Page 1 A Plant's Home© WindStar Wildlife Institute

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Creating a Wildlife

Habitat Plan

Congratulations! By deciding to enhance yourproperty for wildlife, you are on the way to providingbeauty for your home, creating excitement for your

family, and affecting the future survivalof wildlife in your area.

No matter what the size of your property or budget,you CAN make a difference.

Natural habitat in thiscountry, and the world at

large, is disappearing at afrightening pace. Buildings andparking lots have replacedforests and prairies, pondshave been filled for additionalland, and the list of endangeredspecies grows longer every year.

Much of the habitat thatremains is polluted byinsecticides and industrialwastes. It is easy to getdiscouraged, but by planningand providing the fouressentials for wildlife – food,water, shelter, and space –each individual can help torestore the natural habitatwhich benefits all of us.

Step 1Set Your Objectives

The first step in designingyour wildlife habitat plan is todefine your personal objectives.While you are helping wildlife,you also want to create anenvironment that complementsyour own interests. Somepossibilities to consider include:

s Wildlife watching

s Nature photographys Fishing

s Gardenings Huntings Sharing nature experiences

Maybe you want to attractmore species to your property,or just want to start byinstalling new feeders orbirdhouses.

Adding a water feature andplanting new trees and shrubs

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for food and cover are otherpossibilities.

If you have an acreage, youmight consider setting someland aside to plant soybeans,millet, grain sorghum, orsunflowers, then leave the cropfor winter food for wildlife. Bereasonable, taking intoaccount the amount of bothtime and money that you areprepared to invest.

Step 2Study Your Property

Look around and list whatfeatures already exist on yourproperty. As you consider whatresources you want to add,you should keep in mind thefour requirements of wildlife:

s Foods Water

s Covers Space

Strive for diversity. A varietyof plants and trees reducesthe impact of disease orinsect damage, as well asproviding food and cover atdifferent times of the year.Consider the following:

Plants

s Large treess Small treess Shrubs

s Perennialss Grasses

s Annualss Wildflowers

s Vines

If you can’t plant more treesand shrubs, set up a year-

round feeding and wateringstation.

Foods Berries

s Nutss Seeds

s Nectars Insectss Worms

Providing a variety of foods isone of the most importantaspects of your wildlife habitat,and the best way to attractmore species.

Waters Pond

s Birdbaths Stream

s Spring

Is there water year-round. Doyou have space to build a pond.Water is essential for all wildlife,and adding a water feature cancreate a focal point for yourhabitat plan.

Cover

s Evergreenss Tall grassess Rock piles

s Snags (dead trees)s Nest boxes

s Brush piless Dens

s Rock walls

Wildlife needs protection fromboth weather and predators. Itis important for cover to beclose to food and water.

If you have the room, considerhedgerows, which provide food ina protected environment.Suitable plants include

dogwood, redbud, elderberry,locust, and wild cherry.

You should also analyze theamount and location of sunlightduring the day, temperaturerange through the year, soilmoisture, and what percentageof the property is alreadycovered by structures andplants.

Step 3Measure Your Property

Measure the boundaries andthe outside dimensions of allexisting structures. Sketch arough map, then use graphpaper to draw it to whateverscale you choose. Indicate anyplant and water features. Showcompass direction and prevailingwind patterns.

Include habitat elements onneighboring properties.Sometimes you can team upwith neighbors to combineassets in a “cluster" plan. If youhave already observed specificwildlife species in a certain area,show that also.

Step 4Deciding What To Add

Try to include native, or atleast non-invasive, plants. Bepatient. Even if you can only addone component at a time, it willmake a difference.

Add your proposed projects toyour map. Leave room foranticipated growth. Develop anaction plan with a schedule andbudget for the projects that youhave chosen, and plan to re-

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evaluate your habitat each year.If you need additional help,contact a local Master WildlifeHabitat Naturalist.

