Focus Species Forestry - Maine Audubon

Appendix 9. Primary Focus Species for Maine
A short list of “primary” focus species has been identified for each region as a way to protect the greatest
amount of biological diversity while managing for the fewest possible species. The species selected have
one or more of the following characteristics:
• Highly dependent on a narrow range of stand-development stages or special habitats,
• Found in many or all of the forest ecosystem types common in the region,
• Large territory size (not typically applicable for habitat specialists of late-successional forests or
special-value habitats), or
• Utilizes snags, cavity trees, decaying trees or downed, dead wood.
The following list covers all the forest ecosystem types, development stages, and special habitats featured
in this guide.
Primary Focus Species for Maine 1
Development Stages and
Special-value Habitats
Early Successional Forest
Mature Forest, plus
Extensive Forests, Snags,
Cavity Trees, and Downed,
Dead Wood
Late-Successional Forest 2
Riparian and Wetland
Forest
Vernal Pool
Primary Focus Species
Snowshoe hare
Ruffed grouse
Chestnut-sided warbler
American marten (north region)
Fisher (south region)
Northern goshawk
Pileated woodpecker
Lungwort lichen
Gray horsehair lichen
Dusky salamander
Brook trout
Spotted salamander
1
Depending on habitat types present, not all species may apply.
2
These species are examples only. Late successional species will vary with forest type and site.
Many forest types and species groups have not been studied.
Recommendations
Within the range of American marten (the spruce-fir region of northern Maine), northern
goshawks should be accommodated by marten management that includes both hardwood
and spruce-fir stands.
Where habitat fragmentation in southern and central Maine precludes the potential for
nesting goshawks (forested blocks of less than 800-1,000 acres), use wood thrush as a
primary focus species.
If landowner interest and time allows, other “non-primary” focus species (see Section 6
and Table 3) can be used to broaden the management plan and/or tailor it to the
landowner’s interest. Other species not covered in this manual (e.g., wild turkey,
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Focus Species Forestry