Trees have the ability to enhance your property not only by making it more beautiful, but by attracting local wildlife. Doing so can help sustain, enhance, and even restore local ecosystems, even in urban areas. A Hunting Valley tree care company like Vancuren Tree Service can help you decide which trees will be best for your property, as well as help you take care of them.
If you want to plant trees to attract wildlife or create a wildlife garden, many arborists will encourage you to choose native trees and plants. This is because native trees are accustomed to the local environmental conditions. You probably won’t need to give them additional water or amend the soil to help them grow. Native trees are also naturally resistant to the environment’s pests, and provide sufficient food and shelter for native wildlife.
You can use many different plants and trees to attract all kinds of wildlife. These will provide food, cover, and nests for a variety of species. It is best to choose plants that can provide a food source for wildlife all year long. For most birds and mammals, you can plant trees and other woody plants that produce fruit and nuts. Also make sure to include plants that provide fruit through the winter and into early spring because this is the time of year when food is most scarce. Trees that help with this include hawthorn, crabapple, holly, high bush cranberry, and staghorn sumac. Larger trees like oaks, hickories, and beech, as well as nut trees provide food for squirrels, chipmunks, deer, and some birds. These trees, which are also usually larger, give shade to nest sites and birds in the summer as well.
It is recommended to include a variety of plants so you have diverse species and sizes for diverse species and sizes of animals. This is because different species have different preferences in terms of the location and amount of cover. Dead and dying trees, as well as fallen logs and branches can actually provide food and shelter for smaller mammals and salamanders so if you want to create a wildlife garden, leave these things as is unless they are a hazard. Piles of brush or rocks can also provide cover and nest sites for smaller animals. Trailing ground cover, including grape vines and Virginia creeper can camouflage sources of food and cover as well. Deciduous shrubs that have dense foliage are also good for wildlife. They are an excellent cover in addition to producing food.
Wildlife landscaping is also good for larval caterpillars, which turn into butterflies and moths. Woody species can provide a food source for the caterpillars, which will attract butterflies later in the season.
Ensuring that there are nesting places is vital for wildlife. Nesting places can be trees or shrubs that offer cover from predators and harsh weather. These can also serve as places for birds to build nests and raise offspring. Cavities in living and dead trees both make excellent nesting sites for many species, both birds and mammals. If you don’t have cavities, animals that usually use cavities for nesting will use bird houses and nest boxes too, so you can add those if you have no tree cavities.
WIldlife landscaping is also beneficial during the winter. These plants can provide nest sites and shelter from the wind and cold. Evergreen trees and shrubs provide great shelter for wildlife, especially when their branches are closer to the ground. Planting these trees on the northwest side can block cold winds and provide better shelter for wildlife. Birds and small mammals will use pines, hemlocks, and evergreen shrubs as year-round habitats so they can hide from predators and protect themselves from harsh weather.
Arborists recommend letting nature guide you if you are building a landscape to attract wildlife. You should also protect the plants and trees that are already present. They also encourage you to ask many questions about the plants you intend to add to the landscape.
Landscaping for wildlife can be a very rewarding experience. Watching birds and squirrels enjoy your plants and thrive is incredible. By working with Hunting Valley tree companies like Vancuren Tree Service, you can create and take care of a beautiful landscape that attracts a variety of wildlife.
