1. Massachusetts Foresters for the Birds
Intro
Working Forest Initiative
Capital money that is used to fund landowner programs that focus on active forest management and land conservation. Many of you may be familiar with the Forest Stewardship Program, which in MA is funded through this Initiative.
In 2014 we collaborated with Vermont dept of forest parts & rec and Audubon Vt. To adapt their program to the northern hardwood region of massachusetts. Since then we have further adapted the program for 3 major ecoregions in massachusetts and expanded their original birders dozen to a group of focal 17 priority bird species.
Are any of you birders?
My first experience…..
Passionate group to say the least

2. Massachusetts Foresters for the Birds
Based on the Vermont Program
DCR
MassAudubon
Mass Woodlands Institute
Easy way to add habitat components to a field inventory
Guidance on how silvicultural systems favor certain birds
Tweaks that can be employed to enhance bird breeding and foraging habitat

3. Why Foresters for the Birds

4. National Woodland Owner Survey
Subset of Reasons for Owning Forest (10+ acres) in Massachusetts
Why FORESTERS for the Birds?
All maybe familiar with the National Woodland Owners Survey
The National Woodland Owner Survey (NWOS) is the official census of forest owners in the United States conducted by the USFS on an annual basis. It is aimed at increasing our understanding of woodland owners who are the critical link between forests and society.
67.8%
17.4%
About 26% of landowners have a forest management plan
Butler et al 2016

5. Certification Certification Procedure
Attend 1 DCR sponsored classroom/field training
Conduct a field visit and prepare a written habitat assessment jointly with a Massachusetts Audubon ornithologist (regular cost-share rates apply)
Individually conduct a field visit and prepare a written habitat assessment to be reviewed jointly by DCR service forester and a Massachusetts Audubon ornithologist

6. Why birds? Forest birds as indicator species Easy to monitor
Use a wide range of habitat conditions
Sensitive to environmental changes
We know how they respond
What’s good for them is generally good for many other species
© Davey Walters
© Davey Walters

7. Why Birds ?
In this State of the Birds 2013 report, we focus on that segment of our birdlife for which we arguably bear the greatest responsibility, namely, our breeding birds. These species depend on the land, water, and people of Massachusetts for rearing their young. They are uniquely affected, for good or ill, by the changes we have brought to our state's landscapes and atmosphere.
#10? Timber
Develop tools for both foresters and farmers to encourage bird-friendly management options on their lands

8. Wood Thrush Tall canopy Diversity of hardwood species
Many species, particularly native birds including some woodpeckers, warblers, and thrushes, have been shown to reach greater abundance in forests with old-growth characteristics such as large trees with cavities.
Tall canopy
Diversity of hardwood species
Moderate mid-story and understory closure
Thick leaf litter

9. Chestnut-sided Warbler
year old hardwood forest
Dense shrubs and saplings (3-10 ft. high)
<30% canopy cover
Territory 2 – 2.5 acres

10. Young Forest Birds 41 species in Northeast 75% of species in decline
Habitat quantity
Habitat for wildlife – which provide its own range of ecosystem goods and services.

11. Early Successional Habitat
Massachusetts >90% habitat loss
Schlossberg and King 2007
One group of conservation concern is birds that breed in young regenerating forests, termed early successional habitat, such as the Chestnut-sided Warbler and Eastern Towhee. Broadly defined as areas with an open canopy, and a high density of shrubs and saplings, Massachusetts has lost more than 90% of our early successional habitat since 1950, largely contributing to the decline of many species that require it for breeding.

12. Focal Birds Priority birds Descriptions for ID by sight and sound
Habitat Attributes
Silvicultural Options that favor each bird

13. Habitat Assessment EVALUATING A PROJECT MAKING MANAGEMENT DECISIONS
STEP 1: IDENTIFY REGIONAL
CONSERVATION NEEDS
STEP 2: DETERMINE LANDSCAPE
CONDITION FOR BIRDS
STEP 3: ANALYZE STAND LEVEL
CONDITIONS
MAKING MANAGEMENT DECISIONS 

