• McComb, William C.
  Department of Forest Science, Oregon State University
  
• Spies, Thomas A.
  USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station
  
• Emmingham, William H.
  Department of Forest Science, Oregon State University
  

Alternative silvicultural systems should be tested to determine if timber extraction can be accomplished while meeting habitat needs of wildlife species associated with mature forests. This article describes a conceptual basis for silvicultural systems that integrates mature forest wildlife habitat and timber objectives in manages Douglas-fir forests of western Oregon and Washington. Specifically, it describes the structural and compositional features of stands associated with abundance of mature-forest wildlife; the influence of natural disturbances and past management practices; how silviculture may be used to more closely imitate the frequencies, sizes, shapes, intensities, and patterns of natural disturbances in these forests; and how silvicultural systems that provide these features can be developed and tested.