Large Forest Tracts Research Articles

Habitat Suitability Analysis for Mountain Lions (Puma Concolor) Recolonization/ Reintroduction in Minnesota

Abstract The mountain lion range once extended throughout the state of Minnesota. The breeding population has been greatly reduced with time, new roads, and timber harvesting, which have broken large tracts of contiguous forest into isolated patches that are too small and no longer suitable for the breeding mountain lion population. The objective of this study is to use suitability analysis to determine the most suitable habitat to conserve mountain lion populations threatened by habitat fragmentation. To attain our objective, we created three sub models that contribute to the overarching goal of the suitability model. A habitat sub model was developed for finding the best habitat, a food sub model for access to the maximum amount of food needed, and a security sub model focusing on the distance from houses, roads, and urban development. Using the Weighted Sum tool, the three sub models were combined to produce a suitability surface based on the trade-off of the preferences of the goals represented by each sub model. Our suitability model shows large areas of high-quality mountain lion habitat in the northern and north-eastern sections of the state. These areas contain favourable locations for mountain lion habitat, such as forested land cover, low-density populations, steep slopes, short distances to streams, and area unimpeded by major roads. The southern and western parts of the state are characterized by lower slopes, more agricultural land, grassland, developed land, and higher population density, which results in lower quality habitat. The twin cities have the worst mountain lion habitat.

Assessment of the Role of Forest Land in Samara Region as Environmental Protection and Land Degradation Prevention Factor

The article discusses the current state of forest land, the history of formation of large tracts of forest in the Samara region and analyses some of the results of implementation of target programs to improve the forest cover in the region under the Kyoto Protocol. This program was designed for the period from 2006 to 2015, but in 2009 was discontinued. However, large segment of assets was allocated and a number of works was carried out. Currently the objectives of the programme to increase the forest cover in the territory of Samara region through the creation of tracts of forest are not achieved. Tree and shrub plantations play an important role in reducing the activity of processes of erosion, prevent degradation and desertification. Therefore, the problem of increasing forest cover, especially in the steppe zone of the region, to the level of the preindustrial era remains relevant and requires science-based measures for their solution.

Multi‐scale effects of habitat structure and landscape context on a vertebrate with limited dispersal ability (the brown‐throated sloth, Bradypus variegatus)

AbstractAs human population, food consumption, and demand for forest products continue to rise over the next century, the pressures of land‐use change on biodiversity are projected to intensify. In tropical regions, countryside habitats that retain abundant tree cover and structurally complex canopies may complement protected areas by providing suitable habitats and landscape connectivity for a significant portion of the native biota. Species with low dispersal capabilities are among the most at risk of extinction as a consequence of land‐use change. We assessed how the spatial distribution of the brown‐throated sloth (Bradypus variegatus), a model species for a vertebrate with limited dispersal ability, is shaped by differences in habitat structure and landscape patterns of countryside habitats in north‐central Costa Rica using a multi‐scale framework. We quantified the influence of local habitat characteristics and landscape context on sloth occurrence using mixed‐effects logistic regression models. We recorded 27 sloths within countryside habitats and found that both local and landscape factors significantly influenced their spatial distribution. Locally, sloths favored structurally complex habitats, with greater canopy cover and variation in tree height and basal area. At the landscape scale, sloths demonstrated a preference for habitats with high proportions of forest and nearby large tracts of forest. Although mixed‐use areas and tree plantations are not substitutes for protected forests, our results suggest they provide important supplemental habitats for sloths. To promote the conservation and long‐term viability of sloth populations in the tropical countryside, we recommend that land managers retain structurally complex vegetation and large patches of native habitat.

Primary rainforest amount at the landscape scale mitigates bird biodiversity loss and biotic homogenization

