even lower than the levels in 2030. After 2010, turkey 
populations increase slightly in the Southeast. They make 
a significant recovery in the South Central region in response 
to increased hardwood acreage in both older and younger 
stands. 
Wild turkey have habitat requirements more specific than 
those for deer and closely tied to the hardwood management 
types. Although increases in intensive human-related land 
use undoubtedly contribute to the early decline in popula- 
tion, the general decrease in the area in upland hardwoods, 
young hardwoods, and older hardwood stands is probably 
the primary influence on turkey population levels. 
As with deer, wild turkey populations can be maintained and 
increased with more intensive management. Many practices 
and programs such as those that increase mast production, 
better enforcement of game laws, and increased technical 
assistance to private timberland owners on desirable man- 
agement practices would benefit both deer and turkey. There 
are some additional things that can be done. For example, 
there are still some areas of suitable turkey habitat that need 
restocking. Creating openings in timberland will provide 
good brood habitat and increase summer food. Providing 
water sources in dry areas and taking action to reduce 
human disturbance in turkey habitat will also help. Main- 
taining hardwood stands, particularly along streams and on 
bottomlands, would also greatly benefit turkey. 
Red-Cockaded Woodpecker—The red-cockaded wood- 
pecker follows the trends for deer and turkey. The number 
of counties supporting red-cockaded woodpecker colonies 
is projected to drop from 114 to 35 in the Southeast and 
from 56 to 48 in the South Central region (app. table 4.6). 
The declines take place in the early part of the projection 
period. 
The red-cockaded woodpecker has highly specialized habitat 
needs. It requires old-growth pine stands for nesting and 
survival. The decline reflects the rapid conversion of old- 
growth natural pine stands on private ownerships to planted 
pine and younger age classes. 
Some of the forest industry timberlands in the South 
currently have suitable woodpecker habitat; in some areas, 
such as in Arkansas, most of the known colonies are on 
industry lands. Over the projection period, however, it does 
not appear likely that many old-growth pine stands of 
sufficient size to support colonies will be maintained on 
private lands. Thus, the relative stability in the number of 
counties that support active colonies in the latter part of the 
projection period reflects the continued retention of old- 
208 
growth pine stands on Federal ownerships, especially those 
on the national forests. Some planted pine rotations on the 
national forests run 80 years. 
Maintaining red-cockaded woodpecker populations requires 
long pine rotations, retention of mature stands for nesting, 
control of midstory hardwood encroachment in colony sites, 
and maintenance of adequate foraging habitat. Population 
augmentation and transplanting birds between populations 
would also be required to maintain genetic diversity. Such 
measures would be costly for private owners. It seems clear 
that the preservation of viable populations of the red- 
cockaded woodpecker will depend on the management of the 
Federal ownerships. 
Trout—As with the wildlife species analyzed, trout pop- 
ulations drop over the projection years (app. table 4.6). In 
the cold-water stream area of the Southeast, they fall from 
171 trout per acre of stream in 1985 to 119 trout in 2030. 
This drop largely reflects a decrease in the older age 
classes of hardwoods (over 50 years) and increases in the 
area of intensive human-related use. The highest trout 
density is associated with a high proportion of older hard- 
woods; the lowest is associated with land uses other than 
timberland. Implicit in these relationships are factors such 
as cold water temperatures, in-stream cover, and shading that 
are positive for trout with old hardwoods and negative for 
trout near intensive human-related uses. 
Actions to maintain and increase cold-water fish populations 
include the proper location and maintenance of roads, 
leaving protective vegetation along streams, and locating 
development activities outside riparian zones. Habitat 
improvement in streams can also contribute, especially by 
improving undesirable conditions caused by past land use 
practices. 
Water Quantity—Annual water yields or runoff increase by 
0.5 inch or 3 percent in the Southeast and by 0.6 inch or 
4 percent in the South Central region over the projection 
years (app. table 4.6). Most of the increase in the South- 
east takes place by 2000, most of that in the South Central 
region, after 2000. 
The increase in water yields reflects land use changes, 
especially the increase in the area of urban land and the 
decrease in timberland. The timing of the regional increase 
> The analysis was confined to the mountainous areas of western Virginia, 
North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, where streams with suitable 
habitat for cold-water fish exist. No suitable data on cold-water fish are 
currently available for States in the South Central region. 
