts increased (T 0 = 65 species, T 1 = 50 species, and T 2 = 38 species). The Simpson ( C) and the Shannon ( H′) diversity indices, as well as the rarefaction curves and non-parametric estimates of diversity (Chao1 and ACE) confirmed this tendency of change. Comparison of dominance–diversity curves showed that the woody plant community loses equitability with every additional stake cutting event. The total number of stake providing species did not vary notably across treatments (T 0 = 8 species, T 1 = 9 species, and T 2 = 7 species), but four species reduced their dominance considerably in T 2, while Croton septemnervius, the most used species, increased its abundance and relative basal area with each additional stake harvest, reaching a representation of more than 59% of total number of stems in T 2. The reduction in species diversity, changes in patterns of dominance, and the proliferation of species associated to disturbed sites suggest that current practices of selective cutting require adjustments to make this forest management application more consistent with local conservation of woody plant species diversity and community structure.

Broad-Scale Classification and Mapping of Tree Size and Density Attributes in Productive Old-Growth Forests in Southeast Alaska's Tongass National Forest

Abstract The forest classification and mapping system currently used in managing the Tongass National Forest (NF) is based largely on an economic forest measure, net board foot volume per acre. Although useful for timber economic modeling, this forest measure poorly differentiates old-growth forest types in a way that is meaningful to ecological and social concerns. In 2005, we published an article presenting a proposed tree size and tree density mapping model for the Tongass NF. We claimed the model would provide better information on the structural patterns in old-growth forests than did the current mapping models based on net board foot volume per acre. We also stated that further testing of our proposed model is required before it can be fully integrated into forest management plans and landscape analysis. In this article, we used independent field data to evaluate our proposed tree size and density model and better define its accuracy. Results showed differences among mapping classes similar to differences observed in the development stages of the model. Results also showed mapping accuracy estimates between 60 and 80%. We used the model in a forest management application by comparing the representation of old-growth forest types within a landscape to the representation within a management-defined subset of that landscape.

Intervention to the Misuse of Land by the Forest Villages: A Case Study from Turkey

A major part of the Anatolian mountains, are located in the coastal belt of Anatolia, and are rich in terms of biodiversity. Some species of plants have vanished or were destroyed due to human interference since the neolithic period which started 9 000-10 000 years ago. When the Celali Rebellion began between the years 1550-1600 during the Ottoman Empire, many people wanted to settle in safe regions, so they selected the forest areas for settlement. The forest areas were cleared for building small houses as well as for agricultural use and raising domestic animals and grazing them in the forests. Due to an increasing population and indiscriminate cultivation of agricultural land, most of the land became less productive. This kind of pressure on forestland resources threatens the stability of forest land and land use management. Misuse of land in forest villages is the main factor for the increase in rural poverty and the degradation of forests. Problems are encountered when it comes to the use of natural resources in the forest villages of Turkey. And therefore, it is necessary to intervene to end this misuse of land. An intervention should be made under the following headings to prevent further misuse: problems regarding in-forest settlements should be solved; practices providing income generation and food security should be carried out; farm forestry and community forest applications should be developed; and undamaged forest resources should be protected with buffer zone forest management applications.

