• Homyack, Jessica A.
  University of Maine Graduate School
  

The extent of pre commercial thinning (PCT) to manipulate stand density in overstocked, regenerating stands and to accelerate growth, yield, and the rate of development of crop trees has been increasing within the Acadian forest of northeastern North America. Although the silvicultural responses of crop trees to thinning are well studied, few studies have evaluated the effects of PCT on forest-dependent wildlife and their habitat. I investigated the effects of PCT and stand succession on snowshoe hares, small mammals, and forest structure on 38 stands (25 treated with PCT, 13 unthinned stands) from 1 to 16 years post-treatment within 7 townships in the commercial forests of northern Maine. Forest stands were clearcut from 1967-1983, treated with an aerial herbicide during 1977-1988, and treatment stands were manually thinned from 1984- 1999.