From the Rocky Mountain Research Station’s “Science You Can Use Bulletin” Issue 38.
The western United States is home to many woodpecker species that are strongly associated with recently disturbed forests, including post wildfire and post-beetle outbreaks. These types of landscapes are favored habitat because the dead and dying trees provide nesting and foraging substrates. When managing these landscapes, managers must balance providing habitat for woodpeckers considered species of conservation concern with conducting salvage logging sales that generate economic revenue for the surrounding communities. Until recently, managers couldn’t be certain where suitable woodpecker habitat was located and whether the salvage logging would negatively impact the population.
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