Forests in Madagascar do matter

Madagascar had a rough start into the year 2007. After cyclones Anita, Bondo and Clovis in December, Gamede and Favio in February, Indlala cut across Madagascar just two weeks before Jaya came ashore at the northern tip of Madagascar at the beginning of April. They caused flooding, displacement, crop and forest damage, as well as other detrimental short-term effects. The cumulative impacts of these seven cyclones will be immense and hard to quantify. On average, there was more precipitation per day during these four months in 2007 than averaged over the last ten years. While the northern part of the island was suffering from flooding, an extended drought created struggle amongst the Malagasy people in the south, once more demonstrating how diverse the climatic influence can be even on a single island. In total, around half a million people were directly affected by these erratic weather events. In June 2007, the Antsinanana rainforests were inscribed to the UNESCO‘s World Heritage List comprising of six national parks distributed along the eastern part of the island. These rainforests harbor more than 80 % of endemic species, which is important to be under best possible national and international protection, since threats are omnipresent. The IUCN / SSC Primate Specialist Group just recently published an updated list of the 25 most endangered primate species for 2006 - 2008. The ‘representatives’ for Madagascar are four lemur species of which the Greater bamboo lemur, the White - collared lemur, and the Silky sifaka were reconfirmed on the list, and the Sahamalaza sportive lemur, a recently described species, replaced the Perriers sifaka. These lemurs share a common tragedy: they live in more and more isolated and patchy forest habitats. The forests of Madagascar cover about 20 % of the island’s surface, presenting a variety of ecosystems, hosting the majority of terrestrial faunal and floral species. These forests are characterized by a high degree of endemism, and, as Goodman and Benstead (2005) consequently point out, they contribute a “critical component of the global biological diversity.” Forests also function as a ‘seemingly endless’ resource of energy and food for a majority of the Malagasy population, with its timber being appreciated beyond Malagasy borders. The list of forest processes like water or nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, decompositions, etc. seems almost endless. However, these forests are faced with a fast growing human population, needing more and more fuel wood (just to name one major human need), and must cope with enormous impacts from natural disturbances like cyclones and droughts. Together, there are incredible accumulative pressures, both human and natural, which continuously affect and reshape these ecosystems. However, forests in Madagascar “were not just born yesterday,” as Lucienne Wilme points out in the foreword for this issue, and they are probably more resilient than we can assume. Nevertheless, if we want to maintain this broad array of forest values to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, we have to understand how forest ecosystems work, to properly implement sustainable forest management policies and applications. We should try to achieve deeper understanding of how structures and compositions affect ecological functions and processes and how the latter interact with and react to biotic and abiotic forces and dynamics, especially in times of rapid global climatic changes. Hence, the Editorial Board of the journal Madagascar Conservation & Development is happy to present an issue focused on forests, with articles dealing with the past 100 years of Malagasy forest use, development and management. Articles include discussion of recovery after a cyclone (e.g., Hudah), and disclosure of illegal extraction of precious wood in the Marojejy forest. For the future, we hope to be able to present a great variety of studies about forest related issues in this journal aiming at encouragement of more discussions and exchanges of ideas about this overarching resource termed ‘forest’. Thanks to the broad scope of the journal, it has the potential to move far beyond forest issues. Forests are an important component of Madagascar’s diverse landscape, and the more we understand about the subject the more we can appreciate its range of values. However, there are far more aspects the island of Madagascar covers in terms of conservation and developmental realms. The UN declared the year 2008 campaign as the “International Year of the Reef.” Coupled with the fact that Madagascar has a coastline of more than 4,800 km, we hope that the perspectives of oceanographers will induce some interesting projects about ocean initiatives reflecting conservation, developmental challenges and appropriate solutions in Madagascar.

Developing a Multi-Objective Forest Planning Process with Goal Programming: A Case Study

In this study, multi-objective forest management planning process and application were realized in a case study involving faculty research forest. Forest values were quantitatively determined. Goal programming was used in developing multi objective forest management planning model. Forest function considered as forest management objectives (goals) in the model include wood production, soil protection and water production. Four different models containing different goals combinations were developed. Goals were prioritized differently in these models. The goals were fully achieved. Moreover, for the tree goals, the optimum GP solutions presented wanted deviations with respect to the initial target values. Forest function maps were prepared according to models solutions in the end of this study.

