Survey_Protocol_for_the_Red_Tree_Vole_2012.pdf

SURVEY PROTOCOL

FOR THE

RED TREE VOLE

Arborimus longicaudus (= Phenacomys longicaudus in the Record of Decision of the Northwest Forest Plan)

Photo by Nick Hatch

Version 3.0

November 2012

USDA Forest Service Region 6, Oregon and Washington

USDA Forest Service Region 5, California

USDI Bureau of Land Management, Oregon and Washington

Authors

ROB HUFF, Conservation Planning Coordinator, Interagency Special Status/Sensitive

Species Program, USDI Bureau of Land Management/USDA Region 6 Forest Service, Portland, Oregon.

KELLI VAN NORMAN, Inventory Coordinator, Interagency Special Status/Sensitive Species

Program, USDI Bureau of Land Management/USDA Region 6 Forest Service, Portland, Oregon.

CAROL HUGHES, Special Status and Sensitive Species Specialist, Interagency Special

Status/Sensitive Species Program, USDI Bureau of Land Management/USDA Region 6

Forest Service, Portland, Oregon.

RAY DAVIS, Old Forest and Spotted Owl Monitoring Lead, USDI Bureau of Land

Management/USDA Region 6 Forest Service, Corvallis, Oregon.

KIM MELLEN-MCLEAN, Regional Wildlife Ecologist, USDA Region 6 Forest Service, Portland, Oregon.

Citation

Huff, R., K. Van Norman, C. Hughes, R. Davis and K. Mellen-Mclean. 2012. Survey Protocol for the Red Tree Vole, Version 3.0. Portland, OR. U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon/Washington, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest

Service Regions 5 and 6. 52 p.

This protocol modifies and replaces the following documents:

Biswell, B., M. Blow, L. Finley, S. Madsen, and K. Schmidt. Undated. Survey Protocol for the Red Tree Vole, Version 2.0. Portland, OR. U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of

Land Management, Oregon/Washington, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest

Service Regions 5 and 6. 32 p.

Biswell, B., M. Blow, R. Breckel, L. Finley, and J. Lint. 2002. Survey Protocol for the Red

Tree Vole, Version 2.1. Portland, OR. U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land

Management, Oregon/Washington, and U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service

Regions 5 and 6. 13 p.

USDA Forest Service, and USDI Bureau of Land Management. 2003. Red Tree Vole

Protocol Revision, Version 2.2-Release of Pre-Disturbance Survey Requirements in Six

Watersheds. BLM-Instruction Memorandum No. OR-2003-075. Portland, OR. U.S.

Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Oregon/Washington, and U.S.

Department of Agriculture, Forest Service Regions 5 and 6. 1 p.

http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/surveyandmanage/files/12-red_tree_vole_v2-2.pdf http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/surveyandmanage/files/12-red_tree_vole_v2-2.pdf

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUMMARY OF MODIFICATIONS TO PREVIOUS PROTOCOL VERSIONS 4

CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING THE NEED FOR PRE-DISTURBANCE SURVEYS 5

NATURAL HISTORY 11

Geographic Range of Tree Voles 12

NEST CATEGORIZATION 13

Categorizing Confirmed Red Tree Vole Nests 14

DETERMINATION OF RED TREE VOLE SITES AND HABITAT AREAS 18

SURVEY METHODOLOGY 20

Modified Line Transect Survey Method 21

Individual Tree Examination Survey Method 21

Additional Survey Guidelines for Stands with Large Trees 22

When Potential Nest Structures are Observed During Surveys 23

Survey Longevity 25

Surveyor Skills and Training 25

Data Management and Data Entry 25

Protocol Modifications 26

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 26

LITERATURE CITED 27

TABLES AND FIGURES

TABLE 1: Nest Categorization Codes and Characteristics 17

TABLE 2: Definitions of Red Tree Vole Site Types 19

FIGURE 1: Northern Mesic, Mesic, and Xeric Survey Zones for the red tree vole 6

FIGURE 2: Watersheds exempted from red tree vole surveys in Matrix and Adaptive

Management Areas 8

FIGURE 3: Example Transect Layout 32

APPENDICES

APPENDIX I: How Line Transect Spacing was Calculated for Line Transect Surveys 30

APPENDIX II: Red Tree Vole Field Forms for Use by BLM in the GeoBOB Database 33

APPENDIX III: Red Tree Vole Field Forms for Use by Forest Service in the NRIS

Wildlife Database 43

SUMMARY OF

MODIFICATIONS TO PREVIOUS PROTOCOL VERSIONS

This protocol combines Versions 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 of the red tree vole survey protocol into one format and incorporates new direction regarding boundary lines and elevational limits for the Northern Mesic, Mesic, and Xeric Survey Zones (USDA and USDI 2000, 2001). The structure and organization of the document have been modified and new information added. The main changes in this updated protocol are a:

1. Modification of terminology, removing the term “Distribution Zone” and replacing it with

“Survey Zone” to more accurately depict the intent of the delineated Northern Mesic, Mesic, and Xeric Zones,

2. Decrease in the upper elevation limit for surveys in portions of the Northern Mesic and Mesic

Survey Zones,

3. Change in the eastern boundary and a decrease in the elevation limit for surveys in portions of the Xeric Survey Zone,

4. Modification of the time limitation before surveys must be repeated,

5. Focus on the need to conduct tree climbing to determine if a nest is a red tree vole nest and occupancy status of red tree vole nests,

6. Modification of the second set of conditions describing habitat under “General Habitat

Descriptions,” replacing pre-dominant with superdominant when considering stands with large tree components,

7. Recommendation to conduct tree climbing sampling in stands containing larger (> 36″ dbh) trees, if visibility into the larger trees is poor and ground based surveys yield no vole nests,

8. Clarification of information about habitat and nests, and updates of pertinent literature,

9. Modification to data forms and data entry procedures, and

10. Refinement of the former system of categorizing red tree vole nests as “active” or “inactive” with finer categories that reflect nest occupancy based on observations of voles and nest materials.

CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING

THE NEED FOR PRE-DISTURBANCE SURVEYS

Pre-disturbance surveys for red tree voles are required if all three of the following criteria are met:

1) the proposed project is within the Northern Mesic, Mesic, or Xeric Survey Zones (Figure 1), 2) there is suitable habitat within the planning area that may potentially contribute to a reasonable assurance of persistence of tree voles, and 3) the project disturbance is likely to have a significant negative impact on the species’ habitat, its life cycle, microclimate, or life support requirements that affects persistence of red tree voles (USDA and USDI 2001: S&G 22). A detailed description of each criterion follows.

1. The proposed project is within the Northern Mesic, Mesic, or Xeric Survey Zones.

The 2000 FSEIS for the Amendment to the Survey and Manage Mitigation Measures (USDA and

USDI 2000) subdivided the range of the red tree vole into three zones, referred to as the Northern

Mesic, Mesic, and Xeric Zones. New information on the species range and elevation limits has been gathered since then and is now incorporated into the Survey Zone delineations. These

Survey Zones (Figure 1) encompass a large area and biologists should use more site-specific and fine-scale maps at the project scale when determining elevation limits and boundaries specific to each Survey Zone. A general description of the survey area boundaries in each of the three

Survey Zones is as follows:

a. The Northern Mesic Zone is bounded to the north by the Columbia River, on the east by the 3,500 foot elevation contour along the west slope of the Cascade Mountains, on the west by the Pacific Ocean, and on the south by the Mesic Zone. Northeast of Mount Hood, the line delineating the eastern boundary of the Northern Mesic Zone extends east of the crest of the Cascades to include the headwaters of the Lake Branch watershed, where red tree voles are known to occur (Forsman et al. 2009a). Although the survey area goes up to the

3,500 foot elevation level in the Western Cascades portion of the zone, in the remainder of the zone there is no elevation limit.

b. The Mesic Zone occurs south of the Northern Mesic Zone and is bounded on the south side by the Klamath River in California and on the southeastern side by the Xeric Zone.

The northeastern limits follow the 4,500 foot elevation contour in the Western Cascades.

The western boundary is the Pacific Ocean, except for the area in the extreme southern end of the zone, where the survey boundary moves inland along the Klamath River. In the

Western Cascades portion of the zone, the survey area goes up to the 4,500 foot elevation level, while in the remainder of the zone there is no elevation limit.

c. The Xeric Zone occurs east and southeast of the Mesic Zone. Based on recent surveys for tree voles and data from spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) pellets (Forsman et al.

2004), the eastern edge of the Xeric Zone occurs from west of the Klamath County line north of the Middle Fork of the Rogue River and then north of the Rogue River to

Grants Pass, then west of the Applegate River, to the Oregon/California border, then north of the border until Indian Creek (a tributary to the Klamath River), west of Indian

Creek to its confluence with the Klamath River, then along the Klamath River, south of the China Peak HUC 5 watershed. In the Western Cascades portion of the zone, the survey area goes up to the 4,500 foot elevation level. In the Klamath Mountains portion of the zone the survey area goes up to the 5,000 foot elevation level.

Figure 1—Northern Mesic, Mesic, and Xeric Survey Zones for the red tree vole (Arborimus longicaudus).

It is important to note that these Survey Zones do not entirely capture the range of the red tree vole in the Cascades and Siskiyou Mountains where there may be a few red tree voles that occur at elevations above the upper limits of the Survey Zones. The elevation cutoffs for the Survey

Zones are a compromise designed to keep surveyors from spending large amounts of time conducting surveys in places where the likelihood of finding red tree voles is low. Elevation limits and survey zone boundaries were determined through recommendations from Forsman and

Swingle (pers. comm.) and were supported by analysis of Forest Service (FS) and Bureau of Land

Management (BLM) database queries. For the elevation decrease, a disproportionate number of nests were found above the recommended elevation limits as compared to survey effort (FS/BLM unpublished data). The eastern survey zone boundaries incorporate all red tree vole nests (and spotted owl pellets with red tree vole remains) found to date. If red tree vole nests are found at elevations above the limits identified in any of the Survey Zones or in habitats not targeted by this survey protocol, then those areas would be managed as known sites in accordance with the current direction for this species.

Watersheds Exempted from Surveys in Matrix and Adaptive Management Areas (AMA)

There are certain watersheds that are exempt from pre-disturbance surveys in Matrix and AMA or a combination of Matrix/AMA and Riparian Reserve allocations. On 22 April 2003, the

“Supplemental Direction for Identification of Non-High Priority Sites for Red Tree Voles

Within the Pilot Area” was transmitted to the field (Forest Service File Code 2630; Bureau of

Land Management Instruction Memorandum No. OR-2003-062, http://www.blm.gov/or/efoia/fy2003/ib/im-or-2003-062.pdf). The supplemental direction established a programmatic process that allows field units to identify non-high priority sites.

