Managing for Wildlife Haitat in Westside Production Forests ISSUES AND ALTERNATIVES ASSOCIATED WITH PRIVATE FOREST WILDLIFE AND RIPARIAN HABITAT MANAGEMENT

Two decades ago, declines in old forest habitats with consequent impacts on certain species such as the northern spotted owl prompted interest in forest management strategies that integrate protection of habitat and other ecological values with acceptable economic returns. In 1993, the Washington Forest Landscape Management Project brought together an interdisciplinary team of scientists to investigate the potential for intentionally managing stands to accelerate development of old forest conditions as a method that might improve wildlife habitat and avoid future endangered species listings (Carey et al. 1996, Carey et al. 1999, Lippke et al. 1996). Old forest habitat has declined as a consequence of commercial management, forest conversions, and disturbance events that result in continued risk