Abstract Tropical conservation strategies traditionally focus on large tracts of pristine forests but, given rapid primary forest decline, understanding the role of secondary forest remnants for biodiversity maintenance is critical. Until now, the interactive effects of changes in forest amount, configuration and disturbance history (secondary vs. primary forest) on the conservation value of tropical landscapes have remained unknown, hampering the incorporation of these global change drivers into local and global conservation planning. We disentangled effects of landscape‐wide forest amount, fragment size and forest age (old growth vs. secondary forest) on abundance, α‐diversity, β‐diversity (biotic homogenization) and community shifts of bird communities in human‐dominated landscapes of southern Costa Rica. Utilizing two complementary methods, yielding 6,900 individual detections and 223 species, we characterized bird communities in 49 forest fragments representing independent gradients in fragment size (<5 ha vs. >30 ha) and forest amount (5%–80%) in the surrounding landscape (within 1000 m). Abundance and α‐diversity of forest specialists and insectivores declined by half in small fragments, but only in landscapes with little old‐growth forest. Conversely, secondary forest at the landscape scale showed no such compensation effect. Similarly, a null‐model approach indicated significant biotic homogenization in small vs. large fragments, but only in landscapes with little old‐growth forest, suggesting forest amount and configuration interactively affect β‐diversity in tropical human‐dominated landscapes. Finally, dramatic abundance‐based community shifts relative to intact forests are largely a result of landscape‐scale loss of old growth rather than changes in overall forest cover. Policy implications. Our study provides strong evidence that retaining old growth within tropical human‐modified landscapes can simultaneously curb erosion of avian forest specialist α‐diversity, mitigate collapse of β‐diversity (biotic homogenization) and dampen detrimental avian community shifts. However, secondary forests play, at best, a subordinate role to mitigate these processes. To maintain tropical forest biodiversity, retaining old‐growth forest within landscapes should be first priority, highlighting a land‐sparing approach.

Environmental determinants and use of space by six Neotropical primates in the northern Brazilian Amazon

ABSTRACTThe Guiana Shield has large pristine tracts of tropical forest with high biological diversity and is an area of endemism within the Amazon Basin. However, the conservation status of primates in eastern Amazonian Brazil is still poorly known. Here, we report information on relative abundance, group size, density estimates, plus the effects of environmental variables and seasonality of primates in a sustainable-use reserve in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. From a 603 km transect-based census conducted in October–December 2013 and March–June 2014 we obtained 122 sighting records of six primate species. The most common were Ateles paniscus (45 detections) and Saguinus midas (40 detections). The high calculated density estimates for Sg. midas (2.01 groups/km2 or 12.05 individuals/km2) and for At. paniscus (3.44 groups/km2 or 10.31 individuals/km2) underscore the conservation importance of the study area for the vulnerable At. paniscus. We found no effect of environmental variables on the number of detections of primates, except for At. paniscus and Cebus olivaceus, with the former showing a higher number of detections in more open canopy forest during the rainy season, and the later having a higher number of detections in areas with higher density of palms in the dry season.

Effect of land use in seasonal abundance of Eared Dove (Zenaida auriculata) in Southwestern Brazil.

Changes at the landscape scale associated with expansion in agricultural land use and changes in agricultural practices are common causes of alteration in patterns of abundance and composition of avian communities. Eared Dove (Zenaida auriculata - Des Murs, 1847) is among the most common species in the Neotropics, considered both as game and pest in some countries. Here we characterized the regional and seasonal patterns of Eared Doves abundance in Southwestern Brazil and examined the relationship between landscape features and these abundance patterns. We counted Eared Doves using the point count system along routes in summer and winter and recorded land use at two scales. We used linear regressions to model the effect of landscape matrix and land use at local scale with Doves abundance in two seasons. At the landscape scale, in winter, the abundance was greater in routes crossing landscapes dominated by plantations. In summer, it was lower in routes with large tracts of forests and mixed farming. While in winter, at the local scale, the Doves abundance was greater in routes with higher frequency of maize plantations, in summer higher abundances were observed in routes with higher frequency of sugar cane and soybean plantations. Agricultural settings, which include both sustained production of food in the form of grains as well as and large stretches of habitat suitable for reproduction, favor large population of Eared Doves.

Indiana bats roost in ephemeral, fire-dependent pine snags in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA

The Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis), a species that is federally endangered in the U.S., is being impacted by white-nose syndrome and habitat loss across much of its range. A better understanding of summer roost ecology of the species will enable us to develop management strategies that promote summer survival for breeding adult females and their pups. We conducted a 5year investigation of Indiana bat roost habitat selection and roosting behavior in a large (>250,000ha) forested area of the southern Appalachian Mountains and compared our results to populations in different landscapes across the species’ range. From May to August 2008–2012, we attached radio transmitters to 50 adult females, 3 juveniles, and 7 adult males captured at sites on the Cherokee and Nantahala national forests and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We radiotracked bats to 95 roosts and measured characteristics of trees, 0.1ha plots, and landscape attributes for 69 of these roosts and associated random trees. We used an AIC approach to compare 14 candidate conditional logistic regression models. The only plausible model, which carried 95% of total model weights, had 3 important terms. Indiana bats showed strong selection for yellow pine (Pinus subgenus Diploxylon) snags that were significantly taller than random trees and in areas with a greater number of snags within 0.1ha. During this study, tree and stand structure were more important for roost selection than larger scale factors and Indiana bats responded to a pulsed and highly ephemeral resource, dead yellow pines, which were a significant component of the large forest tracts. Roosting behavior differed from what has been observed for Indiana bats in other parts of the eastern U.S.; maternity colonies tended to be smaller (<25 bats, but as large as 75 bats prior to pups being volant) and bats were more nomadic, using each roost tree for only 2–3days on average and rarely for more than one year. The differences we observed in roosting behavior in the southern Appalachians suggest it would be wise to consider the broader landscape context when evaluating the roosting ecology of Indiana bats, as local forest types and disturbance events will affect stand structure and roost tree availability. Stand- and landscape-scale management practices that create or preserve large pine snags, such as prescribed fire, coupled with natural or manmade pulsed disturbances, should aid in the management and recovery of the Indiana bat in this region.

The changing role of fire in mediating the relationships among oaks, grasslands, mesic temperate forests, and boreal forests in the Lake States

ABSTRACTHistorically, oak forests and woodlands intergraded with southern boreal forest, temperate mesic forest, and grassland biomes, forming complex fire-mediated relationships in the Great Lakes region of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, USA. Variability in fire recurrence intervals allowed oaks to mix with grasses or with mesic forest species in areas with high (2–10 yr) or moderate (several decades) fire frequencies, respectively. In the southern boreal forest, oak colonization was limited by cold climate. In recent decades former savannas have been largely converted to agricultural fields and the fate of oak remnants is controlled by human fire use. In mesic temperate forests, fire exclusion, wetter climate, and deer browsing have led to mesophication and increasing maple dominance. With ongoing warming, however, mesophication could reverse due to increased drought and fire frequency, and earthworm invasion, which enhances the understory environment for oak seedlings. Oaks are also likely to invade large tracts of southern boreal forest. However, deer grazing on oak seedlings will partially negate the positive influence of warming and fire. On balance, oaks have a more positive future outlook in the Lake States, as the climate becomes more favorable to oaks compared to temperate mesic and boreal forests.

Spatial requirements of jaguars and pumas in Southern Mexico

Understanding how large felids use space is essential for the design of conservation plans that are required for their survival. Jaguars (Panthera onca) and pumas (Puma concolor) are the largest felids in the Neotropics, and they are sympatric throughout the entire range of the jaguar. However, there is very little information about the spatial requirements of these two species in the tropical rainforests of Central America. Using satellite GPS collars, we compared the spatial ecology of jaguars and pumas in a tropical rainforest in southern Mexico. We found that jaguars had home ranges that were 2–6 times larger than those of pumas. The mean annual home range was 181.4±4.0km2 for female jaguars and 431.6±152.6km2 for males. Annual home range for the only female puma tracked was 34.3km2, and 72.0±85.2km2 for males. Jaguars and pumas with overlapping home ranges showed little overlap of core areas and avoided using the same sites at the same time, which suggested that territoriality and avoidance were in play. Further evidence of avoidance was derived from our observation that pumas exhibited greater movement during the lightest periods of the day and jaguars moved most during the darkest. This temporal separation probably facilitates coexistence. Our data suggest that habitat destruction and fragmentation has more severe effects on jaguars than on pumas. According to our estimates, patches of at least 180km2 of primary forest are required to meet the annual spatial requirements of female jaguars. Thus, to conserve jaguars in this region, large tracts of primary forest should be preserved. Importantly, this population of jaguars depends on the adequate preservation of connectivity between natural reserves in Mexico and Guatemala.

Are neotropical predictors of forest epiphyte–host relationships consistent in Indonesia?

Abstract:Epiphytes represent keystone resources for many arthropod and vertebrate species, however their ecology remains poorly explored, especially within the palaeotropics. Several recent studies have examined relationships between epiphyte richness and characteristics of local habitats, although these have all focused on neotropical forests. Here, we aim to determine whether predictors of neotropical epiphyte richness are consistent at a palaeotropical site. A total of 44 host trees (dbh range 25–288 cm) were sampled at two study sites on Buton Island, Indonesia. For each tree, epiphyte richness and seven variables relating to characteristics of the host tree and surrounding habitats were recorded: site (a proxy value for disturbance level and water availability), host above-ground biomass (agb), altitude, bark texture, exposure, emergence and crown area. Gaussian GLM analyses indicated that the percentage deviance explained in epiphyte richness per host was greatest for agb (20.9%), crown area (19.6%) and site (15.5%); similar to previous findings from the neotropics. Results therefore suggest that high epiphyte diversity within palaeotropical forests is most likely to be found in large tracts of undisturbed forest, supporting large, broad-crowned trees.

