Wherever there is a hawk’s nest, or a salamander slough, our foresters keep watch and work with loggers to protect the area. They are looking for habitat value in every tract and every tree — including standing dead trees, which offer some of the best shelter in the forest. A study by wildlife biologists at the State University of New York found that black bears spend more time in our managed forests in the warm seasons, largely because of food sources, and move into the State Forest Preserve in the colder seasons. The combination of working forests and forever-wild forests provides a diversity of food, nesting habitat and shelter.

Tags: Wildlife