Treesearch
Alternative Silviculture Treatments and the Influence on White-tailed Deer Behavior
| Authors: | M.D. Starking, G.J. Roloff |
| Year: | 2023 |
| Type: | Proceedings - Paper |
| Station: | Northern Research Station |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.2737/NRS-GTR-P-211-paper13 |
| Source: | In: Kern, Christel C.; Dickinson, Yvette L., eds. Proceedings of the first biennial Northern Hardwood Conference 2021: Bridging science and management for the future. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-211. Madison, WI: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 56–57. |
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Abstract
Conflicts between herbivores and forest management vary depending on region and forest type. In northern hardwood forests of the north-central United States, high herbivore abundances, specifically white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), often cause problems by limiting tree stocking and regeneration of diverse tree species. Beginning in 2017, a collaboration between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Michigan State University, and forest industry partners began testing alternative silviculture in northern hardwood forest types across the state. Foresters and wildlife biologists developed a long-term, large-scale manipulative research project.