Coniferous and Riparian Forests

Pennsylvania’s Wildlife Action Plan Version 1.0a _______________________________________________________________________ SECTION 13 –CONIFEROUS FORESTS – CONTENT SUMMARY 13.1 Location and Condition of Pennsylvania’s Coniferous Forest Habitat Figure 13.1. Location of conifer forests in Pennsylvania as evidenced by coniferous forest bird concentrations 13.2 Species Associated with Coniferous Forests Table 13.1. WAP-Priority species associated with Coniferous Terrestrial Forests/Woodlands in PA 13.3 Threats to Conifer Forest Habitats and Associated Species Habitat Loss Forest Health Figure 13.2. Increase in infestations of hemlocks by introduced hemlock woolly adelgid. Forest Fragmentation Changing Forest Species Composition Lack of Planning Lack of Old-Growth and Isolation of Remnants Ridgetop Development 13. 4 Conservation and Management Needs for Coniferous Forests Statewide Planning Old-growth Forest Health Habitat Assessments for Conifer-Dependent Species 13.5 STATEWIDE PRIORITY CONSERVATION ACTIONS – CONIFER FORESTS Level 1 – highest priority over the next 1-5 years Support Efforts to Protect Hemlock Habitats from HWA Inventory High-Quality Conifer Forest Sites Targeted Management of Mature/Old-Growth Conifer Forests Level 2 – priority over the next 5-10 years Statewide Conifer Management Planning Targeted Management of Large-Scale Conifer Forest Blocks Targeted Management of High-Elevation Boreal Conifer Habitats Adaptive Management of Conifer Forests Support Efforts to Protect Hemlock Habitats from HWA Page 13-1 Pennsylvania’s Wildlife Action Plan Version 1.0a _______________________________________________________________________ 13.6 STATEWIDE PRIORITY CONSERVATION ACTIONS – SPECIES’ SUITES Level 1 – highest priority over the next 1-5 years Multi-Species Management Guidance – Boreal Forest-Associated Species Maintain Primary Habitat for Blackburnian Warblers and other Old-Growth- Associated Species Level 2 – priority over the next 5-10 years Improved Monitoring of Forest Breeding Raptors Improved Monitoring - Boreal Conifer Species 13.7 STATEWIDE PRIORITY CONSERVATION ACTIONS – CONIFER- ASSOCIATED SPECIES Level 1 – highest priority over the next 1-5 years Status Assessments/Population Surveys of WAP-Priority Species Develop Multi-Species Management Guidance Level 2 – priority over the next 5-10 years Habitat Assessment – Priority Conifer Species 13.8 SPECIES OF GREATEST CONSERVATION NEED – CONIFER FORESTS 13.9 Sources Appendix 13.1 - Species/Habitat Associations for Coniferous Forest Habitats Table 13.2: WAP-priority species-habitat associations for coniferous forests in Pennsylvania. Page 13-2 Pennsylvania’s Wildlife Action Plan Version 1.0a _______________________________________________________________________ SECTION 13 –CONIFEROUS FORESTS Though Pennsylvania remains a heavily forested state, coniferous forests are a habitat of immediate concern because of their extremely limited occurrence and importance to WAP- priority species. Statewide, the conifer component has been reduced as pine and hemlock have been selectively cut. Conifers or mixed conifer-deciduous cover comprises 8.4 percent of Pennsylvania’s land cover with 354,520 acres of conifer forest in rural, suburban or urban areas (1.2 percent). Conifer cover is found throughout the state with concentrations on the Pocono plateau and in north-central regions (Goodrich et al. 2002). There are 10 coniferous forest community types identified in Pennsylvania, seven terrestrial woodlands with conifer components, and six palustrine communities with conifer dominants, such as the red spruce palustrine woodland (Fike 1999). However, it may be argued that eastern hemlock is the most important element of conifer forests in Pennsylvania today. 13.1 Location and Condition of Pennsylvania’s Coniferous Forest Habitat Pennsylvania forest cover has increased over the past century (Goodrich et al. 2002). This growth has predominately occurred in hardwood forests, and today, 90 percent of trees are deciduous (Goodrich et al. 2002). In the past, pine and hemlock trees have been selectively cut and have never regained their pre-1800s level of cover (Goodrich et al. 2002). In addition, most old-growth coniferous forests in Pennsylvania exist as small isolated fragments. Conifer cover is found throughout the state with concentrations on the Pocono plateau and north-central regions, as evidenced by the location of conifer-associated bird distribution (Figure 13.1). Page 13-3 Pennsylvania’s Wildlife Action Plan Version 1.0a _______________________________________________________________________ Figure 13.1. Location of conifer forests in Pennsylvania as evidenced by coniferous forest bird concentrations (Brauning 1992). Eastern hemlock is an important component of many conifer forest habitats, as well as a