Pennsylvania; Mid-Atlantic Landscaping for Wildlife
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Transcript of Pennsylvania; Mid-Atlantic Landscaping for Wildlife
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8/3/2019 Pennsylvania; Mid-Atlantic Landscaping for Wildlife
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2008 YCCD 1
Landscaping for WildlifeMid-Atlantic Ecological Landscape Partnership
(MAEscapes)
York County Conservation District
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2008 YCCD 2
Presenter
Gary R. Peacock, Watershed Specialist
York County Conservation District
118 Pleasant Acres Road
York, PA 17402
Phone: 717-840-7430Fax: 717-755-0301
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.yorkccd.org
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Introduction Landscaping for wildlife can restore critically
needed habitat and beautify your yard at thesame time.
Many excellent native trees, shrubs, and vinesoffer four seasons interest with their fragrant
flowers, eye-catching fruit, brilliant fall color, andsculptural forms in winter.
The same plants can attract a diversity of wildlifewith the food, cover, and nest sites they supply.
This program presents guidelines for selectingwoody plants (trees, shrubs, and vines) anddesigning your landscape with the goal ofproviding wildlife habitat and its enjoyment.
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Content
Landscaping for Wildlife: Trees, Shrubs
and Vines Selecting Plants
Designing Your Landscape
Questions to ask when planning, selecting, andplanting
References
For more information
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Selecting Plants Many excellent native
trees, shrubs, and vinesoffer four seasons interestwith their fragrant flowers,eye-catching fruit, brilliantfall color, and sculptural
forms in winter. The same plants can
attract a diversity ofwildlife with the food,
cover, and nest sites theysupply.
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Selecting PlantsSe lec t p lan t s t ha t p rov ide a
yea r - r ound sou rce of f ood . Many woody plants produce soft
mast (fruit) or hard mast (nuts)that provides food for both birdsand mammals. When selectingplants, choose a combination thatwill supply food throughout the
year. Dogwoods, mountain ash, and
spicebush produce fruit in latesummer and early fall and are animportant food source for fallmigrants.
Hawthorn, crabapple, holly,highbush cranberry, and staghornsumac retain their fruit throughwinter into early spring, the timeof greatest food scarcity.
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Selecting PlantsSe lec t p lan t s t ha t p rov ide a
yea r - r ound sou rce of f ood . Oaks, hickories, beech, and other
trees that produce nuts providefood for mammals like squirrels,chipmunks, and deer, and forbirds such as bluejays.
These are often large trees, whichalso offer shade from the summersun and nest sites for many birds.
Many other plants, such asgrapevines, provide multiplebenefits including an abundantfood supply, dense cover, andnest sites.
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Selecting PlantsSe lec t p lan t s t ha t p rov ide a
yea r - r ound sou rce of f ood .
Although we often associatebutterflies with wildflowersinstead of woody plants, thelarval caterpillars feed on anumber of woody species.
For example, tiger swallowtailcaterpillars feed on the leaves ofcherry, willow, sassafras, trees;and the spicebush swallowtail,true to its name, feeds on
spicebush leaves.
By providing a food source for thecaterpillars, you will attract morebutterflies to your flowers.
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Selecting PlantsSe lect p lan t s t ha t p rov ide
cove r and n est s i t es.
Cover is a key ingredient in thesuccess of your wildlife garden.
In winter, wildlife species needshelter from the cold and wind.
Evergreen trees and shrubs makesome of the best shelters,especially those which keep theirbranches close to the ground.
They provide shelter for manytypes of wildlife, particularly if
they are located on the northwestside of your lot where they blockcold winds.
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Selecting PlantsSe lect p lan t s t ha t p rov ide
cove r and n est s i t es .
Deciduous shrubs with densebranching habits also make goodcover.
Examples are raspberries andblackberries; lilacs (which readily
sprout suckers); red-osier, gray,and silky dogwoods; andelderberries.
Diverse types and sizes of coverplants are useful to include inyour landscape plan, because
individual species of wildlife havedifferent preferences in theamount and location of cover.
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Selecting PlantsSe lect p lan t s t ha t p rov ide
cove r and n est s i t es .
Fallen trees provide cover forsalamanders and small mammals.
Brush piles and rock piles aresources of cover, nest sites, andden sites for many wildlife
species. A trailing ground cover, such as a
ground rose, or a vine such asVirginia creeper can gracefullycamouflage your brush or rock
pile, blending it with otherlandscape features whileproviding an additional source offood and cover.
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Selecting PlantsSe lect p lan t s t ha t p rov ide
cove r and n est s i t es.
Nesting places are vitallyimportant for wildlife.
Trees and shrubs that offer coverfrom predators and inclementweather also serve as sites for
birds to build nests and raise theiryoung.
Tree cavities in both living anddead trees provide nest sites for avariety of species including
woodpeckers, nuthatches,chickadees, flying squirrels, andgray squirrels.
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Designing Your Landscape The following guidelines
will help you with selecting
woody plants (trees,shrubs, and vines) anddesigning your landscapewith the goal of providingwildlife habitat and its
enjoyment.
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Designing Your Landscape As you design your
landscape, let nature be
your guide and try to copywhat you see in nature.
Plant trees and shrubs ingroups instead of asisolated individuals.
