Intensive Forest Management: Meeting Wood Production Needs While Considering Wildlife Conservation

Approximately 9 percent of forests in the United States are categorized as intensively managed forests. These forests are proactively managed using methods like planting, weed control, thinning, and clearcutting to maximize wood production and meet growing resource demands. While these practices support economic goals and provide wood products efficiently, they also raise important questions about their impact on wildlife.

A recent literature review looked at wildlife and biodiversity responses to intensive forest management (IFM) and concluded that the effects of IFM on wildlife—particularly terrestrial vertebrates such as birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians—can be complex. Some species benefit from open, early-growth habitats created by harvesting or thinning, while others depend on the structural complexity of older forests. Because IFM often focuses on maintaining younger forests in simplified patterns, it can reduce the diversity of habitat types available, potentially limiting opportunities for some species.

However, IFM and wildlife conservation can still be compatible. Thoughtful management strategies—such as leaving buffer zones along streams, retaining dead trees and snags, and varying the timing and scale of harvests—can help mitigate any negative effects of IFM and support a wider range of wildlife. For example, in regions like the southeastern U.S., early-successional habitats created through IFM can benefit species that rely on young forest conditions, which are otherwise declining.

On the other hand, intensive practices can pose challenges for species that prefer older, more structurally diverse forests, which are often scarce in IFM-dominated landscapes. Maintaining a balance between wood production and habitat conservation requires careful planning and a landscape-scale approach that integrates IMFs with other forest types, including those managed for conservation and recreation.

Additionally, intensively managed forests play a role in conservation by enabling efficient wood production on smaller areas, potentially reducing pressure to harvest other forests, or pressure towards land conversion (permanent forest loss). Certification programs that promote sustainable practices can help ensure that IFMs are managed with consideration for long-term environmental and wildlife health.

While IFM is not without trade-offs, it can contribute to a broader strategy of sustainable land use. Continued research and adaptive management practices are key to balancing wood production needs with wildlife conservation.