Darren A. Miller

Herpetofauna Response to Fire and Imazapyr in Intensively- managed Mid-rotation Pine Stands in Mississippi

Forest managers are increasingly expected to incorporate conservation of biodiversity in forest management plans, but a paucity of information exists regarding herpetofauna responses to mid-rotation release practices of dormant-season prescribed fire and herbicide in intensively-managed pine (Pinus spp.) stands. However, these management tools have demonstrated capabilities of improving conservation value in southeastern pine forests. Therefore, we investigated herpetofauna responses to factorial combinations of dormant-season prescribed fire and imazapyr using a randomized complete...

Effects of Row Spacing and Debris Distribution on Deer Forage and Carrying Capacity in Newly Established Loblolly-pine Plantations in Louisiana

Intensively managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) forests are common in the southeastern United States and critical to providing fiber for global wood supply needs. There are concerns regarding possible effects of stand establishment treatments on plant communities, particularly availability and quality of browse for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). We quantified response of non-pine vegetation productivity at either narrow (4.3 m) or wide (6.1 m) row spacing combined with either piled or scattered woody debris following clearcut harvest in Louisiana. We examined total (kg/ha...

Effects of Row Spacing and Debris Distribution on Vegetative Communities in Newly Established Loblolly-pine Plantations in Louisiana

Wildlife Outstanding Technical Paper

Commercial pine (Pinus spp.) forests in the southeastern United States are critical to providing fiber for global wood supply needs. Intensive forest management techniques including row spacing and woody debris distribution can impact plant communities. Therefore, we quantified response of plant communities in replanted P. taeda stands to mechanical site preparation at two levels of row spacing (narrow and wide) and two methods of distributing woody debris (piling and scattering) following harvest in Louisiana. Sites were prepared with a combination of row spacing between planting beds (n...

Biodiversity Response to Fire and Herbicide in Intensively-managed Pine Stands of Mississippi

Common mid-rotation forest management practices in intensively-managed pine (Pinus spp.) stands include thinning, fertilization, herbicide use, and prescribed burning. However, greater herbicide use and less prescribed fire have generated questions regarding treatment effects on biological diversity within these systems. Therefore, we determined biodiversity response (songbirds, rodents, reptiles, amphibians, carabid beetles, understory vegetation) to factorial combinations of dormant season prescribed fire and imazapyr herbicide in thinned and fertilized, mid-rotation intensively...

Hunter Attitudes toward Hunting Club Cooperatives and Quality Deer Management on Forest Industry Lands

Hunting leases for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) occur across the United States and provide revenue to many landowners, including private forest industry. Hunting quality and revenue could potentially be enhanced through “cooperatives” and adherence to Quality Deer Management (QDM) principles. Formation of hunting club cooperatives (HCC), where adjoining hunting clubs collectively manage the deer herd, may also increase QDM program success and increase stakeholder interaction. We surveyed Mississippi hunters who leased land from Weyerhaeuser Company in 2009 to determine...

Surveys of Black Bear Hunters on Private Forest Ownerships in Eastern North Carolina

Over the past 30 years, American black bear (Ursus americanus; hereafter, bear) numbers have increased in eastern North Carolina. In response, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) set a goal to increase harvest rates of black bears on selected private lands in eastern North Carolina to manage the population. During 1993-2008, we annually surveyed leaseholders that leased hunting rights from Weyerhaeuser Company, a large landowner in this region, to better understand bear hunter and harvest dynamics. We received 1,937 surveys from 359 different leaseholders of which...