DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT OF THE WESTERN GRAY SQUIRREL (SCIURUS-GRISEUS) ON FT-LEWIS, WASHINGTON

Sciurus griseus has been accorded a ''threatened'' status by the Washi ngton Department of Wildlife. Our objectives were to determine the dis tribution, abundance, and factors limiting the abundance of Sciurus gr iseus on Fort Lewis. Between June 1992 and August 1993 we conducted wa lking surveys for squirrels in 169 oak-conifer stands (approximately 7 00 ha). We observed 38 individual squirrels in 30 of the stands. We co mpared occupancy of oak stands by size, distance to water, and vegetat ion characteristics. We found that oak stands used by squirrels genera lly were: 1) > 2.0 ha, 2) < 0.6 km from water (lake, marsh, stream, or river), 3) on average, 34% Quercus garryana, 53% Pseudotsuga menziesi i, and 13% other tree species, and 4) diverse in food-producing trees and shrubs including Acer macrophyllum, Fraxinus latifolia, and Oemler ia cerasiformis. Sciurus griseus is associated with Quercus garryana w oodlands which are dwindling due to human development. Fort Lewis hold s the largest publicly-managed area of Quercus garryana in the Puget S ound region. In order to protect Sciurus griseus populations we recomm end: 1) informing the public about Sciurus griseus and its status to r educe squirrel deaths by automobiles and 2) conserving and actively ma naging oak woodlands.