Who we are

Our team embodies a 25-year collaboration between the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station and the USDA Forest Service's National Carnivore Program. Our work supports science-based solutions to the management and conservation of Canada lynx across the West.

The impact of our research

Distribution mapping

Photo Credit

Northern Rockies Lynx Study

We mapped lynx distribution across the entire northern and southern Rocky Mountains so managers can have access to up to date information for management decisions.

Response to recreation

We identified habitat that is important to both lynx and recreationists, and we found that lynx in our study area tolerated non-motorized and low-density recreation.

Response to fire

Photo Credit

Northern Rockies Lynx Study

Lynx are highly sensitive to gradients in fire severity and rely on the presence of unburned ‘islands’ of green trees after fire. This information can be used to inform salvage and timber management. 

Response to forest management

We identified forest structure mosaics that relate to the ability of female lynx to produce kittens in spruce-fir forests and quantified lynx responses to different forest management types, timing, and recovery.

Response to insects

We demonstrated lynx tolerance to beetle-killed overstory and established the importance of preserving forest understory for lynx habitat.

Lynx ecology

We established a deeper understanding of lynx denning habitat and the importance of horizontal cover and multi-storied forest to inform land management decisions.

Ongoing projects

Photo Credit

Northern Rockies Lynx Study

Characterizing habitat refugia

We are identifying lynx habitat refugia in the context of increased disturbance throughout their range.

Effects of silvicultural practices

We are conducting research that seeks to understand how silvicultural practices in post-fire treatments affect lynx habitat use and the relative abundance of their primary prey, snowshoe hares.

Effects of forest disturbance

We are characterizing how mosaics of forest disturbance across the Northern Rockies affect lynx productivity, movements, and space use.

More information

To learn more about the Canada Lynx of the Rockies Research Program, please visit the "Resources" tab of this website or contact principal investigator Dr. John Squires.