TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL DYNAMICS OF BOREAL FOREST STRUCTURE IN WESTERN NEWFOUNDLAND - SILVICULTURAL IMPLICATIONS FOR MARTEN HABITAT MANAGEMENT

The conservation of marten (Martes americana) populations within manag ed forests will require planning at appropriately large temporal and s patial scales. A conceptual model of stand-level dynamics is construct ed from empirical study of forests in western Newfoundland and related to the habitat requirements of resident marten. The model suggests th at the critical elements of marten foraging habitat are currently foun d within a senescent forest stand structure. Implications of the model are discussed as they relate to landscape-level disturbance patterns. Changes in both stand-level dynamics and landscape-level phenomena in dicate that intensive silviculture is necessary to promote marten habi tat within managed forests in Newfoundland. We propose a density manag ement regime designed to provide a marten habitat window within a reas onable pulpwood rotation period. The stand-level prescriptions are int ended as a tool to be incorporated into an overall landscape managemen t regime.