Application of the programmatic process allows for sites within Matrix and AMA or a combination of Matrix/AMA and Riparian Reserve land allocations in 5 th field watersheds with high amounts of future red tree vole habitat in reserved land allocations, to be identified as non-high priority and thus released for other management priorities. This direction is still valid.

Sixteen watersheds within the pilot area were noted as having high amounts (83–100%) of red tree vole habitat in reserved land allocations. Within these 16 watersheds, any site in Matrix or

AMA, or a combination of Matrix/AMA and Riparian Reserve land allocations can be identified as non-high priority, and hence pre-disturbance surveys within those allocations within these watersheds are not required. The 16 watersheds are: Lower Smith River, Lower

Umpqua River, Wolf Creek, Fall Creek, Upper Umpqua River, Mill Creek (Lower Umpqua

River), Canton Creek, Lower Siuslaw River, Upper Siuslaw River, Steamboat Creek, Boulder

Creek (North Fork Umpqua River), Middle Fork Willamette River/Lookout Point, Deadwood

Creek, North Fork Siuslaw River, Little Fall Creek, and Indian Creek/Lake Creek (Figure 2).

Within these 16 watersheds, projects in land allocations other than Matrix, AMA, or a combination of Matrix/AMA and Riparian Reserves are not exempted from surveys by this direction.

http://www.blm.gov/or/efoia/fy2003/ib/im-or-2003-062.pdf

Figure 2—Watersheds exempted from red tree vole (Arborimus longicaudus) surveys within Matrix and Adaptive

Management Area (AMA) or a combination of Matrix/AMA and Riparian Reserve land allocations.

2. Suitable habitat that may potentially contribute to a reasonable assurance of persistence occurs within the proposed project area (USDA and USDI 2001: S&G 23).

Habitat descriptions listed below do not include all stand conditions where red tree vole nests occur.

The differences in survey recommendations for stand conditions between Survey Zones are based on the following factors: number of known extant sites, detection rate of vole nests per survey effort, site quality, tree species, amount of late-successional forest, and land ownership patterns.

The variation in these factors across their range takes into consideration the need to locate and identify a sufficient number of sites that may provide for a reasonable assurance of persistence of red tree voles.

For this criterion, either the Quadratic Mean Diameter (QMD) or Arithmetic Mean Diameter

(AMD) size description and one of the two vole general habitat descriptions have to be met.

Stands that meet both: 1) the QMD or AMD and 2) one of the two general habitat descriptions, are considered suitable habitat that may potentially contribute to a reasonable assurance of persistence, and would require surveys if Criteria 3 is met.

For more isolated stands that meet the minimum diameters (QMD or AMD) and one of the two general habitat descriptions, professional judgment should be used to evaluate the likelihood that the stand currently provides habitat for the red tree vole. For instance, a 2 acre stand meeting the habitat criteria but surrounded by clear-cuts may not provide habitat.

a. QMD or AMD Size Description by Survey Zone For purposes of deciding whether a stand is suitable habitat that may potentially contribute to a reasonable assurance of red tree vole persistence, determine the estimated QMD or AMD of the stand. Administrative units may use whichever method is more commonly used in their local forest management applications. If the estimated QMD or AMD is greater than or equal to the diameters for the survey zones listed below, the stand may be suitable habitat:

1. Northern Mesic Zone: QMD ≥ 16″ or AMD ≥ 15″.

2. Mesic Zone: QMD ≥ 18″ or AMD ≥ 16″.

3. Xeric Zone: QMD ≥ 16″ or AMD ≥ 14″.

If the stand does not meet the minimum mean diameters, then the stand is considered to not be composed of “suitable habitat that may potentially contribute to a reasonable assurance of persistence” and surveys are not required.

b. Red Tree Vole General Habitat Descriptions If the minimum QMD or AMD criterion for the stand has been met, then determine if one of the general habitat classes below applies:

1. Mature and old-growth conifer forests and older mixed-age conifer forests containing

Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), grand fir (Abies grandis), Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), or western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) with multi-layered canopies and branches capable of supporting nests. Mature forests are characterized by the onset of slowed height growth, crown expansion, heavier limbs, gaps, some mortality in larger trees, and appearance of more shade-tolerant species or additional crown layers (USDA and USDI 2001). Old-growth encompasses the later stages of stand development that typically differ from earlier stages in a variety of characteristics which may include tree size, accumulations of large dead woody material, number of canopy layers, species composition, and ecosystem function (USDA and USDI 2001). Typically, in Douglas-fir forests west of the Cascades, mature forests begin between 80–130 years, and old-growth forests at 180–220 years old.

OR

2. Conifer or conifer-dominated mixed conifer-hardwood forests with canopy closure of intermediate, co-dominant and dominant trees ≥ 60%, and with two or more superdominant conifer trees per acre that have the following characteristics that provide foundations for vole nests: large limbs, palmate branch clusters, well developed crowns, cavities, broken tops, forked trunks, multiple leaders, or dwarf mistletoe (Arceuthobium spp.) brooms. Superdominant trees typically have crowns that extend above the general stand canopy and have large branches in the upper canopy of the dominant trees in the stand (Curtis et al. 1998). Superdominant trees may be remnant trees from an earlier cohort, or they may be trees from the dominant cohort that were more open grown and have become much larger than the rest of the trees in the stand.

If the stand meets the minimum mean diameters described in a. above, but does not meet either one of these general habitat descriptions in b. then the stand is considered to not be composed of “suitable habitat that may potentially contribute to a reasonable assurance of persistence” and surveys are not required.

