The Arrow IFPA project is part of a larger research initiative between the Faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia and the Arrow Innovative Forest Practices Agreement (IFPA) in British Columbia. It combines expertise in modeling, forest ecology, stand and forest-level management, habitat, visualization and the social sciences.

Habitat analysis focused on ecosystem and habitat implications of two alternative management scenarios developed for the Lemon Landscape Unit (LU) of the Arrow Timber Supply Area (TSA). Scenarios included a Forest Practices Code (FPC) option that reflected current practices in the TSA, and a Zoning option composed of management zones intended to meet identified management objectives. Each scenario was assessed with respect to the maintenance of biological richness and its associated values within the Arrow TSA (biodiversity criterion). Three indicators were used to evaluate the biodiversity criterion: ecosystem representation, maintenance of habitat elements and distribution of focal species (Wells and Bunnell 2001).

Highlighted here are the methods and results for evaluating scenario effects on an example of the third indicator (focal species): productive, well-distributed populations of a neotropical migrant, the hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus).