Predicting Effects of Deferred Clearcutting on Pine Marten Habitat Suitability on the Superior National Forest

Abstract

Research was conducted in a section of the Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota (USA) to develop and examine potential methods or approaches that may be used to integrate non-timber resources into multiple-use planning. An indicator species for old-growth conifer forests (the pine marten, Martes americana), was chosen to examine potential conflicts between specific forest management practices and suitable habitat. The spatial impacts of clear felling and of deferred harvesting on marten habitat over a 50-yr planning horizon were examined, with specific management scenarios developed to examine the impact of deferred harvesting on marten habitat over time and space. Deferred clear felling did not improve marten habitat conditions, but other management scenarios could be designed to improve marten habitat without sacrificing economic benefits.