| dc.description.abstract | Ontario’s Ministry of Mines, Northern Development, Natural Resources and Forestry is
responsible for wildlife data collection to support forest management throughout the province.
Moose aquatic feeding areas (MAFAs) are a seasonally important habitat feature for moose and
are classified using a standardized ranking system to assess their quality. However, throughout
the province, over 64% of MAFAs were surveyed more than 15 years ago and over 84% were
surveyed more than 10 years ago, with some sites last surveyed as long ago as 36 years. Forest
management polices relating to moose habitat have undergone relatively recent changes, such as
the requirement for identifying Moose Emphasis Areas. However, MAFA data is still regularly
used throughout the planning process. Due to natural macrophyte succession, the effects of
beavers as ecosystem engineers, and the effects of ongoing moose herbivory, dated information
on MAFAs may not accurately reflect their current state. To test the hypothesis that the quality
of MAFAs may change over time, 32 sites in the Nipissing Forest were resurveyed for
comparison. Over a third changed in quality since the last survey. Future management
considerations may include updating information on MAFAs more frequently, such as on a 10-
year basis, so that resource managers can make more informed decisions. | en_US |