3. The proposed project is a habitat-disturbing activity that has the potential to cause a

“significant negative effect on the species habitat or the persistence of the species at the site”

(USDA and USDI 2001:S&G 22).

“Habitat-disturbing activities are defined as those disturbances likely to have a significant negative impact on the habitat, life cycle, microclimate, or life support requirements of the species. The evaluation of the scale, scope, and intensity of the anticipated negative impact of the project on habitat or life requirements should include an assessment of the type, timing, and intensity of the disturbing activity. The line officer should seek the specialists’ recommendations to help determine the need for a survey based on site-specific information. In making such determinations, the line officer should consider the probability of the species being present on the project site, as well as the probability that the project would cause a significant negative effect on the species habitat or the persistence of the species at the site” (USDA and USDI 2001:22). “Site” is defined in the glossary section of the

Survey and Manage Standards and Guidelines (USDA and USDI 2001:83). If the proposed activity is determined to not pose a potential significant negative effect at the site, then surveys are not required.

Activities that would remove or modify the intermediate, co-dominant, dominant, or pre-dominant/superdominant canopy within the stand may be considered habitat-disturbing to red tree voles. This includes activities that may cause a significant negative effect on red tree voles or habitat in the project area by isolating or damaging nests or nest trees.

Routine maintenance of improvements and existing structures is not considered a habitat-disturbing activity. Examples of routine maintenance include road maintenance, clearing encroaching vegetation, managing existing seed orchards, and falling hazard trees (USDA and USDI 2001:S&G

22).

Some other examples of projects that might not be considered habitat-disturbing and, therefore, not require pre-disturbance surveys include: brush and understory clearing, hand and machine piling of smaller diameter material, stream restoration, snag creation, tailholds, guylines, and lift trees.

In addition, there are survey exemptions that have been identified through settlement agreements associated with Survey and Manage litigation. A full listing of those exemptions may be found on the Survey and Manage General Guidance webpage http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/surveyandmanage/guidance.php.

http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/surveyandmanage/guidance.php

NATURAL HISTORY

The red tree vole (Arborimus longicaudus) is a small arboreal microtine that is endemic to the coniferous forests of western Oregon and northwestern California (Howell 1926, Maser 1966, Verts and Carraway 1998). Red tree voles are primarily arboreal but will come to the ground to move between trees if there are no branch pathways between trees (Swingle and Forsman 2009). Needles and twig bark of Douglas-fir, grand fir, western hemlock, and Sitka spruce are the only known foods eaten by red tree voles (Walker 1930, Maser 1966). Red tree voles are prey to many species of mammals and birds, including weasels (Mustela spp.) and the northern spotted owl (Forsman et al.

1984, 2004; Graham and Mires 2005; Swingle et al. 2010). In areas where they are particularly abundant they may provide 30–50% of the items consumed by spotted owls (Forsman et al. 1984).

Tree voles collect cuttings from tips of live conifer branches that they harvest by chewing through the stem, leaving a distinctive angled chisel-cut. Voles typically harvest 14–30 cuttings per night and store these on top of or inside their nests (Forsman et al. 2009b). Length of cuttings average 14 cm

(range = 1–35 cm; Forsman et al. 2009b). Resin ducts are small tubules inside the needles of conifers that contain unpalatable chemicals that are the plant’s chemical defense against browsers (Kelsey et.

al. 2009). When feeding on conifer needles, tree voles often (but not always) remove the portion of the needle containing the resin ducts before eating the palatable part of the needle (Howell 1926, Benson and Borell 1931). They use the discarded portion of the needle to line the tunnels and sleeping chamber inside their nests, which is why occupied or recently occupied nests often have a pleasant

“Christmas Tree” odor. In Douglas-fir, the paired resin ducts are located along the edges of the needle, and tree voles remove the resin ducts by chewing along the edges of the needle before eating the rest of the needle. In western hemlock, the single resin duct is located in the center of the needle and tree voles eat the edges of the needle before discarding the midrib (Walker 1930, Clifton 1960). Voles that feed on Douglas-fir typically accumulate large amounts of resin ducts in their nests, whereas voles that feed on western hemlock accumulate smaller amounts of resin ducts. Because the resin ducts in Sitka spruce are discontinuous and located in the basal portion of the needle (Kelsey et al. 2009), voles feeding on these needles may have few or no resin ducts in their nests (Forsman and Swingle unpubl.

data). No other species removes the resin ducts from conifer needles and uses them to build their nests, so it is usually easy to identify tree vole nests based on the presence of resin ducts.

After eating the needles, tree voles strip and eat the bark from many of the twigs that they harvest.

These debarked twigs are often found in their nests and are typically 1–6 cm in length with a chisel-cut at each end. Fibrous tree vole fecal pellets that are slightly larger than mouse droppings are also found in their nests, often in copious amounts. Fresh tree vole fecal pellets are bright green and then gradually fade with age until they become dark brown or black. In nests that are occupied for long periods of time the old fecal pellets, resin ducts, debarked twigs, and uneaten cuttings gradually decompose, forming a brownish soil-like material inside the nest.

Red tree voles are solitary and build their nests in trees near their food. Although it is common to find multiple nests in the same tree, there have been only a few cases in which climbers visually observed more than one occupied vole nest in the same tree (Benson and Borell 1931, Maser 1966, Forsman and Swingle unpubl. data). Nests typically consist of a compact mass of conifer branch tips

(cuttings), resin ducts, fecal pellets, dead twigs, debarked twigs, and lichens (Howell 1926, Benson and Borell 1931, Clifton 1960, Maser 1966, Gillesberg and Carey 1991, Forsman et al. 2009b).

