<< Back 10/29/03 The Naturalist's Corner By Don Hendershot Autumn is a great time to think about landscaping projects. It’s the perfect season for planting trees, shrubs, and other perennials. Trees and other perennials are entering a period of dormancy after last summer’s growing season. When planted or transplanted during this dormant period, perennials use their energy to establish good rooting systems in their new site so when the warm spring sunshine and showers arrive they will be able to devote their energy to top growth. If you choose to do some landscaping this fall, you may want to consider wildlife. With rampant development gobbling up the Appalachians and concrete and asphalt taking the place of meadow and forest, how we manage our yards and property has a greater than ever impact on native plant and animal species. Many different organizations have been working to help educate property owners about the need for and the rewards of landscaping with native plant species to enhance wildlife habitat. One of these, the National Wildlife Federation is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its Backyard Wildlife Habitat program. NWF has a website dedicated to their program at www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat. The website has loads of information for the novice and for those with experience providing wildlife habitat. NWF even has a program that certifies backyards as Backyard Wildlife Habitat. Of course, certification is not the issue here. The raising of awareness and educating homeowners about native flora and fauna is the purpose of the program. The nominal $15 fee for official certification simply aids NWF in its work. That goal is to help teach stewardship to the next generation. Those that signed up in NWF’s inaugural Backyard Wildlife Habitat program in 1973 have had the opportunity to introduce their children and perhaps grandchildren to the values of good stewardship. Other programs like the American Wildlife Habitat Registry Program go right downtown and even certify balconies that are landscaped to enhance native wildlife. Little things like birdfeeders and flowering plants on urban balconies can provide food and cover for birds and butterflies. One of the greatest struggles across suburbia and rural America is the notion that yards are supposed to look like putting greens and that gardens are only suited for exotic cultivars. Efforts to create and maintain immaculately manicured lawns and gardens often attack the very foundation of natural ecosystems. Pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers often pollute soil and water and destroy microorganisms and insects that are the basis for the beginning of a natural food chain. It’s not an either-or situation. Simply because you decide to go natural doesn’t mean your yard has to look like a vacant lot. If you’re find to have an area of putting-green lawn, determine the best place to put it and research insecticides and pesticides to find the least invasive ones. Perhaps surround that lawn with native shrubs like mountain laurel and blueberry that are attractive and wildlife friendly. And there might be other areas of your yard that would lend themselves to native grasses, where you could create a mini wild meadow. For those wild gardeners that are more gung-ho it’s important to think in terms of ecosystem. The more niches you provide, the more wildlife you will attract. For a canopy layer, think of mast producing trees like oak, pine and hickory. If those are already in your landscape, protect and encourage them. If you’re thinking of planting canopy trees, you may want to lean towards pine, poplar and/or wild cherry that are faster growing. Understory trees like dogwood and woody shrubs like viburnum, elderberry and sumac will provide more niches. At ground level, native grasses and wildflowers provide food and cover for birds, butterflies and small mammals. Creating backyard wildlife habitat doesn’t have to be a major undertaking. As mentioned above, little things help. The past two wind events littered my yard with debris that I was able to add to the brushpiles I have around my property. Brushpiles provide cover for a plethora of different species of wildlife from snakes to birds to rabbits. Another easy way to benefit lots of different wildlife is to leave dead snags. More than 1,200 different species of wildlife — from woodpeckers, to bats, to flying squirrels, to tree frogs — depend on dead snags for food and/or cover. If you’re thinking about landscaping, think about wildlife. Remember little things count. You don’t have to turn your living space completely over to nature. But if you don’t mind sharing, there are lots of critters out there that could use a little help. (Don Hendershot can be reached at ddmhen@aol.com)