Seed viability of early maturing alpine ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis subsp. delegatensis) in the Australian Alps, south-eastern Australia, and its implications for management under changing fire regimes

Eucalyptus delegatensis R.T. Baker subsp. delegatensis is an interval-sensitive, fire-killed eucalypt that dominates large tracts of montane forest in the Australian Alps. Although it has been widely accepted in forest management that E. delegatensis takes 20 years to flower and fruit after stand-replacing fire events, recent observations after high intensity fires in the Australian Alps have shown that early flowering and fruiting is occurring from what can be termed ‘precocious’ individuals in some areas. In some instances, early flowering and fruit set is occurring within 6 years after stand-replacing fire. One historical study in the Australian Capital Territory had noted that such seed was viable, but we found no reported experiments documenting this or detailing the degree of viability. Here we discuss the results of a germination experiment undertaken on seed collected from Namadgi National Park from early-maturing alpine ash trees. Although at the low end of known viability estimates for E. delegatensis, seed from these individuals was nonetheless found to be viable, with a mean of 455 (s.d. = 139) germinants per 10 g of chaff and seed mix. We discuss this result in relation to fire management in the Australian Alps and suggest further research that needs to be undertaken to better document and understand the phenomenon.

Effect of fragmentation on the Costa Rican dry forest avifauna.

Deforestation and changes in land use have reduced the tropical dry forest to isolated forest patches in northwestern Costa Rica. We examined the effect of patch area and length of the dry season on nestedness of the entire avian community, forest fragment assemblages, and species occupancy across fragments for the entire native avifauna, and for a subset of forest dependent species. Species richness was independent of both fragment area and distance between fragments. Similarity in bird community composition between patches was related to habitat structure; fragments with similar forest structure have more similar avian assemblages. Size of forest patches influenced nestedness of the bird community and species occupancy, but not nestedness of assemblages across patches in northwestern Costa Rican avifauna. Forest dependent species (species that require large tracts of mature forest) and assemblages of these species were nested within patches ordered by a gradient of seasonality, and only occupancy of species was nested by area of patches. Thus, forest patches with a shorter dry season include more forest dependent species.

Rush for cash crops and forest protection: Neither land sparing nor land sharing

In many countries with large tracts of tropical forests, there is a dual focus on enhancing forest protection and increasing commercial agriculture for economic development. Laos is a case in point for this development as the Government of Laos (GoL) has a strong commitment to economic growth, which rural farmers in part help realize through a rush for cash crop production destined to be sold in neighboring countries. Maize cultivation, for example, is rapidly expanding and grown under a contract-farming system for Vietnamese markets. At the same time, GoL attempts to increase nationwide forest cover and prepares for REDD+ (reducing deforestation and forest degradation). This paper explores how the recent boom in cash crops is impacting land use and livelihoods of local communities, as well as affecting forest conservation in Hua Meuang District of Huaphan Province in northeastern Laos. We also examine how local authorities react to these changes and navigate the contradicting policies. Furthermore, the paper analyzes to what extent the land sparing intention of land- and forest-land allocation policies are fulfilled. We found that the production of maize has rapidly expanded in Hua Meuang District since the mid-2000s as a result of high demands for maize in Vietnam and because local authorities see the crop as a way to reduce rural poverty and reduce traditional subsistence shifting cultivation practices. Communities have increased the areas that they dedicate to maize cultivation and have achieved an increase in both income and household assets. Maize has replaced upland rice cultivation as well as primary and secondary forests. Although the government policies aim to spare land for forest conservation by intensifying agriculture, the result is rapid agricultural expansion and no spared forest. Moreover, the traditional land-sharing landscapes with forest, fallows, and fields are being transformed, creating landscapes that are increasingly dominated by agriculture. This may still be in line with economic development policies, but it is at odds with forest conservation policies, REDD+ policies, and the GoL target of increasing forest cover in the country.