Plant corridors to connectislands of trees and shrubswith other natural areas.
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Designing Your Landscape Whenever possible, plant
combinations of tall trees,
smaller trees, shrubs, andherbaceous plantstogether.
This is important becausedifferent types of wildlifewill find food and cover atvarying heights.
Draw your plan on paper!
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Questions to Ask When Planning,
Selecting and Planting
To avoid problems, thereare questions you should
ask friends, commercialgrowers, and otherexperts when you selectplants and develop your
landscape plan.
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Questions to askW i l l t h i s p l an t p r o d u c e f r u i t ?
You may be selecting a plant
because of the value of itsfruit for wildlife and bedisappointed to discover itdoes not produce fruit.
Many ornamental trees andshrubs have been bred toproduce no fruit.
For example, ornamental fruittrees, such as floweringcherry, flowering peach, orflowering plum, usuallyproduce only showy flowersand no fruit.
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Questions to askW i l l t h i s f r u i t t r ee , nu t t r ee, o r
sm a l l f r u i t sh ru b need cross-
p o l l i n a t i on w i t h a p l a n t o f a
d i f f e ren t v a r i e t y t o y i e ld a crop?
Many fruit-producing trees needcross-pollination with a differentvariety to bear fruit.
Most nut trees yield a crop only ifa tree of the opposite sex isplanted nearby.
Holly, sumac, and spicebushrequire both sexes to set fruit.
Thus it is best to ask aboutpollination requirements whenyou purchase your plant.
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Questions to askW i l l t h i s p la n t b e h a r d y i n m y
a rea?
Winter climate zones in this stateare zone 5 (average minimumtemperature 20 to 10F) andzone 6 (10 to 0F).
Your area may include
microclimates wheretemperatures may be colder orwarmer than these zones.
Your county extension office cantell you the temperature range foryour area.
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Questions to askH o w m u ch m o i st u r e d o es m y
p lan t n eed?
Its important to determine howmuch moisture a particular plantrequires so that it will thrivewhere you plant it.
If you establish a native plant in
its preferred site, then wateringand fertilizing beyond the firstyear may not be necessary.
Mulch the area under the canopyto conserve water and maintain aconsistent root temperature.
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Questions to askW h a t w i l l t h e u l t i m a t e
d im ens ions o f t h i s p lan t be? How
m uch space w i l l it n eed? It is good to site a plant where it
can reach normal size withoutexcessive pruning.
Plants placed too close to
buildings or driveways may notgrow well or live long.
Nursery personnel can tell youwhat the mature size will be.
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Questions to askW hich exposu re i s best f o r t h i s
p l an t ( no r t h , sou t h , eas t , o r w est
s ide o f t h e house) ? Some plants need a shady, cool
location on the north side and dopoorly in the warmth of asouthern site.
Others require full sun andprotection from prevailing winds.
Fruit and nut-bearing plantsnormally need full sun to producea good yield.
You can also observe theenvironment where the plantgrows in the wild, or consult anative plant book for culturalinformation.
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Questions to askW hat t ype o f so il does t h i s p l an t
p re fe r? How a l ka l ine o r acid i c
shou ld t h e so i l pH be f o r t h i s p l a n t ?
Types of soil include loam, sandy,or clay soil.
You can find out what soil type
and pH your plant needs from thenursery where you bought theplant.
You can determine the pH of yoursoil by submitting a sample to
your county extension office fortesting.
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Questions to askH o w sh o u l d I p l an t a n d ca r e f or
m y n ew p lan t ?
Upon request, most nurseries willsupply information about how toplant, water, and nurture yournew plant so that it will thrive.
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Summary
Landscaping for Wildlife: Trees, Shrubs
and Vines Wildlife-Habitat Relationships
Selecting Plants
Designing Your Landscape Questions to ask when planning, selecting, and
planting
References
For more information
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ReferencesPennsylvania Wildlife:1. Wildlife-Habitat Relationships
2. Attracting Wildlife: Sources ofAssistance3. Managing Habitat for Eastern
Bluebirds4. House Finch Conjunctivitis5. Meadows and Prairies:
Wildlife-Friendly Alternativesto Lawns
6. Attracting Hummingbirds7. Landscaping for Wildlife:
Trees, Shrubs, and Vines
8. Gardening for Butterflies9. Managing Habitat for Eastern
Cottontails
10. Neighborly Natural
Landscaping: Creating NaturalEnvironments in ResidentialAreas
11. Winter Bird Feeding: TheBasics
12. Warm-Season Grasses and
Wildlife13. Managing Habitat for
American Kestrels14. Water for Wildlife: Bird Baths
and Backyard Ponds15. Vernal Ponds: Seasonal
Habitats for Wildlife16. Riparian Buffers for Wildlife
Available from county extension office.
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For more information Mid-Atlantic Ecological Landscapes (MAEscapes)
Demonstration Gardens, York County ANNEX, York, PA
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & NaturalResources, Landscaping with Native Plants in Pennsylvania
USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, BackyardConservation, 2000
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Native Plants for WildlifeHabitat and Conservation Landscaping Chesapeake BayWatershed, 2003
York County Conservation District, Soil Survey of York
County, Pennsylvania, 2000