value of a dead tree for wows grade 10-12

7/30/2019 Value of a Dead Tree for WOWS Grade 10-12

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Title: The Value of a Dead Tree

Grade Level: 10-12

Topic: The ecological and human uses of unmerchantable lignocellulosic

biomass

Background: With adaptations such as strong, chisel-shaped bills and stiff tail feathers to braceagainst trees, woodpeckers are able toexcavate trees both to forage and createnest cavities. Nest cavities are chambershollowed out of a tree created by removingbark and hollowing out a rounded space in atree trunk. Weaker cavity excavating birdssuch as nuthatches and chickadees modify

woodpecker cavities or excavate in snags,weakened from decomposition, as they lackthe specific adaptations necessary forindependent excavation of live trees (Bull,2002; Podulka, Rohrbaugh, & Bonney,2004). Other cavity utilizing animals suchas small mammals, amphibians, and otherbirds that do not have cavity excavatingabilities rely on old woodpecker cavities forshelter and breeding, especially those thatare enlarged by decay (Aubry & Raley,

2002).

Scientists hypothesize that woodpecker nestcavities may play an integral role in wintersurvival by providing a favorablemicroclimate and protection from predatorsto other animals unable to make their owncavities (Cooper, 1999; Loeb, 1993;McComb & Noble, 1981).

Humans and nature are in conflict over the

management of snags at both the timberindustry and visually aesthetic levels. Forexample, forests that are managed forcommercial harvest minimize the risk oftree death and increase monoculture to


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maximize profits which creates large standsof forest without the ecological componentof dead trees as possible nest cavity sites(Block & Finch, 1997).

Reconciling anthropocentric and ecocentricvalues and attitudes in favor of snagconservation is a complex issue still beingexplored.

Field Instructor Unit Conversion Notes:

A chain is a commonly used measurementin forestry that equals 66 feet. Studentsmay estimate this with paces or use a metertape. A square chain (66X66 area) is 4356

square feet which is approximately 1/10 ofan acre. This information will be useful inscaling down the habitat preference chartfor cavity excavators to make theexploration area a more manageable sizefor the activity.

Next GenerationStandards:

LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships inEcosystems

LS2.B: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer

in EcosystemsLS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning,and Resilience

LS4.C: Adaptation

Goals: Students will perform basic forestrymeasurements of trees to evaluate thesuitability of an area for cavity excavatingbirds in order to make a value and attitudebased decision about the best use for dead

trees in the context of energy needs in achanging climate and ecosystem integrity.

Essential Questions:


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What are cavity excavators and whichcommon species can we find in PonderosaState Park?

What is a secondary cavity nester and whatecosystem components do they depend onand why?

What values and attitudes influence thevalue of a dead tree and what do the datasuggest to you?

Objectives: Students identify common species ofcavity excavating birds and secondarycavity users through pictures and fieldobservation.

Students observe evidence of cavityexcavation in PSP.

Students recognize the role of strongcavity excavators as ecosystemengineers.

Students relate the presence of snagsto winter survival of secondary cavityusers.

Students define and visualize thedistance of a chain.

Students measure canopy density,dbh, and the height of trees.

Students record and plot differentstages of tree decomposition as theyrelate to wildlife habitat.

Students analyze their data for habitatsuitability for different species of

wildlife preferences.

Students relate their findings to theValue of a Tree lesson and assess theecocentric versus anthropocentric


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uses of dead trees.

Students justify their own opinionsabout the value of a dead tree basedon their data and predict the

interpretations of this data by otherindustry stakeholders (wildlifebiologist, paper mill owner, airline,biofuel manufacturer, harvestableforest manager, etc.)

Materials: Laminated cavity nester and cavitypictures

Wildlife tree stage chart

Cavity excavator habitat preference

chart

Orange flags from grad kit

Meter tape

Clinometer

Densiometer

Optional- flagging

Set up: Students should have completed the Valueof a Tree lesson and have a basicunderstanding of tree decomposition. Fieldinstructor may want to make sure thatstudents are familiar with basic forestrymeasurements such as canopy density,DBH, and using a clinometer.

Field instructors may be interested in

adapting this to be a comparison betweenthe managed and unmanaged forest orunmanaged and campground/MOSS campusto apply concepts to the influence of humanpresence and recreation to forest


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management practices that affect wildlife.

