Murray State University

The Clarks River National Wildlife Refuge (CRNWR) Provides Critical Bottomland Hardwoodwetlands for Forest Interior Bird Species, Many of Which Are Designated as Species of Greatestconservation Need (SGCN) in Kentucky. With Approximately 81% of the States Bottomlandhardwoods Lost, Understanding How Forest Management Practices Impact These Bird Communitiesis Essential for Conservation Planning. We Aim to Monitor Bird Species Occurrence on Site Usingacoustic Recorders Such That We Can Evaluate the Effects of Current and Future Forest Managementactivities on Forest Interior Birds and Develop Habitat Suitability Models for SGCN Species. Abefore-after Control-impact (BACI) Study Design Will Be Used to Assess Bird Communitychanges Across 64 Systematically Placed Sampling Locations Representing Both Managed (N 19)AND Control Units Within Crnwr (N 45). Although the Current Dataset Is Skewed Towardcontrol Units, It Will Also Serve as Baseline Data for Units Scheduled for Future Management,enabling Further Comparisons Over Time. Audiomoth Bioacoustic Recorders Were Deployed IN2021 and 2022 to Establish Pre-treatment Bird Community Baselines. in Spring 2026, Surveys Willbe Conducted Using the Same Protocol. Collected Audio Data Will Be Analyzed Using Birdnetanalyzer, Applying Automated Species Identification With Geographic and Seasonal Filters Toimprove Accuracy. a Subset of Recordings Will Be Manually Reviewed to Validate Results. Multi-species Occupancy Models (MSOM) Will Be Used to Evaluate Forest Management Impacts Onbird Communities at Both the Individual Species and Functional Guild Levels and Habitat Suitabilitymodels Will Be Completed for SGCN Species. Findings From This Research Will Directly Informcrnwrs Forest Management Strategies, Ensuring That Habitat Restoration Efforts Support Longtermconservation Goals. Additionally, Results Will Provide Guidance for Similar Managementpractices at Green River NWR and Other Bottomland Hardwood Conservation Areas.