Woodpecker use and fall rates of snags created by killing ponderosa pine infected with dwarf mistletoe.

Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) killed as part of a forest management project to reduce dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium sp.) in the Gil a National Forest, New Mexico, were evaluated for wildlife value. One hundr ed and two dwarf mistletoe-infected trees were killed by basal burning, bas al girdling or by a combination of both burning and girdling. Trees began t o fall within 2 years. Most killed trees (96 percent) served as forage subs trate for woodpeckers. Twenty percent of the trees contained woodpecker nes t cavities 7 or 9 years after treatment. Larger diameter trees of all treat ments contained more cavities and stood longer than smaller diameter trees. The probability of cavity presence was best predicted by regression that i ncluded diameter and decay class. Standing life of the snag was not a signi ficant predictor of cavity presence. The use of predictive models for analy zing the utility of snag-creation treatments is discussed.