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An
Eye For Wildlife Activity |
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Before setting your wildlife
objectives, you should have a good idea of what your possibilities
are based on the features of your property. This activity is designed
to help you look at your property with the needs of wildlife in mind.
As you walk out on your land, think about what successional stages
of forest you have. Are these stages consistent with the types of
wildlife you would like to attract? For instance, are you interested
in having more ruffed grouse? If so, do you have young, early successional
forest on you property? Would you like to manage for a variety of
salamanders and songbirds like the ovenbird? Meeting this objective
would require mature forest cover. Once you have looked at the general make-up of your forestland, consider
the special habitat features (like cavities or seeps) that already
exist on your property. Then think about what features you could add
to improve wildlife habitat. Regardless of the forest stages you have
on your property, there are many things you can do to improve your
forest for wildlife. For example, do you have snags throughout your
property? Are there places where you could protect and maintain mast
trees for wildlife food? Could you build some brush piles or leave
woody debris lying on the forest floor following a cut?
Once you have walked your property, try looking at your property as part
of the “big picture”. Obtain an aerial photograph of your property
and the surrounding area (Finding
an Aerial Photograph). What does your property have that is missing
from the surrounding area? For example, do you a stand of hemlock
trees in an otherwise deciduous landscape? If so, you may be adding
an important habitat feature for wildlife in a bigger area than just
your property alone. Do you have a large acreage of mature forest
but your neighbors have mostly young forest? If you do, then you are
providing variety in the types of habitat that are present in the
area. Likewise, if you live in an area that is surrounded by thousands
of acres of mature forest, then cutting to create young, early-successional
habitat could add a habitat component that might attract new species
to the area.
By reading the wildlife chapter, taking the quiz, and then walking your forest with an “eye for wildlife”, you will start to see your land in an exciting new way! Take this activity with you while you walk your land. Then share your results with your forester so that he/she can help you evaluate your wildlife objectives in conjunction with your other objectives for your land. |
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Activity Sheet |
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