Stable platforms for tree vole nests in large trees are typically found on large branches, dwarf mistletoe brooms, epicormic branches (palmate branch clusters), and in cavities or hollow limbs. In young trees, nests are most commonly located in branch whorls, forked trunks, or broken tops with multiple leaders. Nests have been documented from 2–75 m above ground (Swingle 2005, Price et

al. 2010). Old tree vole nests are sometimes found below the live crown of the nest tree, but most occupied nests are located in the live crown, where voles can easily reach their food (Swingle 2005).

A small number of males have been found in nests on the ground (Howell 1926, Maser 1998, Thompson and Diller 2002), leading to speculation that many males nest on the ground, but this has never been proven and is highly unlikely in forests where the live canopy is high above ground.

Red tree voles were rated as highly vulnerable to local extirpation due to habitat fragmentation or loss (Huff et al. 1992). Several studies indicated tree voles are associated with old forests (Corn and

Bury 1986, Dunk and Hawley 2009), but they also occur in younger forests (Jewett 1920, Howell

1926, Clifton 1960, Maser 1966, Thompson and Diller 2002, Swingle and Forsman 2009). Tree vole populations have probably declined in many parts of their range as a result of logging, fire, and forest conversion to agriculture and rural development. In Oregon, they are uncommon or absent in most of the northern Coast Ranges and northern Cascades, where large areas of old forest have been repeatedly logged or burned during the last century (Wimberly and Ohmann 2004). Although significant steps have been taken to protect tree vole habitat on federal lands, Huff et al. (1992) predicted that the tree vole population will continue to decline in the future as old forests are harvested or burned, and rural areas are converted to housing developments or agricultural crops.

Many biologists who have studied tree voles have noted that their nests tend to occur in clumps on the landscape (e.g., Howell 1926, Maser 1998). Signs of their presence range from areas with many nests in a single stand to stands in which only a few nests can be found (Forsman et al. 2009a).

Geographic Range of Tree Voles

There are two species of tree voles, the red tree vole that occurs in western Oregon and extreme northwestern California and the Sonoma tree vole (Arborimus pomo) that occurs in the coastal forests of California from the Klamath River south to Freestone in southern Sonoma

County (Hayes 1996, Forsman and Swingle, unpubl. data). The only known ecological difference between the congeners is that the Sonoma tree vole will also feed on Bishop pine

(Pinus muricata; Wooster and Town 2002) and Monterrey pine (P. radiata; Diller and

Forsman unpubl. data). The most significant change regarding the range of the red tree vole since the implementation of the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) is clarification regarding the taxonomic relationship of populations in northern California. In the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact

Statement (FSEIS) for the NWFP (USDA and USDI 1994a), the Oregon and California border was used as the dividing line between the red tree vole and Sonoma tree vole, as proposed by Johnson and George (1991). Subsequent DNA analyses suggested that a more appropriate dividing line between the congeners was the Klamath River in northwestern California (Murray 1995, Blois and

Arbogast 2006). This protocol was developed for surveys within the range of the red tree vole and does not apply to the Sonoma tree vole, which mostly occurs on private lands (USDA and USDI

1994b, Forsman et al. in prep).

NEST CATEGORIZATION

Arboreal nests found using this protocol must be classified into one of the following three categories: Confirmed red tree vole nest, Confirmed non-tree vole nest, or Unconfirmed species nest. Nests categorized as Confirmed red tree vole will be further categorized based on how recent the red tree vole activity was. From the ground, red tree vole nests generally appear as a compact mass. Close inspection by tree climbers will reveal diagnostic characteristics that differentiate tree vole nests from the nests of other arboreal rodents or birds. Finding or observing resin ducts, vole cuttings, debarked twigs, vole fecal pellets, or seeing a vole are the definitive indicators a nest has been or is occupied by a red tree vole.

Over time, individual nests may be used by squirrels, woodrats, or voles, but rarely at the same time

(Maser 1966, Swingle 2005). There are six other mammals in the range of the red tree vole that build or use arboreal nests: white-footed voles (Arborimus albipes), Douglas’ squirrels

(Tamiasciurus douglasii), northern flying squirrels (Glaucomys sabrinus), western gray squirrels

(Sciurus griseus), and woodrats (Neotoma fuscipes and N. cinerea). Red tree voles may build their nests on top of or inside unoccupied nests of these species or other arboreal nests built by birds.

Since tree voles will take over unoccupied nests of other species, tree climbing is the best method to determine if red tree voles have used the nest structure or not.

Many structures detected will be old and dilapidated rodent nests or natural accumulations of litter and broken branches, especially on dwarf mistletoe brooms. From the ground, these generally appear as dark haphazard accumulations of twigs, needles, moss, and/or lichens on the topside of a branch or in a crotch in a tree. Many of these structures are very compacted and do not contain any fresh material. Many will also have large holes through the nest, or the nest material will be falling off the structure. Samples of this fallen material can sometimes be seen on the ground under the nest.

The following describes general criteria to use to help make the appropriate determinations on nest classification. See also Table 1 for a summary of the key diagnostic characteristics.

1. Confirmed red tree vole nest This includes nests that are “active”, “inactive”, or the nest activity status is undetermined; data codes for confirmed red tree vole nests are included below under, “Categorizing Confirmed Red

Tree Vole Nests”, as the activity or occupancy status of confirmed red tree vole nests must be further classified.

