Focus Species Forestry - Maine Audubon

American Marten
Distribution: Alaska to Newfoundland, south to
Nevada, New Mexico, northern Minnesota, northern
New York, and northern Maine
Maine Focus Region: North
Home Range: Average 1 sq. mi. for females, 2 sq.
mi. for males (640-1,280 acres)
Food: Primarily small mammals including voles,
mice, red squirrels; also grouse, hare, bird eggs, fruits,
berries, and nuts
Special Habitat Needs: Extensive mature hardwood, mixed-wood, or conifer forests with abundant snags and
downed trees and other structural features
Management:
Maintain an average of 7 marten habitat units (no less than 2) per township that are:
• >1,250 acres, with
• 75% of stands >40 ft. tall with basal area >80 sq. ft./acre, and
• include at least one large, intact patch of 700-1,000 acres that meets the height and density
requirements above.
Maintain dead trees, logs, root mounds, and other structural features as denning sites and cover for small
mammals that are the marten’s staple diet. See snag and cavity tree guidelines (Section 7).
Use even-aged or uneven-aged management, as long as basal area, height, and snag/deadwood goals are
met. Regeneration using a shelterwood-with-reserves system in conifer and mixed stands will promote
softwood regeneration and prey, especially snowshoe hare, while maintaining canopy cover.
Restrict access during trapping season.
Comments: Commonly called the pine marten in Maine. Extensive research at the University of Maine suggests
that management for marten will provide habitat used by most northern forest species, except those that require
very young or late-successional forest conditions. Marten are easily trapped, so where road densities are high,
access should be restricted during trapping season to enhance survival
Habitat Use:
Aspen-Birch
Forest Ecosystems
Northern
Hardwoods Oak-Pine Hemlock Spruce-Fir
N. White
Cedar
R S I M R S I M L R S I M L I M L R S I M L I M L
Special-value
Habitats
Riparian/
Wetland Vernal
Forest Pool
R Regeneration and seedlings Mx Mixed conifer-deciduous Focus habitat
S Saplings and small poles U Understory present Other habitat
I Intermediate-aged forest C Cavity tree or snag Little/no use
M Mature forest
L Late-successional forest
References: Boone and Krohn 1998, Burt 1976, Chapin et al. 1998, DeGraaf and Yamasaki 2001, Fuller and
Harrison 2000, Harrison 2004, Payer and Harrison 2003, Payer and Harrison 2000a, Payer and Harrison 2000b
Focus Species Forestry 39