Birds & Science > Hudson River Valley Conservation >

Birds & Science
Bird Conservation in the Hudson River Valley

Hudson Valley Habitat Management Decision Tree (for managing bird habitats): Managing Habitat for Forest Birds

Scarlet Tanager © J. Nadler

Background
Forest habitats dominate the Hudson River Valley and support more bird species than other habitat types. Importantly, managing forests for birds is highly compatible with managing forests for other purposes, including for financial reasons. A clearcut in the middle of a large, mature forest will create habitat for birds that require successional (i.e. young, regenerating) forest habitat as well as yield marketable wood. As a result, much research has evaluated how birds and other wildlife respond to forest management and numerous resources are available to help landowners manage forests in the Hudson River Valley.

Habitat Description
There are many different types of forests in the Hudson River Valley, including swamp forests, high elevation spruce-fir forests in the Catskill High Peaks, Pine Barrens, scrub oak forests on the Shawangunks, and the ubiquitous deciduous and mixed (i.e. conifers mixed in with deciduous trees) forests found throughout the Valley. In addition to differences in tree species composition, forests differ by successional stage depending on their past disturbance histories, ranging from early-successional sapling stages to mature forests and everything in between. Different forest birds are associated with different successional stages and types of forest, although many will use a range of both forest type and successional stage. For most birds, the dominant tree species are less important than the physical structure, including such characteristics as the density of ground and shrub-layer vegetation and canopy closure. Other species have narrower habitat requirements, needing, for example, some conifer trees in the forest for it to be appropriate. These management recommendations apply largely to deciduous and mixed forests in the Valley.

Threats
The most significant threats to forests in the Hudson River Valley are residential and commercial developments that lead to more or less permanent conversions of forest to non-forest uses. Fires, floods, and ice storms might seem like they threaten forests, but these natural disturbances actually help maintain a matrix of successional stages across the landscape, providing habitat for the full diversity of bird species. Development not only destroys habitat, but it fragments the remaining habitat making it less suitable for birds.

Management Recommendations
If you haven’t already, please visit our decision tree to determine if managing for forest makes sense for your property.

• Think about the landscape and what your property has to offer
  One of the first decisions the landowner will need to make is what successional stage should the management strive to achieve. Intensive management that removes a significant portion of the trees will set the forest back to earlier stages of succession and provide habitat for species that use successional forests. Intensive management opens the canopy, allowing more light to reach the forest floor, which prompts ground and shrub-layer vegetation growth. Less intensive or no management will leave a forest that supports birds that require more mature forests. Moderate intensity management through various types of partial harvests can allow some light to penetrate, but still retain a mostly or partially closed canopy. The decision about how intensively to manage a specific property should be made with the surrounding landscape in mind as much as the property to be managed. For example, if the landscape is predominantly mature forest, then creating some early-successional forest through logging will provide habitat for birds that might not be common in the area. In other situations where mature forests are lacking, simply doing nothing and allowing your forest to continue to mature might be the best management decision for birds. Use the decision tree to help guide your decisions.
• Large forest blocks are better than small forest fragments
  Small patches of forest surrounded by open fields or other non-forest land uses (i.e. fragmented forests) present big challenges for breeding forest birds. The edges that are created allow predators and nest parasites (Brown-headed Cowbirds, which lay their eggs in other birds’ nests) easier access to nests, preventing many birds from successfully fledging young. Large, unfragmented forests help breeding birds avoid these challenges, resulting in more successful nesting.

• A regenerating clearcut will provide habitat for many forest birds in the Hudson River Valley.

  Work with a good forester
  There are many different ways to manage forests in the Valley. As a landowner, the decision about your management objectives is up to you, but achieving the desired management objectives is best left to a professional. A professional forester will know which trees should be removed to leave behind the kind of forest you are seeking and can oversee the logging and sale of the wood. Contact the Department of Environmental Conservation office in New Paltz to get a list of qualified foresters in your area.
• Beware of too many deer
  In many parts of the Hudson River Valley, deer are so abundant that they are having serious impacts on forest composition, biodiversity, and regeneration. In some cases, browsing deer can cause complete regeneration failure following a cut, with the result that a forest fails to grow back where the landowner desired. Forest managers must consider this carefully when planning logging operations in the Valley.
• Follow Best Management Practices
  Forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) are practices that help protect soil and water resources during the process of forest management. Following BMPs does not constrain forest management options, but it allows landowners to pursue their preferred options while minimizing long-lasting site disturbance, erosion, and watershed impacts. BMPs guide such things as road building, stream crossings, and logging on slopes – all of which influence the impact of the operation on your property and your neighbors.

Helpful Resources

ConserveOnline resources for Private Forest Owners provides ideas and resources to forest landowners, as well as technical information on using best management practices. Implementing these conservation measures can even help private forest landowners meet their financial objectives.

DeGraaf, R. M., M. Yamasaki, W. B. Leak, A. M. Lester. 2005. Landowner’s Guide to Wildlife Habitat: Forest Management for the New England Region. Burlington, VT: University of Vermont Press. 111 pages.

Hartley, M. J., K. L. Sullivan, M. F. Burger. 2004. Wildlife and Forestry in New York Northern Hardwoods: A Guide for Forest Owners and Managers. Audubon New York, Albany, New York. 40 pages. Available here.

Oehler, J. D., D. F. Covell, S. Capel, and B. Long, eds. 2006. Managing grasslands, shrublands, and young forest habitats for wildlife: a guide for the Northeast. New Hampshire Fish and Game Department.