Rj. Lilieholm et al., STAND DENSITY INDEX APPLIED TO TIMBER AND GOSHAWK HABITAT OBJECTIVES IN DOUGLAS-FIR, Environmental management, 17(6), 1993, pp. 773-779
Silvicultural guidelines are presented for the management of intermoun
tain Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) stands for sawtimber producti
on and goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) nesting habitat in the northern Ro
cky Mountains. Data from 14 goshawk nest stands in Douglas-fir forests
on the Targhee National Forest in Idaho (Patla 1991) were used to cha
racterize the range of stand conditions considered suitable for goshaw
k nesting. A density management regime is presented using Reineke's st
and density index that includes a technical rotation designed to produ
ce sawlogs with a single commercial thinning. On average timber-growin
g sites, stands reach goshawk habitat suitability when site height is
25 m at age 75 and provide 65 years of goshawk nesting habitat until t
he final harvest at age 140. Approximately 1320 m3/ha are harvested ov
er the rotation. On higher-quality sites, rotation length declines fro
m 140 to 85 years, of which roughly 35 years are suitable for goshawk
nesting.