Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Sonoma tree vole habitat on managed redwood and Douglas-fir forestlands in north coastal California

Informally Refereed

Abstract

The Sonoma Tree Vole (Arborimus pomo) – a small arboreal mammal associated with mature forests – is a California Species of Special Concern due to concerns regarding loss of habitat from harvest, fire, and conversion. By counting their nests, we examined A. pomo use of pole to mature forest seral stages from 2001 to 2005 using line transects at 64 study sites distributed across redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), mixed conifer, Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii/), and hardwood dominated stands. A total of 441 nests were found including 215 active and 226 inactive nests. The highest percentage (33 percent) of nests was in unharvested and partially harvested old growth Douglas-fir stands. All pole and young stands, and stands that were predominantly redwood, had 77 percent fewer nests. This study suggests that A. pomo could benefit from forest management strategies aimed at retaining a mature Douglasfir stand component.

Parent Publication

Keywords

conservation, Douglas-fir, forest inventory, habitat, modeling, redwood, Sonoma tree vole

Citation

Chinnici, Sal J.; Bigger, David; Johnson, Eric. 2012. Sonoma tree vole habitat on managed redwood and Douglas-fir forestlands in north coastal California. In: Standiford, Richard B.; Weller, Theodore J.; Piirto, Douglas D.; Stuart, John D., tech. coords. Proceedings of coast redwood forests in a changing California: A symposium for scientists and managers. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-238. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. pp. 389-397.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/treesearch/41172