title: Maximizing Conservation and Production with Intensive Forest Management: It's All About Location.
abstract: Functional zoning has been suggested as a way to balance the needs of a viable forest industry with those of healthy ecosystems. Under this system, part of the forest is set aside for protected areas, counterbalanced by intensive and extensive management of the rest of the forest. Studies indicate this may provide adequate timber while minimizing road construction and favoring the development of large mature and old stands. However, it is unclear how the spatial arrangement of intensive management areas may affect the success of this zoning. Should these areas be agglomerated or dispersed throughout the forest landscape? Should managers prioritize (a) proximity to existing roads, (b) distance from protected areas, or (c) site-specific productivity? We use a spatially explicit landscape simulation model to examine the effects of different spatial scenarios on landscape structure, connectivity for native forest wildlife, stand diversity, harvest volume, and road construction: (1) random placement of intensive management areas, and (2-8) all possible combinations of rules (a)-(c). Results favor the agglomeration of intensive management areas. For most wildlife species, connectivity was the highest when intensive management was far from the protected areas. This scenario also resulted in relatively high harvest volumes. Maximizing distance of intensive management areas from protected areas may therefore be the best way to maximize the benefits of intensive management areas while minimizing their potentially negative effects on forest structure and biodiversity.
authors.affiliation: Centre d'étude de la forêt, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada. rtittler@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tittler
authors.affiliation: Centre d'étude de la forêt, UER Science et Technologie, Téluq, Unversité du Québec, 5800 rue Saint-Denis, Bureau 1105, Montréal, QC, H2S 3L5, Canada.
authors.forename: Élise
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Filotas
authors.affiliation: Centre d'étude de la forêt, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada.
authors.forename: Jasmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kroese
authors.affiliation: Centre d'étude de la forêt, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Messier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044822:Biodiversity; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D003670:Deer / Q000502:physiology; D016468:Forestry / Q000379:methods*; D065928:Forests; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D045969:Mustelidae / Q000502:physiology; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012589:Sciuridae / Q000502:physiology; D020308:Songbirds / Q000502:physiology; D014197:Trees
keywords: Coarse filter; Connectivity; Forest conservation; Logging; Plantations; SELES