major component of remaining old-growth forests (Davis 1996). The eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) is a slow-growing, shade-tolerant late-successional conifer that provides a unique cover type (Orwig and Foster 1998). Eastern hemlock stands are valued because of their distinctive aesthetic, recreational, and ecological qualities. Several WAP-priority bird species, such as the blue-headed vireo, black-throated green warbler, and Blackburnian warbler depend on, or strongly prefer, hemlock habitats (Benzinger 1994). Although the blue-headed vireo uses a variety of mixed and coniferous habitat types within Pennsylvania, this species shows a strong affinity for hemlock and is often found in highest densities in hemlock-associated habitat types (Haney 1999, McWilliams and Brauning 2000, Swartzentruber and Master 2003, Ross et al. 2004). In addition, northern flying squirrels and water shrews, species of special concern throughout the northeast and mid-Atlantic, are closely associated with hemlock stands (Sciascia and Pehek 1995, Steele et al. 2004). In Pennsylvania, Steele et al. (2004) found eastern hemlock to be the most commonly occurring overstory tree species at sites that contained northern flying squirrels. Page 13-4 Pennsylvania’s Wildlife Action Plan Version 1.0a _______________________________________________________________________ Boreal-type habitats exist in the high Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania, and in a few other localities at higher elevations on the Allegheny Plateau. Often associated with bogs, these stunted spruce stands support the yellow-bellied flycatcher, as well as the blackpoll warbler and Swainson’s thrush. Since the early 20th century, the highland bogs that yellow-bellied flycatchers prefer have been mined for peat and many breeding populations have been destroyed (McWilliams and Brauning 2000). See WAP Section 14: Wetlands for more information on bogs and forested wetlands. 13.2 Species Associated with Coniferous Forests Though comprising a relatively small percentage of the total forest cover in the Commonwealth, conifer forests are important for wildlife. Coniferous patches provide important habitat for wintering wildlife and add diversity to forest habitats. Some birds, such as the red-breasted nuthatch, black-throated green warbler, blue-headed vireo, preferentially nest in conifer-dominated groves (McWilliams and Brauning 2000). Likewise, many mammals, including the northern flying squirrel and red squirrel. occur in higher densities and likely exhibit higher survival in conifer forests. Table 13.1. WAP-Priority species associated with Coniferous Terrestrial Forests/Woodlands in PA. Species Primarily Associated with Early-Successional Coniferous Forest (* see also, WAP Section 21 – Thicket/Shrub Habitats) IMMEDIATE SPECIFIC HABITAT REQUIREMENTS CONCERN HIGH LEVEL SPECIFIC HABITAT REQUIREMENTS CONCERN Appalachian Cottontail –R High elevation flat ridgetops dominated by mountain laurel with Sylvilagus obscurus interspersed grassy openings; small, recently planted pine plantations with significant grass and forb cover; young clearcuts; also low elevation beaver meadows w/ thickets. MAINTENANCE SPECIFIC HABITAT REQUIREMENTS CONCERN Prairie Warbler Brushy second growth, dry scrub, low pine-juniper, mangroves, Dendroica discolor pine barrens, burned-over areas, and sproutlands Species Associated Primarily with Mid-successional/Second Growth Coniferous Forest IMMEDIATE SPECIFIC HABITAT REQUIREMENTS CONCERN Page 13-5 Pennsylvania’s Wildlife Action Plan Version 1.0a _______________________________________________________________________ HIGH LEVEL SPECIFIC HABITAT REQUIREMENTS CONCERN Long-eared Owl Conifer (hemlock) woods intermingled with field and meadow Asio otus PA VULNERABLE SPECIFIC HABITAT REQUIREMENTS Pine Siskin Northern boreal forest, preferring open stands of spruce and pine Carduelis pinus interspersed with birch and maple hardwood Red Crossbill Northern boreal forest; eastern white pine, red pine, eastern Loxia curvirostra hemlock, red spruce, and white spruce Swainson’s Thrush High elevation conifer-dominated forests Catharus ustulatus Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Conifer forests and wetlands in higher elevations and northern Empidonax flaviventris counties; nest w/in large blocks of forested wetlands MAINTENANCE SPECIFIC HABITAT REQUIREMENTS CONCERN Black-billed Cuckoo Mixed and coniferous forest with edges, thickets Coccyzus erythropthalmus Sharp-shinned Hawk Large-scale coniferous or mixed conifer/deciduous forests Accipiter striatus Southern Bog Lemming Old-field communities, mixed deciduous/coniferous woodlands, Synaptomys cooperi spruce-fir forests, and margins of freshwater wetlands Species Associated Primarily with

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