| Traditional silvicultural practices focus on manipulating forest vegetation structure for commodity production. Structural features important to wildlife, such as snags, trees with decay, and cavity trees are also affected by forest management, but these effects are often not quantified. This study measured the effects of different thinning intensities (45, 60, 75% residual relative densities, and uncut controls), heartwood decay resistance (resistant, slight), and time of formation (pre or post-treatment) on the density, basal area, and volume of snags and decayed wood in an Appalachian hardwood stand. Cavity trees considered useful to local woodpecker species were also measured. Results indicated that snags and decayed wood were 2 to 4 times more abundant in controls compared to heavily thinned (45% residual density) treatments. Most snags were small diameter, decay resistant sassafras ( Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees) and black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.), that died early in stand development. Large diameter (≥30 cm DBH) snags and cavity trees were uncommon in both thinned treatments and controls. |
