PARENT SESSION
Poster Session #7: Resource Management and Risk Assessment.
Monday, August 5. Presentation from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM. Exhibit Hall B & C, TCC

Using existing datasets to address concerns about the effects of restoration treatments on wildlife.

Prather, John^*,1, Hampton, Haydee¹, Aumack, Ethan¹, Sisk, Thomas¹, ¹ Center for Environmental Sciences and Education, Flagstaff, Arizona

ABSTRACT- Assessing the effects of alternative land-management practices on biodiversity is an important aspect of many conservation efforts. However, changes in management are driven by many factors, and in some cases the research needed to determine the effects of management practices on wildlife cannot be carried out in time to influence decisions. In such cases, use of existing datasets may be the only avenue available to assess potential effects of the proposed management practices. In the case of southwestern ponderosa pine, there is great interest in restoring forest structure to presettlement conditions. This effort is driven mainly by concerns about potential for catastrophic fires, and many treatments are slated to take place before data on their effects on wildlife will be available. By combining existing data on wildlife responses to forest management, expert advice on wildlife habitat requirements, and the spatial analysis capabilities of a geographic information system, estimates of the effects of treatments on wildlife can be assessed at the landscape scale. These results can then be used to adjust restoration efforts in ways that reduce negative impacts on species at risk due to restoration treatments. We provide here examples of how using these techniques can help merge management practices designed to restore ponderosa pine forests with those designed to protect sensitive species occupying those forests.

KEY WORDS: Sensitive Species, Restoration, Ponderosa Pine, GIS