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INTRODUCTION
Maintaining good quality winter habitat
for mule deer is a priority management goal for areas identified as mule
deer winter range in the Cariboo-Chilcotin Land Use Plan (CCLUP).
A large proportion of these winter ranges occur in the Interior Douglas-fir
Biogeoclimatic Zone (IDF) where multi-storied Douglas-fir forests provide
optimal forest structure to meet the food and shelter requirements of deer.
The "Handbook for Timber and Mule Deer Management Co-ordination on Winter
Ranges in the Cariboo Forest Region" (Mule Deer Handbook) describes the
amounts of high, moderate and low crown closure habitat required on winter
ranges in various snowpack zones. The Mule Deer Handbook also describes
a low-volume partial cutting prescription that maintains stand structure
attributes for mule deer habitat. This extension note introduces
new, refined definitions for mule deer habitat classes in the IDF,
using basal area to describe target stand conditions. This new way of defining
habitat characteristics at the stand level is intended to provide clear,
results oriented guidance for silviculturists developing uneven-age stand
prescriptions on IDF mule deer winter ranges.
SUMMARY
Using the stand structure recommendations provided in this Extension
Note silviculturists should be better equipped to develop and monitor uneven-age
forest management regimes which integrate timber and mule deer habitat
requirements. Further experience may lead to refinements of these
recommendations. Comments and suggestions from foresters and habitat
managers working with these recommendations are most welcome.
CONTACT
Rick Dawson R.P.F., R.P.Bio.
Forest and Wildlife Ecology, Research Associate
(250) 398-4404
Email:
Rick.Dawson@Gems7.gov.bc.ca
Harold Armleder R.P.F., R.P.Bio.
Research Wildlife Habitat Ecologist
(250) 398-4407
Email:
Harold.Armleder@Gems6.gov.bc.ca
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