Below are typical signs that indicate a nest structure may be occupied or was used by a red tree vole. Some of these features may be present on the ground below the nest or they may be visible in the tree from the ground using binoculars:

a. Cuttings of Douglas-fir, grand fir, western hemlock, or Sitka spruce are piled on top of or pulled inside the nest entrances. Unlike the longer cuttings typically harvested by squirrels and woodrats, vole cuttings are shorter, typically only 5–20 cm long and not as thick, typically 2–3 mm (Forsman et al. 2009b). However, cuttings up to 35 cm long may occasionally be harvested by voles but not in large quantities. Tree voles also eat the bark off of the cuttings that they harvest, and tree vole nest chambers and tunnels typically contain many small white twigs with the bark removed that look like little pieces of toothpick. Cuttings and debarked twigs in vole nests have ends that are cut off at an angle (“chisel-cut”), whereas twigs that are broken off by wind have ends that are ragged.

b. Clumps of resin ducts are incorporated into the nest. Resin ducts may be seen in the nest, sloughing off the edge of the nest, or on the ground, trunk, or limbs below the nest.

c. Vole fecal pellets are located on top of or inside nests or on limbs below the nest. In rare cases, nests in riparian areas that look like tree vole nests and contain fecal pellets that look like tree vole fecal pellets may actually be white-footed vole nests. These nests do not contain resin ducts and are typically covered by leaves of red alder (Alnus rubra) or other deciduous plants, which are food for white-footed voles (Voth et al. 1983, Forsman and Swingle 2006).

2. Confirmed non-tree vole nest These nests are confirmed to a species other than tree vole or are a collection of debris. Nests in this category would not have any of the vole sign described above (under “Confirmed red tree vole nest”) from ground and tree climbing survey results.

Nests built by other arboreal rodents tend to be constructed of different and larger material or large amounts of moss. Nests of other arboreal rodents will have some of these characteristics:

a. The twigs and sticks that make up the base of the nest platform are larger diameter and longer than those added by red tree voles. For example, woodrats and squirrels may include twigs up to 1 cm in diameter in the nest platform.

b. The nest chamber is constructed of moss, shredded bark, grasses, lichens, or leaves of deciduous trees and shrubs. If fresh cuttings of conifers are piled on top of the nest they will typically be 2–5 times longer than cuttings harvested by voles.

c. Large quantities of cone scales or cone fragments piled on top of a nest or on the ground below a nest indicate usage by Douglas’ squirrels. Occupied or recently occupied woodrat nests typically smell strongly of urine and are often very large structures composed primarily of large twigs and branches.

3. Unconfirmed species nest The species using the nest is unknown, and may potentially be a red tree vole. In these cases, the species using the nest was not determined. This includes situations where the structure was not examined by a tree climber so that the builder of the nest was not determined, and therefore the structure could not be ruled out as an "active" red tree vole nest. Unconfirmed nests are to be managed as if they are “active” red tree vole nests.

Categorizing Confirmed Red Tree Vole Nests

To manage red tree vole sites and to assist in adaptive management processes, confirmed red tree vole nests should be further classified based on the occupancy status of the nest as “Active”, “Inactive”, or Activity “Status Undetermined”. “Active” nests should then be further classified based on how recent the red tree vole activity.

The following describes characteristics to examine in order to determine the appropriate occupancy status of confirmed red tree vole nests. See Table 1 for a comparison of key diagnostic characteristics.

1. “Active” nests Diagnostic features that indicate occupancy status of red tree vole nests require close-up examination of the nest material (resin ducts, fecal pellets, cuttings) for freshness. Diagnostic features must be considered as a whole when determining occupancy or age of a nest. Most of the time tree climbers will not see the vole occupying a nest and will have to use contextual clues to make determinations.

The color of fecal pellets can be used to indicate how recently the nest was occupied. Bright green pellets indicate newer droppings and can indicate current or recent use of the nest. Older fecal pellets are dark brown to black and become compacted into the bottom of the nest as they become wet and compressed. Occupied or very recently occupied nests will usually have a combination of fresh green and old pellets.

Fresh, bright green to pale green resin ducts on or in the nest can indicate recent use, but ducts inside the nest can stay green for an extended time, so fresh cuttings are a better indicator of recent occupancy than are green resin ducts.

Active red tree vole nests are categorized into one of three categories:

a. Animal observed (noted as AC AO (Active, Animal Observed) for data management purposes): Vole seen—this is a rare event unless the nest is probed or torn apart, which is not recommended unless part of a research project.

b. Likely or very recently occupied tree vole nest (noted as AC VR (Active Very Recently) for data management purposes): A red tree vole nest that is apparently occupied or has been used within the very recent past, but that is not disturbed by the tree climber to determine if it is actually occupied. These nests typically have fresh green cuttings piled on top of the nest or protruding from an entrance tunnel on the top or side of the nest. Green resin ducts are usually present inside or on top of the nest. Green cuttings can persist for weeks, maybe months, in a cool moist environment, but cuttings at likely or very recently occupied nests will be very fresh, with turgid needles, and will often form a plug that blocks the entrance to the nest.

Fecal pellets are typically bright green.

c. Moderately recently occupied tree vole nest (noted as AC MR (Active Moderately

Recently) for data management purposes): A nest that was probably occupied by a vole within the recent past. May contain older resin ducts that have faded to a pale green. If cuttings are present, they are somewhat desiccated and the needles will often fall off the stem when touched.

