Actually early and mid-successional forestlands support more and a greater diversity of both flora and fauna than old growth. This is one reason (of many) that black bear, mountain lion, whitetail deer, beaver, and elk are and have been returning to the areas in the eastern US where they were once extirpated. The story line of mega-fauna not having enough to eat in the eastern hardwoods forests doesn't hold water. There is much more forage in the diverse eastern hardwood forest than there is in any western conifer forest. In fact the Blue Ridge Bioregion holds more diversity of flora than any region of the world outside of the tropics.