Top 20 Most Threatened Bird Habitats in the U.S. - American Bird ...

in longleaf. Likewise, many speciesnow associated with early successionalconditions, such as the Northern Bobwhiteand the Prairie Warbler, preferlongleaf pine. The bird species mosttied to longleaf, however, is the RedcockadedWoodpecker, which lives incolonies among clusters of trees oldenough (50 to 60 years) to developa fungal rot into which the birds canexcavate their cavities. This is the onlyNorth American woodpecker thatcreates nest and roost cavities in livingtrees, and there are few examples ofthis species using anything other thanlongleaf pine. An intriguing possibilityis that the Ivory-billed Woodpecker,typically thought to be a bottomlandspecies, once used longleaf just asfrequently, tracking disturbances thatkilled trees and allowed the beetle larvaethey feed to their young to thrive.European settlement brought dramaticchanges to the longleaf system. Thetall, straight trunks of the pines wereperfect for the masts of ships, andthe great quantities of sap were usedfor naval products such as resin. TheBachman’s Sparrow: Berlin Heckhigh quality wood also made excellentfurniture, flooring, and other goods,and longleaf was harvested at rapidrates early in the 20 th Century. Thesystem was able to withstand this upto a point, but it could not endure thesuppression of fire. Without fire, otherspecies such as loblolly or slash pinetook over, often encouraged by landownersand foresters who mistakenlythought that they grew more rapidly.By the end of the 20 th Century, at least95% of the original extent of longleafhabitat had been converted to otherforest types.Some birds, such as Pine Warblers,have fared well in the altered pinesystems, but others, most notably theRed-cockaded Woodpecker, have not,which is reflected in its endangeredstatus today.The worst for longleaf now seemsto be over, however. Awareness ofthe special qualities of the tree, theundergrowth, and the associatedbirds has been gradually spreading.Knowledge of how to use fire in waysthat simulate natural processes hasgrown too. The USDA Forest Servicenow manages many longleaf forests,and many more private landowners areconverting their lands back to longleaf.Even the woodpecker is doingbetter under creative programs such asthe Safe Harbor initiative inspired byEnvironmental Defense, in which theburden of supporting an endangeredspecies is eased for private landowners.The longleaf pine forest has a verylong way to go to get back to realhealth, but it is rebounding, and withcontinued conservation may one dayno longer merit inclusion on this topten list.HABITAT CONSERVATION SPOTLIGHTThe majority of southern forestland is family owned – collectively,4.3 million families in the South hold 127 million acres,or 59% of southern forestland. To be successful, landscapelevelconservation efforts for the longleaf pine ecosystemneed to engage family forest owners.The American Forest Foundation, in partnership with ABC and others,has launched the habitat conservation program, Forests for Watershedsand Wildlife, which works with family foresters to create andconserve upland pine habitat for birds. Initiated with important seedfunding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Home DepotFoundation, Southern Companies, and the Perkins Foundation, theprogram develops wildlife and stream habitat recommendations,organizes educational events and field tours, produces handbooksand other publications for family forest owners, and encourages thevoluntary actions of landowners. The program’s Forested Flywaysinitiative promotes multi-year collaborative efforts that encouragefamily forest owners to implement sustainable management practicesthat improve habitat for imperiled bird species.Initiatives in Mississippi, Louisiana,Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolinahave helped restore over 140,000 acresof upland pine habitat in the past threeyears. A total of 3.6 million longleafpines have been planted on over6,700 acres. Species that havebenefited include the NorthernBobwhite, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, andPrairie Warbler, as well as the threatened gopher tortoise.Upland pine conservation efforts do not end with the planting oftrees. Significant effort is needed to create and maintain the openunderstory required by birds and other wildlife. Family forest ownersare encouraged to use prescribed fire every two to three years tocontrol hardwoods, and to thin trees periodically so that sunlightwill continue to reach the forest floor. To learn more, visitwww.conservationforestry.org.—Drew DeBerry, American Forest FoundationBrown-headed Nuthatch: Bill HubickPage 29 of 48