An effective modeling and solution approach for the generalized independent set problem

The generalized independent set (GIS) problem was first introduced by Hochbaum and Pathria (Forest Sci 43(4), 544–554, 1997) and independently explored in greater detail by Hochbaum (Manage Sci 50(6), 709–123, 2004). This problem, with applications in forest management and a variety of related areas, is a generalization of the classical maximum independent set problem. In this paper we highlight a natural, nonlinear formulation for the problem that is an attractive alternative to the linear model found in the literature. The effectiveness of this alternative formulation is demonstrated by computational experience on test problems of varying size and density, disclosing a dramatic reduction in the time to obtain optimal and near optimal solutions and an ability to solve much larger problems.

Simulating private land ownership fragmentation in the Missouri Ozarks, USA

Increasing land ownership fragmentation in the United States is causing concerns with respect to its ecological implications for forested landscapes. This is especially relevant given that human influence is one of the most significant driving forces affecting the forest landscape. A method for generating realistic land ownership maps is needed to evaluate the effects of ownership fragmentation on forest landscapes in combination with other natural processes captured in forest process models. Ownership patterns from human activities usually generate landscape boundary shapes different from those arising from natural processes. Spatial characteristics among ownership types – e.g., private, public ownership – may also differ. To address these issues, we developed the Fragmented Land Ownership Spatial Simulator (FLOSS) to generate ownership patterns that reflect the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) shapes and various patch size distributions among different types of ownership (e.g., private, public). To evaluate FLOSS performance, we compared the simulated patterns with various ownership fragmentation levels to the actual ownership patterns in the Missouri Ozarks by using selected landscape indices. FLOSS generated landscapes with spatial characteristics similar to actual landscapes, suggesting that it can simulate different levels of ownership fragmentation. This will allow FLOSS to serve as a feasible tool for evaluating forest management applications by spatially allocating various management scenarios in a realistic way. The potentials and limitations of FLOSS application are discussed.

Accord: a programming framework for autonomic applications

The emergence of pervasive wide-area distributed computing environments, such as pervasive information systems and computational grids, has enabled new generations of applications that are based on seamless access, aggregation, and interaction. However, the inherent complexity, heterogeneity, and dynamism of these systems require a change in how the applications are developed and managed. In this paper, we present a programming framework that extends existing programming models/frameworks to support the development of autonomic self-managing applications. The framework enables the development of autonomic elements and the formulation of autonomic applications as the dynamic composition of autonomic elements. The operation of the proposed framework is illustrated using a forest fire management application.

Assessment of MODIS-EVI, MODIS-NDVI and VEGETATION-NDVI Composite Data Using Agricultural Measurements: An Example at Corn Fields in Western Mexico

Although several types of satellite data provide temporal information of the land use at no cost, digital satellite data applications for agricultural studies are limited compared to applications for forest management. This study assessed the suitability of vegetation indices derived from the TERRA-Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor and SPOT-VEGETATION (VGT) sensor for identifying corn growth in western Mexico. Overall, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) composites from the VGT sensor based on bi-directional compositing method produced vegetation information most closely resembling actual crop conditions. The NDVI composites from the MODIS sensor exhibited saturated signals starting 30 days after planting, but corresponded to green leaf senescence in April. The temporal NDVI composites from the VGT sensor based on the maximum value method had a maximum plateau for 80 days, which masked the important crop transformation from vegetative stage to reproductive stage. The Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) composites from the MODIS sensor reached a maximum plateau 40 days earlier than the occurrence of maximum leaf area index (LAI) and maximum intercepted fraction of photosynthetic active radiation (fPAR) derived from in-situ measurements. The results of this study showed that the 250-m resolution MODIS data did not provide more accurate vegetation information for corn growth description than the 500-m and 1000-m resolution MODIS data.

