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mum threshold level of forest interior habitat across the landscape to retain viable 

 populations of native plants and animals. 



A minimum sized tract should be 500 acres, since this is the size recommended for 

 the Northern Goshawk nesting stand. It is also the size of habitat block recommend- 

 ed for the Three-toed Woodpecker. Tentatively, without any rigorous analysis, we 

 suggest that 25 percent of the forest stands should be the minimum standard for 

 forest interior habitat. If a similar amount of old growth habitat is retained, this 

 would provide a total habitat capability of 50 percent for forest interior species and 

 species that depend upon older forest habitat (a large percentage of the forest wild- 

 life). This would provide a 10 percent margin over the 40 percent level the Forest 

 Service suggests is the minimum habitat capability required for population viability. 



It. Old Growth Habitat 



The Forest needs to implement a reasonable old growth habitat conservation 

 strategy. Currently, we are aware of only one research paper that has effectively 

 researched the habitat needs of an old growd;h species. For the Northern Spotted 

 Owl, they found the minimum percentage of landscape old growth should be 21 per- 

 cent. Since this is an absolute minimum, we suggest a 25 percent figure. 



As noted above, when combined with mature forest interior habitat, the total 

 habitat capability of old grov^rth species may exceed the 40 percent minimum capa- 

 bility needed for viability. When old growth and forest interior patches are com- 

 bined, these habitat patches would also provide the necessary habitat patch size 

 (over 900 acres) required by the Black-backed Woodpecker. 



5. Minimum Rotation Ages 



The Forest needs to establish minimal rotation ages that reflect age classes more 

 compatible with multiple use of the forest. Current silvicultural prescriptions focus- 

 ing on fiber production also require extensive road systems, extensive disturbances 

 to wildlife, and extensive habitat fragmentation. 



We suggest that rotation ages should be established to enable retention of mini- 

 mum threshold levels of old growth (25 percent) and dense, mature interior forest 

 habitat (25 percent). Currently, rotation ages have been developed that have no ra- 

 tionale for management of wildlife, recreation, water quality and quantity, or reduc- 

 tion in fire risk. 



6. Snag Habitat 



We believe that an effective snag retention policy, for wildlife that can utilize 

 snags in open habitats, needs to be established. We recommend that 10 percent of 

 all harvest units be retained as unmanaged clumps of forest, with a minimum size 

 of at least 1 acre. This is the only means by which snags will be preserved over 

 time. These clumps should be placed where blowdown is not likely. 



7. Road Density Levels 



An additional forest-wide standard that needs to be implemented is a minimum 

 threshold level of forest fragmentation allowed by roads. It is irrelevant as to 

 whether these roads are open or closed. As long as the road lacks dense cover, to 

 discourage trail use by predators, and as long as the canopy height of cover in old 

 roads is below the adjacent forest canopy, these roads are creating negative edge 

 effects. 



The total amount of roads within forest habitat needs to be limited to an accepta- 

 ble level. We suggest 1 mile per section as a maximum. In sensitive wildlife areas, 

 such as old growth, and mature forest interior habitat, these levels will be even 

 lower. Overall, tradeoffs could be made so that the total landscape road density is 

 retained at 1 mile per section. 



8. Wildlife Disturbance Levels 



The Forest needs to establish minimal levels of disturbance that will be allowed 

 for wildlife. Elk management guidelines typically include provisions for limitation 

 of the amount of disturbances allowed per any given time. They also suggest provi- 

 sion of security areas, or areas for displacement. 



As one example, provision of security habitat for the grizzly bear has been recom- 

 mended by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team as 58 percent of the total land- 

 scape to enable effective habitat use. 