Beetle community response to residual forest patch size in managed boreal forest landscapes: Feeding habits matter

Forest fragmentation by management activities has been implicated in the decline of forest biodiversity. Even though boreal ecosystems are generally deemed quite resilient to disturbance effects, high contemporary levels of disturbance might push forest-interior species toward decline or extinction. In this study, we examined beetle communities in forest patches of different sizes, including clearcuts, residual postharvest patches from 0.03 to 50ha in size, and large mature forest tracts (>1000ha). Overall, community structure follows a gradient between clearcuts and large mature forest tracts, even if patch size effects were more difficult to detect among patches >2.5ha. Beetles were most abundant in clearcuts, and species richness was highest in small tree groups (0.03–0.05ha). The effects of fragmentation were strongly conditioned by beetle feeding habits. Predators and xylophagous beetles were mostly associated with clearcuts or smaller patches (i.e., small tree groups or large tree groups [0.3–0.5ha]), whereas fungivorous beetles were associated with forest-interior habitats. Although many forest-interior species were still present in relatively small patches 1–5years after harvesting, negative effects of habitat fragmentation on these species might increase in the long-term.

Re‐evaluating fall cankerworm management thresholds for urban and suburban forests

Abstract In recent decades, outbreaks of fall cankerworm (Alsophila pometaria, Lepidoptera: Geometridae) have increased in urban and suburban areas of the mid‐Atlantic and southeastern U.S.A., including in Richmond, Virginia, as well as in Charlotte, North Carolina. Managers in these regions commonly monitor fall cankerworm population trends using sticky band traps and use established thresholds relating the number of individuals captured to defoliation as a decision‐making tool. For this pest, defoliation thresholds were established based on large forest tracts, although these may yield inaccurate predictions in urban and suburban landscapes. Analyses of defoliation and fall cankerworm sticky band traps in Fairfax County, Virginia, U.S.A., indicate that trees with &gt;200 female moths have &gt;50% probability of being defoliated at moderate or greater intensity. This threshold is much larger than the threshold of 45 females previously established for large forest tracts, and a statistical model based on this established threshold proved an extremely poor fit to the data. In addition, we found little spatial correlation in fall cankerworm abundance among trap locations, in contrast to an established rule of thumb proposing that one trap per 40 ha can estimate fall cankerworm abundance for areas over 400 ha. These findings highlight the importance of the ecological context in which management recommendations are made.

Wintering Golden Eagles on the coastal plain of South Carolina

Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) are rare winter residents in eastern North America, with most found along the Appalachian Mountains and few reported on the coastal plain of the Carolinas. We used remote cameras baited with wild pig (Sus scrofa) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) carcasses to detect, age, and individually identify Golden Eagles on the U.S. Department of Energy's Savannah River Site on the coastal plain of South Carolina. We identified eight individual Golden Eagles during the winters of 2013–2014 and 2014–2015, with one detected during both winters. We detected eagles for 19 and 66 calendar days during the winters of 2013–2014 and 2014–2015, respectively, with two adult eagles detected for 30 and 31 calendar days in 2014–2015. Eagles typically scavenged on carcasses for a few days, left, and then returned when cameras were baited with another carcass, suggesting they had remained in the area. These observations suggest that large tracts of forests on the coastal plain may be important wintering areas for some Golden Eagles and, further, that other areas in the coastal plain of the southeastern United States may also harbor wintering eagles. Identification of wintering areas of Golden Eagles in the east will be an important step in the conservation of this protected species, and camera traps baited with carcasses can be an effective tool for such work.

The Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) in the Vicinity of the Giant’s Tank in Mannar District, Sri Lanka

The Indian peafowl Pavo cristatus is distributed widely across Sri Lanka’s low country dry zone. Observations of the peafowl were carried out in Mannar area for 46 days from July 2003 to October 2005 to understand their distribution and abundance in Mannar area. A total of 624 birds were encountered, of which 342 were males, 270 females and 12 chicks. Of the 342 adult males recorded, 169 (49.4%) were solitary, while 35 (10.2%) were found in male-only groups. Of the 270 adult females observed, only 31 (or 11.5%) were solitary, while 33 (12.2%) were found in female-only groups. Of the 624 peafowl observed in the study, only 49 (7.9%) were present in mixed groups. In these mixed groups, the average adult male:female ratio was 1:0.79. The birds were most active during the period of 1600 to 1900 hrs with a peak between 1700-1800 hrs. Breeding season commenced in December with the onset of the north-east monsoon and reached its peak in May with the start of the dry season. Chicks were observed with peahens in February 2004. The approximate density of peafowl was 13.8 km-2. Peafowls are well adapted to live in human-dominated and human-altered landscapes. The key to long-term survival of the peafowl is lack of conflicts with agricultural communities, and presence of large tracts of scrub forest and associated grasslands with access to water. Ceylon Journal of Science (Bio. Sci.) 44 (1) : 61-66, 2015

Long-Term Urban Market Dynamics Reveal Increased Bushmeat Carcass Volume despite Economic Growth and Proactive Environmental Legislation on Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea.