Agreement Assessment of Spatially Explicit Regression-derived Forest Cover and Traditional Forest Industry Stand Type Maps

Forest regeneration assessment is an important forest management goal that requires accurate data about site- specific forest type and stand density. In this study, a methodology was developed to convert regression model output to maps of predicted softwood and hardwood per- cent cover at the scale of a Landsat ETMpixel. These maps provide forest type and percent cover at higher spatial scale (0.09 ha) than traditional GIS forest stand databases employ (e.g., 2 to 4 ha minimum mapping units). A modi- fied accuracy assessment was performed between the Landsat regression derived maps and GIS type maps to evaluate their relative agreement. Two variations of the traditional error matrix were examined. The first was a plus-one matrix, where values next to the diagonal were included in the agreement calculations. The second varia- tion, considered most appropriate for this study, included the use of where the off-diagonal values were weighted for a better approximation of the GIS forest map- ping criteria and forest type composition of the northern New England forest. The fuzzy logic error matrix indicated strong agreement between the regression derived and GIS forest type maps with an overall agreement ranging from 76 percent to 79 percent. Producer's agreement from the fuzzy-logic error matrices ranged from 89 percent to 97 percent for softwood classes and 72 percent to 77 percent for hardwood. User's agreement for softwood ranged from 71 percent to 82 percent and 80 percent to 87 percent for hardwood. These results suggest that the Landsat-derived maps can provide objective and reliable site-specific forest type and percent cover information that is not dependent on subjective photo interpretation methods. These maps will be evaluated in future studies to demonstrate practical forest regeneration management applications.

Simulation and quantification of the fine-scale spatial pattern and heterogeneity of forest canopy structure: A lacunarity-based method designed for analysis of continuous canopy heights

Forests canopies are dynamic, continuously varying, three-dimensional structures that display substantial heterogeneity in their spatial arrangement at many scales. At the stand-level, fine-scale spatial heterogeneity influences key canopy processes and contributes to the diversity of niche space and maintenance of forest biodiversity. We present a quantitative method that we developed based on a novel application of two well-established statistical techniques – lacunarity analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) – to determine the fine-scale (0.5–33 m) spatial heterogeneity found in the outer surface of a forest canopy. This method was specifically designed for the analysis of continuous canopy height data generated by airborne LiDAR systems or digital photogrammetry; however, in this study we demonstrate our method using a large, well-documented dataset composed of simulated canopy surfaces only. We found that the magnitude of the lacunarity statistic was strongly associated with canopy cover ( R 2 = 0.85) and gap volume ( R 2 = 0.84), while the pattern of decline in lacunarity across discrete measurement scales was related to many size- and density-related attributes of stand and canopy structure (0.27 ≤ R 2 ≤ 0.58) and their diverse vertical and horizontal spatial distributions. PCA uncovered two major gradients of spatial heterogeneity from the 10 dimensions of our original lacunarity dataset. The stronger of these two gradients reflected the continuous variation in canopy cover and gap volume, while a second, more subtle gradient was associated with the array of possible vertical and horizontal spatial configurations that might define any one measure of canopy cover. We expect that this quantitative method can be used to support a broad range of practical applications in sustainable forest management, long-term ecological monitoring, and forest science. Further research is required to understand how these statistical estimates and gradients of measured spatial heterogeneity relate to other ecologically relevant patterns of forest composition, structure, and function.

Social choice theory and its applications in sustainable forest management—a review

Important decisions of mankind have for centuries been made using voting techniques, both in small groups and in nationwide elections. Currently, involvement of public in forestry decision making is seen as an important part of sustainable forest management, both as a means to an end and as an end in itself. In public participatory processes, issues such as fairness, representativity, and transparency are important, as well as in any election. Therefore, it is natural to utilise the achievements of voting theory also in decision support for sustainable forest management. In this article, first a review of basic voting techniques is given, along with some new techniques involving elements of fuzziness or randomness. Second, modifications of voting for multicriteria decision aid are presented and, finally, applications of voting to natural resources management are described. The applicability of voting approaches to the group decision support and participatory planning of forestry are discussed. The most significant advantages of voting methods for this kind of decision support processes were found to be their ability to deal with ordinal preferences of decision makers and ordinal evaluation data on alternatives. In addition, voting methods are comprehensive and easy to interpret. This makes the decision support process transparent and quick and convenient to implement even with large groups of people, and via information networks.

