PINE PLANTATION: Population/Habitat Objectives

Young clearcuts now represent the primary habitat for many early successional species within the planning unit. Because shrublands have declined dramatically in recent decades, maintenance of significant land area in plantations may be the only option for stabilizing and maintaining these populations. Objectives should be focused on reaching some stable land area in plantations within the outer Coastal Plain. Conversion of hardwood-dominated forests to pine plantations on the inner Coastal Plain should be minimized due to negative impacts on hardwood-associated species. Objectives should also focus on shifting silvicultural practices to open-canopy management.

Objective 1) Maintain enough young plantations to support 250,000 Prairie Warblers (goal includes contributions from other appropriate priority habitats) distributed across the physiographic region.

Justification: Prairie Warblers are a good indicator species for young pine plantations. Currently, this species is common and widespread within the planning unit.

Assumptions: It is assumed that providing enough pine plantations to support a large stable population of Prairie Warblers will provide significant habitat for other pine plantation species. Although many of the species utilize different portions of the growing cycle, maintaining a sustainable amount of land in young plantations will by association also provide a sustainable amount of land in all periods of the growing cycle.

Objective 2) Shift silvicultural practices toward open-canopy management.

Justification: Traditional plantation management supports diverse bird communities within the first 7-8 years of the growing cycle but very few birds after this period. The loss of bird density and diversity after the first 8 years is due to canopy closure and associated loss of understory vegetation. By instituting 1-2 commercial thins throughout the growing cycle, the canopy may be maintained in an open condition. Open-canopy pine stands maintain understory density and support a diverse bird community (Wilson and Watts 1999). Under appropriate conditions, it may be possible to increase the proportion of the growing cycle that is productive for birds from 1/3 to 2/3.

Assumptions: It is assumed that shifting to open-canopy forest management techniques will greatly increase the availability of habitat for both early successional species and some forest species.