Forest management and stick-nesting birds: New direction for mitigation in Ontario

Forest management operations (harvest, renewal, tending, road construction and use) may affect the occupancy or productivity of nest sites used by stick-nesting birds (eagles, ospreys, herons, hawks, owls, corvids) either by directly disrupting breeding activities, altering habitat suitability, or creating new access that may lead to subsequent disturbance of nest sites by other forest users. On public land in Ontario, potential effects are mitigated through an area-of-concern planning approach that involves placement of buffers around nests that restrict the timing of forest management operations, habitat alteration, and the construction of new roads. Early direction developed in the 1980s was based largely on expert opinion. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) has reviewed and revised this direction to incorporate new understanding of habitat requirements and the effects of forest management operations. Case studies are provided to show how published literature, directed studies, and the precautionary principle were used to revise direction for ospreys and great blue herons. For many species, this review led to a reduction in the size of buffers deemed necessary to mitigate the effects of forest management operations. Despite the increased use of scientific evidence, there is still uncertainty about the effects of forest management operations on stick-nesting birds and the effectiveness of proposed direction. OMNR is developing a monitoring plan to evaluate the effectiveness of revised direction as part of its cycle of adaptive policy development.