Dead TreesAlso known as “snags," dead

trees are important food andnesting sites for over 40species of birds and more than20 kinds of animals. If they arenot endangering people orstructures, consider lettingthese resources remain as partof your wildlife landscape.

FeedersThere are many types in

addition to the commonbirdseed feeders: suet, fruit,hummingbird, squirrel, moth,deer, pheasant, and quail. Dosome research to learn what thespecies you want to attractlikes to eat.

SpaceAlthough this may be the

hardest element to provide,everyone has room for wildlife,even if it’s only an apartmentwindow box to attracthummingbirds and butterflies.Different species have differentrange requirements. For example:

Red Squirrel: .8 to 3.8 per acreWoodchuck: 1.3 to 10 per acreEastern Chipmunk: 2 to 4 per acreWhite-tailed Deer: 100 per mile

Remember, as your habitatmatures, the less “manicuring"you do, the better it will be forwildlife. Let tree branches hangto the ground, leave some yardareas unmowed, and considerseeding part of your propertyin wildflowers and grasses.

Recommended Species

The following are just a few of the species and varieties thatare suitable for your wildlife habitat. Many offer more than onebenefit, such as cover and food. Study your plan, especially thetemperature and moisture factors, and discuss with a localnursery what will grow well in those conditions. Talk to aMaster Wildlife Habitat Naturalist about what plants willattract the species you prefer. Above all, have fun with your newhabitat!

LARGE TREES: Ash, green and whiteBeech, AmericanBirch, riverCherry, blackCypress, baldGum, BlackHickory, BitternutMaple, redOak, many varietiesPersimmon, CommonPoplar, tulipSassafrasSourwoodSycamoreWalnut, Black

SMALL TREES: Chokecherry, commonDogwood, whiteFringetreeServiceberry, downyHornbeam, AmericanPawpaw

SHRUBS: ArrowoodAzalea, flameBlackhawElderberrySumac, several varietiesSpicebushWax myrtleWitchhazel

CONIFERS: Cedar, eastern redHemlock, easternPine, whitePine, Virginia

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Butterfly Gardening

While many people plant pretty flowers that are attractive toadult butterflies because of their nectar, if you want lots ofbutterflies you must also provide host plants for thecaterpillars. Often individual species will only be attracted toone type of plant, and will look for the garden that provides it. Itis also important not to use poisons, such as insecticides,since these may kill the butterflies in their larval stage.

Some types of butterflies and their favorite host plants arelisted below.

NAME HOSTS NECTAR

Monarch Milkweed family MilkweedButterfly WeedSpreading Dogbane

Painted lady Thistle Aphid HoneydewSunflowerBurdock

Tiger swallowtail Wild Cherry ThistleBirch MilkweedPoplar HoneysuckleAsh Bee-Balm

Black swallowtail Queen Anne’s Lace MilkweedAniseroot ThistleWild Parsnip PhloxCarawayWater-HemlockYellow Pimpernel

Golden Alexanders

Fritillary Violet Black-eyed Susan

You can find many more examples in butterfly field guides orother WindStar Wildlife Institute literature.

Just as butterflies have plant preferences, so does otherwildlife. Once you decide which species you want to attract, youcan provide the appropriate habitat. When buying plants, avoidnurseries that sell stock collected in the wild. Remember thatnative plants will often perform the best in your landscapebecause they have developed natural defenses against manyinsects and diseases, are generally low maintenance, areacclimated to your area, and appeal to local wildlife.

This article was written byThomas D. Patrick, President,WindStar Wildlife Institute. It

was edited by Maryland MasterWildlife Habitat Naturalist

Cathy Gilleland.

For more information or for thename of a Master Wildlife

Habitat Naturalist in your area,please contact:

WindStar Wildlife Institute

E-mail: wildlife@windstar.orghttp://www.windstar.org

WindStar Wildlife Institute is anational, non-profit,

conservation organization whosemission is to help individuals andfamilies establish or improve the

wildlife habitat on theirproperties.