Dead trees host living creatures

For 30 years, I have lived in homes heated by a wood stove. I have come to really enjoy the winter warmth that comes from sitting near a wood stove on a snowy day. When heating with wood, it is important to get the most heat you can from the wood you gather, and to minimize the amount of smoke produced by your stove. Staying a year ahead on your wood supply gives the wood plenty of time to season. Dry, checked wood is the best fuel you can get to warm a house. Well-seasoned wood also burns with a minimum of smoke added to the air. Firewood gatherers typically look for dead standing trees they see in the forest. These woodland features, called snags, support a complex system of life. By understanding a little about snags, people have come to value them and have chosen to leave a few here and there to benefit wildlife. Leaving one snag per acre was once the recommendation of many forest biologists. However, it appears that additional snags of varying heights and diameters may provide further benefits to wildlife. In Idaho, about 50 species of birds and 25 species of mammals nest, roost, forage or take shelter in snags. Plants and invertebrates also benefit from snags, which eventually fall and provide watershed protection and nutrients which create rich forest soils. Some snags I have cut down in the past had to be left on the ground because I discovered too late they were too far decayed to make good firewood. Unfortunately, I had dropped them before (or while) they were providing a home for wildlife. Before dropping a snag, look for any fungal growth on the main trunk. If you see any, there are better, more solid trees around to heat your home. A snag showing fungus on the bark has already begun to decay and will soon be a home for wildlife. When selecting firewood trees, look for any signs of current wildlife use such as nesting cavities or signs of roosting. Woodpecker holes indicate there are many insects already inhabiting the tree, and insects are the last thing you want to bring into your home. Leaving such trees standing will benefit wildlife. Large diameter snags remain standing longer than smaller ones, so they are good choices to leave for wildlife. Snags measuring 15 inches in diameter or larger at breast height are valuable to wildlife and will remain standing longer than most of us will be around if we leave them. While large diameter snags can provide homes for more species of wildlife, leaving snags of a variety of diameters will benefit more species. Woodpeckers typically use trees at least 15 inches in diameter, raccoons use trees in the 24 inch diameter range and black bears will use snags 40 inches in diameter and larger. When cutting wood on the national forest, you might even notice trees bearing a sign saying "Wildlife Tree". This sign indicates the Forest Service has observed wildlife use of this particular dead tree. Such trees should always remain undisturbed as there are likely several species of birds or mammals utilizing this particular snag. The species of tree snag is also important. In our area, Ponderosa pine, western larch, hemlock, and Douglas fir make for good and durable snags, as do cottonwood and aspen because they normally grow in riparian areas already conducive to wildlife habitation. On private property, firewood gatherers can cut live trees which are crowded and subordinate to those around them if they have a full year or more to let them season. Cutting live trees on public lands is not permitted by most land management agencies, and firewood cutting permits are required on most public lands. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game has produced a nongame leaflet called "Dead Trees and Living Creatures: The Snag Ecology of Idaho". The leaflet describes many of the benefits of snags to wildlife and describes the ways many different species of wildlife that use snags. The publication is available free at any Fish and Game office. It can also be found on Fish and Game's website, fishandgame.idaho.gov, by searching for "Nongame Leaflet #13".