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Bird Conservation in the Hudson River Valley
Hudson Valley Habitat Management Decision Tree (for managing bird habitats)
Introduction
The suitability of a specific property for breeding birds
is determined by both the habitat conditions of the property
itself and the habitat conditions of the landscape surrounding
the property. There is a tremendous amount of scientific literature
about the habitat requirements of individual species as well
as groups of species, e.g., mature forest birds, and growing
bodies of literature demonstrating that many species are area-sensitive
(i.e. they need large patches of habitat to reproduce successfully)
and that the composition of the surrounding landscape also
matters. Not surprisingly, there is not perfect agreement
among the research findings in this field, but certain patterns
and consistencies have begun to emerge. For example, several
grassland birds generally do not nest successfully in grasslands
that are smaller than 50 or 100 acres, and they do better
in landscapes dominated by open habitats, even if not all
of those habitats are suitable grasslands. Similarly, many
forest birds do best in landscapes dominated by forest, even
if they choose to nest in a relatively small patch of forest
in that landscape. Collectively, this is far too much information
for most landowners and managers to take into consideration
when deciding how to management their property. Those bodies
of research and those emerging patterns have been synthesized
to create this decision tree to help landowners who want to
help birds in the Hudson River Valley.
This decision tree is meant to provide
general guidance to landowners and land managers interested
in managing a property for birds of conservation concern.
It is meant to steer management away from creating small,
isolated grasslands in largely forested landscapes and to
promote creating and maintaining grasslands in largely open
landscapes. This decision tree directs land managers to reasonable
management options. For example, even if a property is located
within an open landscape and potentially could provide high
quality grassland bird breeding habitat, this decision tree
does not direct a land manager to clear a forest and create
grassland habitat. Land managers and landowners using this
decision tree should consult with the New York Natural Heritage
Program and/or the Hudson River Estuary Program and/or the
Regional Office of the NYS DEC to inquire as to whether or
not there are likely to be special considerations regarding
the management of their property, such as the presence of
state-listed species or rare ecosystem types that may call
for special management practices. If, for example, a high-priority
mature forest species like Cerulean Warbler is using one’s
property, it should be managed for Cerulean Warbler even if
the decision tree suggests that early-successional forest
habitat should be considered as a management objective.
How to use a decision tree
A decision “tree” consists of a series of questions,
the answers to which lead one from a staring point to a solution.
The questions generally have only two or three possible answers,
and so they are like “branches” of a tree leading
away from the trunk. At each question, the user determines
which branch to follow until the final solution (i.e. suggestion)
is reached. To use this decision tree, start with Step 1 below
and follow the answers to the questions through to the end,
which is a suggestion for how you might consider managing
your property to help conserve at-risk birds of the Hudson
River Valley.
Step 1: Determine what
type of “landscape” surrounds your property.
Landscape is defined as a 2,500-acre block (approximately
1,000ha, 4mi2, 10km2; or a block measuring 2mi x 2mi, 3.2km
x 3.2km, or 3200m x 3200m) centered on and surrounding the
property to be managed. Property is defined as the area
to be managed as one unit; it may not include all of the
land you own in the area, even if those lands are adjacent
to each other. If the property is 2,500 acres or more, then
your property is also the landscape. Use Google Earth, Google
Maps, MapQuest,
or a topo map to determine what proportion of the landscape
is in forest. Urban, industrial, agricultural, open water,
and other such areas are considered non-forest. Suburban
areas generally are considered non-forest, unless the houses
are scattered widely in a forested area, in which case they
are considered as forest.
Is the landscape <50% forested, that
is, Primarily Open?
Is the landscape between 50% and 70% forested, that is,
Mixed?
Is the landscape >70% forested, that is, Primarily
Forested?
Use these images below to help you place
the landscape into one of those categories:
 |
 |
| 50% |
70% |
Click here
to see an example of how to answer the above questions regarding
your landscape.
Step 2: Based on the landscape
you determined in step one above, select your landscape:
Primarily
Open
Mixed
Primarily
Forested
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