Geometry of forest landscape connectivity: pathways for persistence

Abstract

Streamside areas may be dispersal funnels or runways for a variety of species. For over-ridge dispersal, headwaters offer the shortest distance links among riparian zones in adjacent drainages. We summarize landscape designs for connectivity of habitats using headwater riparian linkage areas as the foundation for a web of landscape-scale links. We developed management considerations for placement of headwater linkage areas including: 1) providing connections between larger basins; 2) maintaining habitat connectivity in the face of climate change; 3) incorporating place-based disturbance regimes such as headwater debris-fl ow-prone areas; 4) targeting connectivity areas to address sensitive species conservation strongholds; and 5) accounting for geometry at the foreststand scale of a single project or proposed timber sale, including managing habitats to connect lands on adjacent federal ownerships, by means of connecting corners of checkerboard landscape blocks along diagonals. Although our proposed linkage areas are designed to target headwater species, the resulting web of connections across the landscape is expected to benefi t many forestdependent species.

Parent Publication

• Density management in the 21st century: west side story

Citation

Olson, Deanna H.; Burnett, Kelly M. 2013. Geometry of forest landscape connectivity: pathways for persistence. In: Anderson, P.D.; Ronnenberg, K.L., eds. Density management in the 21st century: west side story. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-880. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station: 220–238.