Woodpecker use and fall rates of snags created by killing ponderosa pine infected with dwarf mistletoe.

Abstract

Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) killed as part of a forest management project to reduce dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium sp.) in the Gila National Forest, New Mexico, were evaluated for wildlife value. One hundred and two dwarf mistletoe-infected trees were killed by basal burning, basal girdling, or by a combination of the two. Trees began to fall within 2 years. Most killed trees (96 percent) served as forage substrate for woodpeckers. Twenty percent of the trees contained woodpecker nest cavities and stood longer than small-diameter trees. The probability of cavity presence was best predicted by regression that included diameter and decay class. Standing life of the snag was not a significant predictor of cavity presence. The use of predictive models for analyzing the utility of snag-creation treatments is discussed.

Citation

Parks, Catherine G.; Conklin, David A.; Bednar, Larry; Maffei, Helen. 1999. Woodpecker use and fall rates of snags created by killing ponderosa pine infected with dwarf mistletoe. Res. Pap. PNW-RP-515. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 11 p