Focus Species Forestry

forest-management strategy concentrates on specific species to develop habitat

Focus Species Forestry is a method to simplify the task of integrating timber management with conservation of biological diversity, including healthy and diverse plant and wildlife habitats. It accomplishes this by identifying and managing for a few Focus Species whose habitat needs cover those of many other species, and by ensuring that known rare species habitat or exemplary natural plant communities are conserved. A goal of managing for the focus wildlife species is to also ensure that the natural plant diversity of the habitats they require is maintained, and that other habitats, such as dead and decaying wood used by insects and fungi, is also provided.

Focus Species Forestry Resources:

Focus Species Forestry Guidebook. (PDF) This is an applied management guide that integrates the silvicultural practices for timber or other objectives with management for biodiversity. Management guides for six major forest ecosystems and special habitats are included, along with habitat management recommendations for a suite of focus species representing these habitats.

Habitat Worksheet. (Excel) This Excel spreadsheet compiles stand data on forest type and size class into ownership totals and summary graphs. These summaries give the manager an overview of forest habitat diversity that can be used to formulate management objectives and recommendations. Click here for a completed example.

Objectives and Recommendations Form. (Word) Use this form to summarize habitat conditions and identify potential focus species and management strategies.

Planning Checklist. (Word) Summarizes the basic steps and information needs for developing a focus species forestry plan.

Focus Species Management Planning Template. (PDF) A generic template, including text and tables that show how Focus Species Forestry can be integrated into a forest management plan. Also includes new and updated recommendations for

• Wildlife trees, downed woody debris, retention patches, and biomass harvesting
• Managing forests in the face of climate change
• Invasive plant species
• Recreational use
• Silvicultural strategies to reach desired future conditions
• Forest monitoring
• Frequently Asked Questions

Community Forestry Project. Maine Audubon worked with local foresters, towns and land trusts that manage lands across the state. The project involved community members and local foresters in developing ecologically based forest management plans using the Focus Species Forestry guidebook as a planning tool. These forests serve as model forests for private landowners in the region and for other communities that are interested in forest management. See the complete list of Community Forestry Project lands here.

fGIS. fGIS is a free GIS program that was developed for use by consulting foresters and public service foresters in Wisconsin. fGIS was used to develop the maps used for the Focus Species - Community Forestry management plans. Aerial photos, topographic data, hydrology, and other information that can be used in fGIS maps can be downloaded from the Maine Office of GIS website.

• Download fGIS here.
• Plain English guide to getting started with fGIS. (Word)

Using Focus Species Forestry in other Northeastern states and provinces. (Powerpoint) While Focus Species Forestry was developed for Maine, this document shows how it can be adapted for use throughout the region where similar forest types are found. Maine Audubon has begun working with regional forestry agencies and Extension to develop a regional version of the FSF guidebook.