We analyzed winter habitat use by 23 radio-collared mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) in the central interior of British Columbia, Canada, from February 1982 to March 1989. This research was essential to provide sound biological data for development of a selection silvicultural and planning system that would integrate timber harvesting with the habitat needs of mule deer. Habitat selection was analyzed by comparing deer use with habitat availability of various levels (categories) of the following variables: age, crown closure, species composition, slope, and aspect. Additionally, we compared the use of each category among snow classes. Regardless of snow depth class, use of old stands (> 140 years) by deer was greater than the availability of that age category. Also, the use of old stands was greater in moderate (26–40 cm) and deep (>40 cm) snow depth classes than in the low snow depth class. Areas of winter range dominated by Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) were more often used than areas where other tree species were most common. In the deep snow class, use of both moderate and high crown closures categories exceeded their availability.

In west-central British Columbia, terrestrial lichens located in older, lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) forests are important winter forage for woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). Clearcut harvesting effectively removes winter forage habitat for decades, so management approaches based on partial cutting were designed to maintain continuous lichen-bearing habitat for caribou. This study tested a group selection system, based on removal of 33% of the forest every 80 years in small openings (15 m diameter), and two irregular shelterwood treatments (whole-tree and stem-only harvesting methods) where 50% of the stand area is cut every 70 years in 20 to 30 m diameter openings. The abundance of common terrestrial lichens among the partial cutting and no-harvest treatments was compared across five replicate blocks, pre-harvest (1995) and post-harvest (1998, 2000 and 2004). The initial loss of preferred forage lichens (Cladonia, Cladina, Cetraria and Stereocaulon) was similar among harvesting treatments, but there was greater reduction in these lichens in the openings than in the residual forest. After eight years, forage lichens in the group selection treatment recovered to preharvest amounts, while lichen in the shelterwood treatments steadily increased from 49 to 57% in 1998 to about 70% of pre-harvest amounts in 2004. Although not part of the randomized block design, there was substantially less lichen in three adjacent clearcut blocks than in the partial cuts. Regression analysis pre-and post-harvest indicated that increased cover of trees, shrubs, herbs, woody debris and logging slash corresponded with decreased forage lichen abundance. In the short-term, forestry activities that minimize inputs of woody debris, control herb and shrub development, and moderate the changes in light and temperatures associated with canopy removal will lessen the impact on lichen. Implementation of stand level prescriptions is only one aspect of caribou habitat management. A comprehensive approach should consider all factors and their interactions to maintain a viable population of woodland caribou in west-central British Columbia.

Group selection and irregular group shelterwood silvicultural systems were applied to older lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) forests in west-central British Columbia to determine their potential for maintaining northern caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) habitat. These silvicultural systems created small openings 15-30 m wide, which were planted with lodgepole pine and interior spruce (Picea glauca x Picea engelmannii) seedlings. Fifth-year survival and growth results indicate that either species could adequately regenerate the small openings created by partial cutting. Pine survival in the partial cuts (93-95%) was comparable to the clearcuts (94%). Pine height and height growth did not vary significantly between treatments; however, diameters were significantly larger in the clearcuts. After five years across all treatments, pine seedlings were 38-42 cm tall with diameters ranging from 7-11 mm. Spruce survival varied considerably between the clearcuts (35-98%) but was more consistent in the partial cuts (66-97%). Total height and height growth differed significantly among treatments, with the shortest spruce seedlings found in the clearcuts. Seedling diameter did not differ among treatments. Average fifth-year height ranged from 31 cm to 44 cm and diameters ranged from 7 mm to 9 mm. To maintain caribou habitat, species should be planted in similar proportions to the pre-harvest stand composition to avoid potential impacts on the terrestrial and arboreal lichens, which are important caribou forage.Key words: caribou, lodgepole pine, partial cutting, planted seedlings, interior spruce, group selection, irregular group shelterwood RÉSUMÉ Des régimes sylvicoles de jardinage par groupes et de coupes progressives irrégulières ont été utilisées dans de vieux peuplements de pin lodgepole (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) du centre ouest de la Colombie-britannique afin de déter-miner leur potentiel de maintien de l'habitat du caribou nordique (Rangifer tarandus caribou). Ces régimes sylvicoles ont engendré de petites trouées de 15 à 30 m. de largeur qui ont été régénérées au moyen de semis de pin lodgepole et d'épinette de l'Intérieur (Picea glauca x Picea engelmannii). Les données de survie et de croissance après cinq ans indiquent que les deux espèces auraient pu régénérer adéquatement les petites trouées engendrées par les coupes partielles. La survie du pin dans les coupes partielles (93 à 95 %) était comparable à celle des coupes à blanc (94 %). La hauteur et la croissance en hauteur des pins n'ont pas varié significativement d'un traitement à l'autre; cependant, les diamètres étaient significativement plus importants dans les coupes à blanc. Après cinq ans, pour tous les traitements, les semis de pin avaient une hauteur de 38 à 42 cm et des diamètres variant de 7 à 11 mm. Le taux de survie de l'épinette était très variable au sein des coupes à blanc (35 à 98 %) mais était plus constant dans les coupes partielles (66 à 97 %). La hauteur totale et la croissance en hauteur étaient significativem...

Concerns about the impacts of clear-cut harvesting on ecosystem components in subalpine forests have generated a variety of alternative silvicultural systems in high-elevation forests in western North America. We examined responses of forest-floor small mammals, 14 years posttreatment, in four replicate units, uncut forest, a 1.0 ha group-selection cut, a large (>30 ha) clearcut, and the edge between the group-selection cut and uncut forest, in the Engelmann Spruce ( Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.) – Subalpine Fir ( Abies lasiocarpa (Hook.) Nutt.) biogeoclimatic zone in south-central British Columbia, Canada. Populations of small mammals were livetrapped during five sessions from June to September 2006. The mean abundance of southern red-backed voles ( Myodes gapperi Vigors) was significantly lower on large clearcuts than in uncut old-growth forests, with intermediate numbers in 1 ha cuts. The opposite trend was found for dusky shrews ( Sorex monticolus Merriam), while there was no significant difference in mean abundance of deer mice ( Peromyscus maniculatus Wagner) among treatments. Trappability, proportion of adult females breeding, and rate of survival of red-backed voles and deer mice were similar among treatments. Our results suggest that group-selection silviculture conducted in subalpine forests may have fewer negative impacts on the small-mammal community than large clearcuts.