The Allegheny woodrat (Neotoma magister) occurs in the Appalachian Mountain
s, forming colonies in rock outcrops, cliffs, and caves. Populations on the
northern and western peripheries of the range have experienced drastic dec
lines in the past 20-30 years. Dependence upon rock outcrops makes Alleghen
y wood-rats vulnerable to land-use practices that alter habitats surroundin
g colonies. To examine the impacts of timber harvesting on Allegheny woodra
t behavior, we radiotracked 37 adults during summer 1998 and 1999 in clearc
ut, diameter-limit, and intact forest stands in the central Appalachians of
West Virginia. Home range size and foraging movements generally were great
est at diameter-limit sites and smallest in intact forests in 1998, followi
ng a poor mast crop. We detected no differences among han est methods in 19
99 when mast was abundant. We believe that when hard mast was scarce, woodr
ats increased foraging movements and home range size to locate mast or suff
icient alternative foods. Additionally, woodrats used clearcut and adjacent
forested areas in proportion to availability. Our results suggested tl;at
clearcutting has minimal impact on woodrat movements, home range, and habit
at use if sufficient intact forest is retained adjacent to colonies. Harves
ting methods that selectively remove important mast-producing species may r
epresent the greatest disturbance to Allegheny woodrats from forest managem
ent.