2. “Inactive” nests (noted as INA for data management purposes)

Typical signs of old vole nests with no recent use include:

a. Nest is compacted or falling apart and the fecal pellets are dark brown to black with no green resin ducts or cuttings.

b. Nest material is comprised primarily of a composted layer of compressed fecal pellets, orange, tan or brown resin ducts, often with a layer of debris (conifer needles, sticks, lichens, etc.) that has fallen onto the nest. The vole nest material is often in various stages of decomposition, and can become difficult to identify in very old nests.

3. “Status Undetermined” (noted as UND for data management purposes)

A confirmed red tree vole nest where the occupancy status was not determined. For example, a nest with orange, brown, or tan resin ducts on the ground under the nest cannot be assumed to have an “inactive” occupancy status. The tree should be climbed and nest examined to determine occupancy status. If the nest is not examined by a climber, then the activity status is undetermined. (Nests classified as red tree vole, “status undetermined”, are to be managed as if they are “active”). It is important to note that tree climbers will be able to document if a nest is red tree vole or not, and the occupancy status of red tree vole nests. If the tree climbers are not able to make this identification, then they should take samples of the suspected tree vole nest material to the qualified surveyor (as defined on page 25) for proper determination.

Table 1: Nest Categorization Codes and Characteristics

NEST TREE

TYPE

CODE FECAL

PELLETS

CUTTINGS RESIN

DUCTS

OTHER

1. Confirmed RTV – On top of or inside nests, or on limbs below nest

Douglas fir, grand fir, western hemlock, Sitka spruce cuttings on top of nest or protruding from an entrance tunnel;

typically 5-20 cm long and 2-3 mm thick. Some will be debarked, look like little pieces of toothpicks. Ends are often

“chisel-cut”, cut at an angle.

Clumps incorporated into nest; may be seen on the edge of the nest, on the ground, trunk, or limbs below the nest

Arboreal nests confirmed as belonging to red tree vole. Activity status of the nest is either

“Active” (and further defined as animal observed, likely or very recently occupied, or moderately recently occupied), “Inactive”, or

Status Undetermined.

a. RTV Active – – – – Arboreal nests confirmed as red tree vole with recent red tree vole activity

i. Animal

Observed

AC AO – – – RTV is visually seen on or in the nest

ii. Likely or

Very Recently

Occupied

AC VR Bright green Fresh, green, turgid Green, inside or on top of nest

iii. Moderately

Recently

Occupied

AC MR Pale green to light brown

Somewhat desiccated, needles often fall off when touched

Pale green

b. RTV Inactive INA Dark brown to black

Desiccated or needleless branches

Orange, tan, or brown

Arboreal nests confirmed as red tree vole, but with no sign of recent red tree vole activity

c. RTV Activity

Status

Undetermined

UND Dark brown to black on the ground under the nest

Desiccated or needleless branches on the ground under the nest

Orange, tan, or brown on the ground under the nest

Tree has not been climbed, so activity status not assessed.

2. Confirmed non-tree vole nest

– – Typically 2-5 times longer than

RTV cuttings.

– Nests are accumulations of twigs, needles, moss and/or lichens. Twigs and sticks comprising nest are longer and thicker. Nests do not contain any sign of RTV described above.

3.Unconfirmed species nest

– – – – Species using the nest has not been determined, and tree has not been climbed.

No sign of vole on the ground below nest; no sign of vole on nest from the ground.

DETERMINATION OF RED TREE VOLE SITES AND HABITAT AREAS

Surveys completed to protocol may result in the identification of a red tree vole site. A site can be a single point representing a single nest tree or a polygon connecting the outer nest trees (all red tree vole or unconfirmed species nest trees within 100 m of one another). The identification of which nest trees to include in a site are incremental and cumulative and can result in a “linked chain” of trees that is ultimately used to define the total number of nest trees in the site and the site perimeter.

Sites can be categorized as “Biological” or “Managed” depending on nest categorization and occupancy. In general, sites with at least one confirmed red tree vole nest are considered “Biological sites” and are broken down into “Active”, “Inactive”, and “Undetermined Status” sites. “Active” and

“Undetermined Status” sites require site management/protection following the Management

Recommendations; “Inactive” sites do not. Sites with unconfirmed species nests or where managers assumed red tree vole occupancy are considered “Managed sites”; these sites are to be “Managed as

Active Site” as red tree vole presence has not been documented due to incomplete survey efforts.

Management Recommendations should be applied at these sites until adequate surveys are completed to determine the species using the nest, and if red tree vole, the activity status. For definitions of red tree vole site types, see Table 2 below, which was modified from the Red Tree Vole Survey Protocol, Version 2.1.

Application of the management recommendations for this species results in the creation of “Habitat

Areas,” delineated to maintain habitat where red tree voles are known or assumed to occur. These

Habitat Areas are designed to protect the physical integrity of the nests from both management activities and natural disturbances such as wind-throw, and to provide a short-term approach to maintaining habitat at red tree vole sites.

For direction on how to delineate and manage sites and Habitat Areas, see the following documents:

1. Management Recommendations for the Oregon Red Tree Vole Arborimus longicaudus, Version 2.0 http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/surveyandmanage/files/mr-rtv-v2-2000-09.pdf ,

2. Supplemental Direction for Identification of Non-High Priority Sites for Red Tree Vole

Within the "Pilot" Area http://www.blm.gov/or/efoia/fy2003/ib/im-or-2003-062.pdf and

3. Amendments to Survey and Manage Management Recommendations Designed to Facilitate

Certain National Fire Plan Activities - Second Group: Red Tree Vole, Certain Mollusks and

Amphibians http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/surveyandmanage/files/mr-fire_amendment-rtv-ig-2003-02.pdf .