14. STEP 1 When analyzing an ecoregion, consider the following:
IDENTIFY REGIONAL CONSERVATION NEEDS
When analyzing an ecoregion, consider the following:
1. What are the resident Focal Birds ?
NOTE: Some species are included in all three ecoregions; others are limited to only one or two.
2. How densely populated is the region?
Species
Regions
Mature Forest
Black-and-white Warbler SE C W
Wood Thrush
Black-throated Green Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Veery
Eastern Wood-pewee
Canada Warbler
Young Forest
Eastern Towhee
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Brown Thrasher
Mourning Warbler
White-throated Sparrow
Mosaic
American Woodcock
Ruffed Grouse
Northern Bobwhite
Cavity
Northern Flicker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Atlantic coastal pine barrens
xeric, disturbance based
Northeastern Coastal Zone
heterogeneous, oak-mixed hardwood, oak-pine, dry sandy, fragmented
Northeastern highlands
northern hardwoods, mixed hardwood, spruce fir, higher elevations, richer soils
Area sensitive species
Wood thrush – medium patches if full crown closure large patches if not
Black throated blue
Black throated green

15. STEP 2: DETERMINE LANDSCAPE CONDITION FOR BIRDS
Representation of Forest Age Classes
Amount of Forest Cover and Large Patches
Proximity of Patches and Surrounding Land Use
Stony Brook ~300 ac
Continuous forest (1,000ac patches) punctuated by young regenerating forest – mosaic of successional stages across the landscape
Size and proximity of patches, age class distribution
Type of development
Bird dispersal distance
Bird will more readily move through low density residential than high density commercial
this zone has a high density of human settlement and cities, and forest birds are highly dependent on the remaining tracts of forest.

16. STEP 3: ANALYZE STAND LEVEL CONDITIONS
Forest Edge
Layers – Overstory
Midstory Vegetation
Understory Vegetation
Soft Mast
Non-native Invasive Plant Species
Forest Floor - Deciduous Leaf Litter
Coarse and Fine Woody Material
Snags, Cavity Trees and Large Diameter Trees
Native Species Diversity
Softwood Inclusions
Water and Wetland Features
SPECIAL CONSIDERATION:
young forest and deer impacts

17. Putting it all together! MAKING MANAGEMENT DECISIONS
Once you have evaluated a property by completing steps 1-3, ask yourself the following questions before making your management decisions:
What are the bird habitat strengths and deficiencies across the ecoregion, landscape, and property?
What birds are presently benefiting? What birds could or should be here?
Is there unique habitat on the property? In the landscape? A stark lack of certain habitat, like young, early successional forest?
Are there opportunities to leverage existing quality habitat to improve nearby deficiencies?
Are there timber management priorities that can be used to leverage habitat creation, or that can be adjusted to maintain habitat elements?
Does the habitat need to be enhanced? Doing nothing may be the most appropriate action.

18. What does habitat management look like?
Conscious decision to do something specifically for wildlife
Tweaking the Silviculture you were planning anyway to be more wildlife friendly

19. Complex Vertical Structure
Kelly Colgan Azar
Kelly Colgan Azar
Charles J Sharp
Diseases, Native Americans
Fyn Kynd

20. Complex Vertical Structure
Tom Paradis
Many species, particularly native birds including some woodpeckers, warblers, and thrushes, have been shown to reach greater abundance in forests with old-growth characteristics such as large trees with cavities.

22. Complex Vertical Structure
Diseases, Native Americans

23. Minimize the amount of edge relative to area. Circles are best

24. Cost-share Cost-Share Reimbursement rates: 10-20 acres = $300 $600
NEW EXISTING
10-20 acres = $300 $600
21-50 acres = $400 $800
50+ acres = $ $1,200

25. How are we doing? Total = 93 plans Total = 9279 acres
2013 report from Vermont’s program. FEATURED in two RCPPs
Heritage RCPP – Healthy Forest Reserve Program also permanently protects land
Total = 93 plans
Total = 9279 acres

26. Accomplishments 56 Foresters trained 2-3 Workshops per year
Slowly changing workshop focus from forester training to landowner based
Implementation
20% have done a commercial timber sale for bird habitat
?? NRCS practices or other habitat improvement work
NEXT STEPS
Continued outreach
Monitoring for bird response
Better tracking of implementation

27. QUESTIONS????