STAND DENSITY INDEX APPLIED TO TIMBER AND GOSHAWK HABITAT OBJECTIVES IN DOUGLAS-FIR

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.