In addition, there are known site management exemptions and flexibilities that have been identified through settlement agreements associated with Survey and Manage litigation. A listing of those exemptions and flexibilities may be found on the Survey and Manage General

Guidance webpage http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/surveyandmanage/guidance.php.

http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/surveyandmanage/files/mr-rtv-v2-2000-09.pdf http://www.blm.gov/or/efoia/fy2003/ib/im-or-2003-062.pdf http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/surveyandmanage/files/mr-fire_amendment-rtv-ig-2003-02.pdf http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/surveyandmanage/files/mr-fire_amendment-rtv-ig-2003-02.pdf http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/surveyandmanage/guidance.php

Table 2: Definitions of Red Tree Vole Site Types

Definitions of Red Tree Vole Site Types

Red Tree Vole

Site

A red tree vole site is an individual red tree vole nest tree or a collection of red tree vole nest trees within a local area (all red tree vole nest trees in a stand and adjacent stands that are not isolated from other clumps of red tree vole nest trees by more than

100 m (330 ft)).

“Red Tree Vole Site” is the term for the three specific site types described below

(“Active” Site, “Inactive” Site, and “Undetermined Status” Site). Red tree vole sites are defined by any/all red tree vole nest tree/resin duct locations that are within 100 m of any other red tree vole nest tree/resin duct locations.

Biological Site-confirmed red tree vole

“Active” Site

Includes nests that are classified as:

“Animal Observed”

“Likely or Very Recently

Occupied”

“Moderately Recently

Occupied”

A location with one or more confirmed occupied red tree vole nests. These sites are known sites as defined on page 76 of the 2001 Survey and Manage Record of Decision and Standards and Guidelines:

http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/surveyandmanage/files/12-2001_record_decision.pdf

These sites include any other type of red tree vole or “unconfirmed species” nests or resin duct location, as long as at least one tree in the site is active, thereby defining the site as an “Active” Site. All red tree vole nests and “unconfirmed species” nest types and resin duct locations should be considered as part of the site as long as they are within 100 m of at least one other red tree vole nest/resin duct location or

“unconfirmed species” nest that is considered to be part of the site.

“Inactive” Site

A location where all nests that are located within 100 m of any other nest are determined to be “inactive” red tree vole nests. (These sites could also include nests confirmed to other species, but those nests would not be used in determining the area of the site). These types of sites indicate historic red tree vole use at the site, not current use, and they do not require site management/protection.

“Undetermined

Status” Site

The activity status of confirmed tree vole nests has not been determined for the nests in the site. The site is assumed to be currently occupied by the species for management purposes. Additional survey effort would identify these sites as either active or inactive sites. All “undetermined status”, “inactive”, and “unconfirmed species” nest types and resin duct locations should be considered as part of the site as long as they are within 100m of at least one other nest/resin duct location that is considered to be part of the site.

Managed Site

Managed as

“Active” Site

“Unconfirmed species nests”

“portions of stands assumed occupied by red tree voles”

Sites where the species using the nest has not been determined are assumed to be occupied for management purposes. Tree climbing did not occur and therefore the site is assumed to be currently occupied by red tree voles; tree climbing would identify these sites as either “active” or “inactive” sites, or not red tree vole. These sites may include “inactive” nests, as long as at least one tree in the site is an “unconfirmed species nest”, thereby defining the site as “Managed as Active”. All “unconfirmed species” nests and “inactive” red tree vole nests should be considered as part of the site as long as they are within 100 m of at least one other nest that is considered to be part of the site.

http://www.blm.gov/or/plans/surveyandmanage/files/12-2001_record_decision.pdf

SURVEY METHODOLOGY

The main objective of this survey protocol is to provide a consistent, standardized approach for locating the nests of red tree voles and assessing the occupancy status of those nests. Tree voles cannot adequately be surveyed using conventional small mammal trapping techniques (Swingle et al. 2004). Data from radio-marked tree voles has indicated that ground-based tree vole surveys alone documented around half of the occupied nests in a stand, regardless of forest age (Swingle and Forsman 2009). Detecting

100% of the nests within a stand is not possible, because some nests would be missed even if tree climbers inspected every tree within the stand, which is impractical.

This red tree vole protocol utilizes a sampling methodology in which surveyors walk through management units and visually search trees for vole nests. Trees with nests discovered from the ground are then climbed to determine if the nest is a tree vole nest, and if so, the occupancy or activity status of that nest. (The terms, “occupancy” and “activity” are used interchangeably). The goal of this protocol is to assess presence or absence of red tree vole nests within the survey area and determine the occupancy status of those nests, not to discover every nest. The protocol requires the survey of large areas within each project area, and because many vole nests are visible from the ground, the protocol should result in few situations where vole nests are present but are completely undetected by the ground-based surveys.

Because red tree vole nests may occur in low numbers and in a clumped distribution at landscape and stand level scales, surveys need to cover a large percentage of the habitat to be disturbed to ensure detection of nests. Vole nests are an indicator of a possible population and are used to identify the red tree vole site. The actual survey methodology used will depend upon the type of project.

Surveyors may use either Modified Line Transects (MLT), Individual Tree Examination

(ITE), Additional Survey Guidelines for Stands with Large Trees (SLT) or a combination of methods depending on the scale and type of project under consideration.

The techniques included in this protocol emphasize approaches for locating potential vole nests from the ground and assessing their occupancy status through tree-climbing.