Appendix W 

 Happy Valley Wildlife 



Fire-associated species such as the black-backed woodpecker (Picoides arclicus) are probably less 

 abundant on the landscape currently than would typically have been expected under natural fire regimes, 

 and species preferring dense coniferous in-growth of shade tolerant tree species (such as Douglas-fir and 

 grand fir [(Abies grandis)]) under mature forest canopy likely benefited. 



Stand-Age and Cover-Type Characteristics 



Mature and old stands are essential habitat for wildlife species associated w ith the late successional 

 stages of forest stand development for all or some life requirements. A partial list of these species 

 includes pileated woodpeckers {Diyocopus pileatiis), American marten (Afartes americana), brown 

 creepers {Certhia americana), and winter wren {Troglodytes troglodytes). The proposed project area 

 currently contains mature stands (40-99 years in age) of Douglas-fir/westem larch and there are no old- 

 stands in the proposed project area. On the Kalispell Unit, there is less acreage in western larch/Douglas- 

 flr and western white pine (Piniis monticola) cover types and more acres in mixed conifer and subaipine 

 fir (Abies lasiocarpa) types than percei\ed historical conditions. This change is likely a result of past 

 management and fire suppression. 



Snags and defective trees (partially dead, spike top, broken top) are used by a wide variety of wildlife 

 species for nesting, denning, roosting, feeding, and cover. Snags and defective trees may be the most 

 valuable individual component of Northern Rocky Mountain forests for wildlife species (HeijI and Woods 

 1991). The quantity, quality, and distribution of snags affect the presence and population size of many 

 cavity-dependent species. In the Flathead Valley, at least 42 species of birds and 10 species of mammals 

 are dependent on snags and dead-wood habitat for nesting, feeding, or shelter (Flathead National Forest, 

 1993). Great homed owls are included on this list and frequently use snags for hunting, roosting, and 

 nesting. These owls are year-round resident, nocturnal predators that primarily prey upon small- to mid- 

 sized mammals. They forage in ^11 stages of forest succession and reproduce in stands older than 40 years 

 in age (Thomas 1979). 



Patch Characteristics 



Encroachment by shade-tolerant tree species due to modem fire suppression has led to more extensive and 

 continuous patches of forests, thereby reducing natural habitat fragmentation. Through this process, patch 

 size has likely increased and the small openings on the landscape generated by the small or low intensity 

 fire disturbances have been largely eliminated. Fire suppression has also increased the potential for large 

 stand-replacing fires that could propagate larger patch sizes than found under historically frequent, low 

 intensity fire regimes. 



Not only does habitat patch size influence use by various wildlife species, but the arrangement and 

 juxtaposition can also infiuence habitat quality for some wildlife species. Some species benefit from the 

 transitional edge created between 2 or more habitat tvpes, while others are adversely affected by these 

 edges or the species that frequently use these edges. Edge habitats that were a by-product of frequent 

 disturbances have also been largely removed by modem fire suppression. High amounts of disturbance, 

 maintained openings, and har\esting have contributed to greater levels of edge habitats than would have 

 been expected historically. Interior-forested habitats are those areas buffered by enough forest so that 

 they are not affected by disturbance or other edge effects. For this analysis, interior habitats were those 

 portions of stands greater than 300 feet from disturbance or major opening. The proposed project area is 

 largely forested, with low amounts of edge habitats. Presently some edge habitats exist along the edges of 

 2 small wet meadows and portions of the eastern parcel boundary. On the state section there is presently 

 359 acres of interior forest habitat. 



Brown-headed cowbirds are brood parasites that may be associated with edge habitats. Brood parasites 

 remove an egg from the nest of another bird and replace it with an egg of their own. The young are then 

 raised by the host bird(s), and since the cowbird chicks tend to be larger than many of their host chicks, 

 they tend to out-compete the host chicks. Cowbirds are thought to focus their parasitism activities along 

 forest edge habitats, however studies of cowbird brood parasitism in relation to edge habitats are 



W-2 