Accuracy of an IFSAR-derived digital terrain model under a conifer forest canopy

Accurate digital terrain models (DTMs) are necessary for a variety of forest resource management applications, including watershed management, timber harvest planning, and fire management. Traditional methods for acquiring topographic data typically rely on aerial photogrammetry, where measurement of the terrain surface below forest canopy is difficult and error prone. The recent emergence of airborne P-band interferometric synthetic aperture radar (IFSAR), a high-resolution, microwave remote sensing technology, has the potential to provide significantly more accurate terrain models in forested areas. Low-frequency, P-band radar energy physically penetrates through the vegetation canopy and reflects from the underlying terrain surface, allowing for accurate measurement of the terrain surface elevation even in areas with dense forest cover. In this study, the accuracy of a high-resolution DTM derived from P-band IFSAR data collected over a mountainous forest area in western Washington State was rigorously evaluated through a comparison with 347 topographic checkpoints measured with total station survey equipment and collected under a variety of canopy densities. The mean DTM error was –0.28 ± 2.59 m (mean ± standard deviation), and the root mean squared error (RMSE) was 2.6 m. DTM elevation errors for four canopy cover classes were –0.67 ± 1.20 m (RMSE = 1.38 m) for clearcut, –0.62 ± 1.00 m (RMSE = 1.18 m) for heavily thinned, –0.41 ± 2.32 m (RMSE = 2.36 m) for lightly thinned, and 0.20 ± 3.31 m (RMSE = 3.32 m) for uncut.

Predicting Forest Age Classes from High Spatial Resolution Remotely Sensed Imagery Using Voronoi Polygon Aggregation

Efficient identification of forest age is useful for forest management and ecological applications. Here we propose a user-assisted method for determining forest age using high spatial resolution remotely sensed imagery. This method requires individual trees to be extracted from imagery and represented as points. We use a local maximum filter to generate points that are converted to Voronoi polygons. Properties of the Voronoi polygons are correlated with forest age and used to aggregate points (trees) into areas (stands) based on three forest age classes. Accuracy of the aggregation ranges from approximately 68% to 78% and identification of the mature class is more consistent and accurate than the younger classes.

How, Thanks to a Decision Support System Called “Profiling,” a Forest Manager Saved His Forest But Lost His Job: A Fable

Abstract Efficient and effective forest disease management relies on good research, yet forest managers are sometimes slow at adapting and implementing research discoveries. Meaningful research on management issues relies on an understanding of the difficulties of management, yet research discoveries often are remotely applicable to day-to-day management decisions. This communications gap may constrain the science and application of forest disease management. A fictional case study examines the incongruence between a new-economy manager and an old-economy corporate office when a decision support system called “profiling” is used to solve an ecological problem in an economic context. It illustrates the risks managers take when implementing new technologies–in this case, using information technology in a forest business when a root disease limits timber production. In the story that follows, our narrator is attending a guest lecture.

Structural Characteristics of Forest Stands Within Home Ranges of Mexican Spotted Owls in Arizona and New Mexico

Abstract As part of a set of studies evaluating home-range size and habitat use of radio-marked Mexican spotted owls (Strix occidentalis lucida), we sampled structural characteristics of forest stands within owl home ranges on two study areas in Arizona and New Mexico. Study areas were dominated by ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)–Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii) forest (Arizona) or mixed-conifer forest (New Mexico). We describe structural characteristics of forest stands used by spotted owls for both foraging and roosting, in terms of central tendencies and variability in structural characteristics among stands. Our results indicated that stands used for foraging were more variable than stands used for roosting. Observed distributions of structural variables were consistent with recommendations in the recovery plan governing management of owl habitat with a few potentially important exceptions. We also provide additional recommendations for application in forest management, based both on observed data and on extensive collective experience with the owl and its habitat. West. J. Appl. For. 18(3):189–198.