Habitat use by Abert's squirrels (Sciurus aberti) in managed forests

Abstract Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forests of the southwestern United States have changed dramatically over the past century, primarily in response to grazing, logging, and fire suppression practices. As a result, forest restoration treatments are gaining attention as a forest management tool for reducing fire risk and improving ecological function of the forest. We trapped and radiocollared Abert's squirrels (Sciurus aberti) in restoration-treated ponderosa pine forests to determine changes in home range sizes as a result of restoration treatments. We report evidence that winter vs. nonwinter home range of Abert's squirrels was not different pre- vs. posttreatment. These results are important for land managers in designing forest treatments that reduce the risk of stand-replacing wildfire while providing habitat for the Abert's squirrel.