PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • August 9, 2021
Nearly 30 years ago, a team of bird researchers came to northern Maine to conduct the first large-scale study of the impact of commercial forestry on bird populations in the United States. A systematic survey of bird populations across 1 million acres of working forest led researchers to what was then a surprising conclusion: Cutting down trees isn’t necessarily bad for birds – as long as the harvesting was taking place across a larger landscape where the types of tree and age class were constantly changing over time. That concept came to be known as a “shifting mosaic.” It highlighted the role of commercial forestry practices in conserving biodiversity, because healthy bird populations are an indicator of a larger, healthy environment for wildlife. Thirty years later researchers are back to examine how changes in land ownership and forestry practices are impacting bird populations. National Audubon has designated Maine’s commercial forests as the largest “Important Bird Area” in the contiguous U.S.