• Steventon, James Douglas
  University of Maine Graduate School
  

Winter Habitat use by marten (Martes americana) was studied by radio telemetry and snow tracking on a community clear-cut spruce-fir-hardwood. About 1/3 of the area was 3-18 year old regenerating clear cuts, 1/3 was uncut softwood stands, and the remainder was partially cut mixed stands (average basal area reduced 50%). Intensive study of 2 makes and 1 female yielded 420 locations and 97 km of tracking. Clear-cuts were used less than their proportional occurrence within the study area or within marten home ranges. Uncut softwood stands and partially cut mixed stands were heavily used. Both males had home ranges of nearly 9.5 km2 of which 35-40% were clear cuts. These makes often crossed clear-cuts to reach isolated patches of residual forest cover. Females were located only in large blocks of residual forest and had ranges as large as 2.5 km2, with up to 25% in clear cuts. The female that was intensively studied rarely crossed clear-cuts. Typical resting sites for marten were cavities in large decayed stumps or logs. Some potential impacts of intensive forestry on marten habitat are discussed.