Bushmeat hunting is extensive in west and central Africa as both a means for subsistence and for commercial gain. Commercial hunting represents one of the primary threats to wildlife in the region, and confounding factors have made it challenging to examine how external factors influence the commercial bushmeat trade. Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea is a small island with large tracts of intact forest that support sizeable populations of commercially valuable vertebrates, especially endemic primates. The island also has a low human population and has experienced dramatic economic growth and rapid development since the mid-1990’s. From October 1997 – September 2010, we monitored the largest bushmeat market on Bioko in Malabo, recording over 197,000 carcasses for sale. We used these data to analyze the dynamics of the market in relation to political events, environmental legislation, and rapid economic growth. Our findings suggest that bushmeat hunting and availability increased in parallel with the growth of Equatorial Guinea’s GDP and disposable income of its citizens. During this 13-year study, the predominant mode of capture shifted from trapping to shotguns. Consequently, carcass volume and rates of taxa typically captured with shotguns increased significantly, most notably including intensified hunting of Bioko's unique and endangered monkey fauna. Attempts to limit bushmeat sales, including a 2007 ban on primate hunting and trade, were only transiently effective. The hunting ban was not enforced, and was quickly followed by a marked increase in bushmeat hunting compared to hunting rates prior to the ban. Our results emphasize the negative impact that rapid development and unenforced legislation have had on Bioko’s wildlife, and demonstrate the need for strong governmental support if conservation strategies are to be successful at preventing extinctions of tropical wildlife.

Need of transboundary collaborations for tiger survival in Indian subcontinent

Tiger is an integral part of much of the remaining forest ecosystems in Indian subcontinent, which in turn provide ecological services essential to our own existence. Progressively shrinking and denuding forests are effectively trapping tigers in unsustainably small protected areas in Indian subcontinent, with obvious fatal consequences. Tigers need large undisturbed landscapes with ample prey to raise young ones and maintain long-term genetic and demographic viability. The subcontinent is reported to be the last haven for tigers with more than 60 % of the global population. However, large tracts of biodiversity-rich forests straddle two or more countries in the subcontinent and need holistic, concerted approaches to conservation over-riding political boundaries. The looming extinction crisis and urgency to protect these areas cannot be overemphasized.

Evaluating the Impact of Abrupt Changes in Forest Policy and Management Practices on Landscape Dynamics: Analysis of a Landsat Image Time Series in the Atlantic Northern Forest

Sustainable forest management is based on functional relationships between management actions, landscape conditions, and forest values. Changes in management practices make it fundamentally more difficult to study these relationships because the impacts of current practices are difficult to disentangle from the persistent influences of past practices. Within the Atlantic Northern Forest of Maine, U.S.A., forest policy and management practices changed abruptly in the early 1990s. During the 1970s-1980s, a severe insect outbreak stimulated salvage clearcutting of large contiguous tracts of spruce-fir forest. Following clearcut regulation in 1991, management practices shifted abruptly to near complete dependence on partial harvesting. Using a time series of Landsat satellite imagery (1973-2010) we assessed cumulative landscape change caused by these very different management regimes. We modeled predominant temporal patterns of harvesting and segmented a large study area into groups of landscape units with similar harvest histories. Time series of landscape composition and configuration metrics averaged within groups revealed differences in landscape dynamics caused by differences in management history. In some groups (24% of landscape units), salvage caused rapid loss and subdivision of intact mature forest. Persistent landscape change was created by large salvage clearcuts (often averaging > 100 ha) and conversion of spruce-fir to deciduous and mixed forest. In groups that were little affected by salvage (56% of landscape units), contemporary partial harvesting caused loss and subdivision of intact mature forest at even greater rates. Patch shape complexity and edge density reached high levels even where cumulative harvest area was relatively low. Contemporary practices introduced more numerous and much smaller patches of stand-replacing disturbance (typically averaging <15 ha) and a correspondingly large amount of edge. Management regimes impacted different areas to different degrees, producing different trajectories of landscape change that should be recognized when studying the impact of policy and management practices on forest ecology.