A Method for Wildlife Management Mapping in Forested Areas

Abstract

Wildlife management on forested areas must in most cases be effected by controlling the floristic portion of the environment. It is obvious that this control should be based on accurate and detailed knowledge of plant distribution and abundance. Such information can be obtained only by the use of scientific methods that provide accurate and detailed information, not that based on the mental impressions or previous experience of the person who does the field work. The wildlife manager attempts to provide satisfactory environments for the managed species at each season of the year, for each of the activities of the species (resting, sleeping, nesting, brooding, feeding, mating, etc.), as well as for both sexes, and all the age classes within the population. Such control of wildlife environments is most commonly obtained by increasing the quantity of certain foods and coverts, by changes in the quality of certain of these elements, or by altering their juxtaposition (King, 1938) to provide a more productive pattern within the cruising radius of the animal species present. Whatever the method of control employed, the present status of the environment must be studied before effective management procedures can be recommended. Such studies are of vital importance to the success of a wildlife management plan. Wildlife environments are commonly spoken of as a whole. In reality, they are made up of a large number of separate, though inter-related parts. 'he floristic portion of the environment, for example, can be divided into plant communities, and these in turn may be subdivided by plant species. Certain of these species are prominent members of the environment either because of their size or abundance. Although these dominant and predominant species form the character of the community, it does not necessarily follow that they are the most important part of the environment so far as wildlife is concerned. Many plants non-dominant in size or present in small numbers are of great importance to wildlife. Ruffed grouse in the northern portions of their range, for example, are dependent on the buds of aspen or birch for their winter food supply, even on areas where these species are present in minimal numbers. The grouse are also dependent on the presence, abundance, interspersion, and juxtaposition of many other plant species that supply needed foods or coverts for particular seasons, age classes, or activities (King, 1937). All these requirements may be met by nondominant plants. Ultimately it is hoped that the wildlife manager will have at his disposal what might be called a with which he can compare the environments he manages. Three possibilities present themselves: the yardstick may be: (1) The present population of the animal species as compared with the 1 Paper No. 8 of the Scientific Journal Series of the Roosevelt Wildlife Forest Experiment Station, New York State College of Forestry.