What conditions will be needed to sustain plant and animal habitat associations in the South?
” • Recent research shows that a corridor system, natural areas left between intensively managed forest stands, attracts over 100 species of breeding birds. Research shows that overall small mammal abundance is not affected by timber harvesting. In herptofauna (reptiles and amphibians) studies in South Carolina, 61 out of 63 coastal plain species use intensively managed forest landscapes. • What animals utilize woody debris? To what degree does woody debris help control erosion and nutrient cycling? • The amount of lands which are in forest but are not available to provide our nations wood supply (parks, greenways, refuges, etc) should be broken out into a separate category. • The Assessment should use caution defining “conditionsneeded to sustain plant and animal habitat association.” It should recognize the dynamic nature of healthy plant and animal habitats. The idea of a “balance of nature” is a myth. New scientific evidence suggests healthy ecosystems thrive on change. The Assessm