Classroom Time: 1.5 hours of a field day

Introduction(Engage):

Show students pictures of cavity excavatingand using animals. Explain that some of

these animals are ecosystem engineers andsome of them depend on ecosystemengineers. What do you think this means?Challenge students to make the connectionthat woodpeckers modify habitats and otheranimals depend on the cavities they make.Sort the animals accordingly (strongexcavators, weak excavators, nonexcavators). Point out that weak excavatorsare dependent on soft decaying wood ofsnags and non excavators depend onabandoned nest cavities. These animals arenon-migratory so they depend on cavitiesyear round for breeding and shelter. Showthe pictures of nest cavities pointing outthat there are ranges of cavity entrancesizes depending on the excavator.

Activity (Explore): Define the study area by measuring out asquare chain and marking with flags.Encourage students to explore the area forevidence of cavity excavation and observe

cavity excavators in action.

Explanation Give students a classification chart ofwildlife trees and allow them to survey thearea for wildlife trees based on theirpreliminary observation of snags and nestcavities. Record the stages for each treelocated and encourage students to come upwith a survey technique to share the areaand only count trees once (transects, plots,flagging, etc.).

Elaboration: Does the presence of wildlife habitat makeit good wildlife habitat? Give students achart of habitat preferences including snagdensity, size, and canopy cover. Provide


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them with measurement tools (meter tape,clinometer, densiometer). Challengestudents to take relevant measurementsand relate their findings to the preferencesin order to synthesize the information.

What does this information mean forwildlife? Evaluate the quality of this habitatfor cavity using animals.

Imagine that this forest plot is on a timberharvest area. Many of the wildlife trees maybe seen as waste because they are notmerchantable and interfere with the uniformshape and size of an easily harvestablearea. What ecosystem impacts do youpredict if all this wood were removed to be

used as jet fuel? Use the Value of a Treeworksheets to get an idea of the numericalvalue of this unmerchantable woodybiomass.

Evaluation: Take the opinion of a stakeholder who maybe interested in using dead trees (paper millowner, woody biomass converter, timberharvest manager, wildlife biologist).Evaluate the data and suggest what theymay conclude as the value of a dead tree.

Use the data collected to justify youropinion of the value of a dead treeexplaining your own values and attitudes.

Additional resources:

http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/special_reports/ppine_landowner.pdf

http://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/domestic/CavityNesting.

html

http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/special_reports/Cavity-nester%20booklet.pdf
http://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/special_reports/ppine_landowner.pdfhttp://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/special_reports/ppine_landowner.pdfhttp://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/domestic/CavityNesting.htmlhttp://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/domestic/CavityNesting.htmlhttp://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/special_reports/Cavity-nester%20booklet.pdfhttp://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/special_reports/Cavity-nester%20booklet.pdfhttp://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/special_reports/ppine_landowner.pdfhttp://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/special_reports/ppine_landowner.pdfhttp://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/domestic/CavityNesting.htmlhttp://www.abcbirds.org/abcprograms/domestic/CavityNesting.htmlhttp://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/special_reports/Cavity-nester%20booklet.pdfhttp://www.abcbirds.org/newsandreports/special_reports/Cavity-nester%20booklet.pdf


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Aubry, K., & Raley, C. (2002). The Pileated Woodpecker as a KeystoneHabitat Modifier in the Pacific Northwest. W. Laudenslayer, Jr., P.Shea, B. Valentine, C. , 98512, 257274. Retrieved fromhttp://gis.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/documents/psw_gtr181/023_AubryRaley.pdf

Block, W. M., & Finch, D. (1997). Songbird Ecology in SouthwesternPonderosa Pine Forests (p. 152).

Bull, E. (2002). The Value of Coarse Woody Debris to Vertebrates in thePacific Northwest. General technical report PSW-GTR-181, 97850,171178. Retrieved fromhttp://gis.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/documents/psw_gtr181/016_Bull.pdf

Cooper, S. (1999). The Thermal and Energetic Significance of Cavity

Roosting in Mountain Chickadees and Juniper Titmice. Condor,101(4), 863866. Retrieved fromhttp://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/1370077

Loeb, S. C. (1993). Use and Selection of Red-Cockaded WoodpeckerCavities by Southern Flying Squirrels. The Journal of WildlifeManagement, 57(2), 329335.

McComb, W., & Noble, R. (1981). Herpetofaunal Use of Natural TreeCavities and Nest Boxes. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 9(4), 261267.Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.2307/3781313

Podulka, S., Rohrbaugh, R. W., & Bonney, R. (2004). Handbook of BirdBiology. Ithaca, New York: Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

value of a dead tree for wows grade 10-12

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