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as forests are dynamic, the abundance and kinds of wildlife also change
as a forest matures, and the quantity and quality of food, water, cover,
and space changes. Young, even-aged forests, for example, often have an
abundance of berry-producing shrubs and brushy cover, but few hard mast
(acorns, hickory nuts) or cavity trees. As a result, species that feed
on acorns (e.g., squirrels) or nest in large decaying trees (e.g., pileated
woodpeckers) are more abundant in older forests. Some species of wildlife,
including the white-tailed deer and wild turkey, prefer a combination
of plant succession
stages. Ruffed grouse habitats includes the full range of successional
forests. Grouse use pole-sized stand for drumming in spring, mixed hardwoods
and aspen thickets for brood rearing, and older aspen stand for winter
foraging and other habitats depending on time of year and life cycle requirements.
Whether you wish to manage your land for a variety of wildlife species
or for a single species, understanding what stage(s) of forest succession
each species depends on for food and cover will help you to make important
forest and wildlife management decisions.
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