You can make a conscious commitment to care for wildlife and land by developing an understanding and appreciation of the natural and cultural features of your property. This is one of the best ways to ensure that the unique values of nature in your community and on the property you occupy remains for future generations.
Do you have a creative flair and commitment? You can make your home an inviting haven for wildlife. Here are a few suggestions:
- Resist the urge to tidy up your property especially in wilder areas and sensitive areas of shorelines. As long as they pose no danger, standing and fallen dead trees should be left where they are. They provide invaluable nesting sites, shelter, and hiding places. As they decompose, fallen trees provide essential nutrients to the forest soil for other plants to thrive.
- Naturalize your property wherever possible by either landscaping with native plant species or by allowing an area to grow back on its own. Native species have adapted to local climate and soil conditions and are therefore hardier, requiring little care.
- Consider creating habitat on your property such as basking areas for reptiles, brush piles for creatures to hide in, and small ponds if a water supply is needed.
- Reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides and fertilizers, particularly near water.
- Take the natural landscape into consideration when doing any construction or alterations around your property.
- In the larger picture, lightening your footprint is also the way to go. Easy adjustments can be made that make big differences personally, locally and globally. Using alternative energy sources where possible, recycling, reducing light pollution, choosing alternative modes of travel and even buying locally do a lot to support economic and environmental sustainability at all scales.
Site Visits and Plans
Creating a nature-plan for a property is an excellent way to learn about and manage your unique home. Site visits and assessments conducted by qualified Biologists will provide you with features and species, and can outline best practices, restoration designs and management options. Contact us for availability of these services.
Habitat Creation
Should a property warrant some enhancements, any alteration or restoration should be done considering the surrounding environment including: forest type, cover, hydrology, plant hardiness zone etc. Native seed sources should be sought, and plants should come from local seed sources within the same plant hardiness zone. Be careful when bringing in heavy equipment or external sources of materials. Seeds of invasive species often hitch a ride, and may cause more damage than the restoration intended. Removal of established invasive species is a great form of restoration in itself.
