Muckleshoot Tree Farm Bear Damage Surveys

Raedeke Associates, along with one of our timber management clients is helping the Muckleshoot Tribe collect data on tree damage caused by black bears in Greenwater, Washington. The Muckleshoot Tribe’s wildlife biologists are conducting a study concerning the severity of bear damage across the Muckleshoot Tree Farm. Bears strip the bark from young trees and forage on the young sapwood under the outer bark, generally in early spring when other food sources are scarce. In the most severe cases this can completely girdle and kill a tree, and even if it doesn’t it can negatively impact a tree’s overall health and vigor.

In many areas of the Muckleshoot Tree Farm there are stands of young, regenerating trees and these areas are being seriously impacted by this bear damage. In many areas damage can be widespread and is preventing the healthy succession and rotation of stands.

The Muckleshoot Tribe has many black bears radio collared so they are able to track their distribution. They have also set up feeding stations in hopes of providing the bears an alternative food source so they will not damage these regenerating stands.

The data that we collected will help the Muckleshoot Tribe better understand where the damage is the most severe and if the feeding stations help to alleviate the overall damage done by bears in an area.