Managing Small Forest Acres for Wildlife

However, practices often effective on larger tracts of land can be scaled down to create better habitat, boost wildlife populations, and increase opportunities for hunting and recreation.

The first step is to create a plan that outlines what you want to accomplish. Most states have local land and wildlife managers who can help with building a plan based on your needs. The NWTF also has resources available.

“Our goal is to work with local landowners to help them improve habitat on their properties,” said Joey Rasco, private land conservationist for the Missouri Department of Conservation. “In addition to a written management plan, we also can help landowners with access to funding opportunities from state and federal grants and cost-share initiatives.”

Depending on the current health of your forest, habitat improvements can involve a host of options.

First, eradicating invasive species is a common priority, necessary before you begin restoring native plants and trees. Hiring a contractor to do forestry mulching can be expensive, but it does speed up the process. Mulching mowers leave a thick layer of mulched organic matter on the forest floor. This helps suppress weeds, at least initially. Still, mulching only kills about 30% of an invasive like bush honeysuckle, so transitioning to prescribed fire is advised. In small tracts of timber, manual removal of undesirable vegetation can also work if you have the time and manpower to devote to the project. This is less intensive than mulch mowing and allows for saving smaller select species and dead trees that birds and mammals use for nesting and rearing their young.

Next, selective cutting timber helps open the canopy. This lets more light reach the forest floor and helps native understory plants flourish, producing better food and cover for deer, turkeys and other woodland wildlife. Beware, though, more light can also boost the growth of invasive species as well. Have a plan in place to control them before these undesirable plants get a foothold.

If the property has marketable timber, hiring a reputable logger can help fund habitat improvements. Cutting non-marketable timber for firewood is also an option. You can also employ hinge cutting on low-timber-value, smaller trees, something that increases light reaching the forest floor while providing browse and cover for wildlife. Hinge cutting involves cutting through about a half to two-thirds of the tree, until the canopy collapses to the ground but is still attached to the stump. Hinge-cut trees can live for a few years.

Controlled burns also benefit forested land by killing small underbrush and reducing leaf litter. Conduct these prescribed burns regularly to maintain forest health and hinder the growth of invasives. Your local or state land specialist can assist with a burn plan for your property. Consider joining any prescribed burn associations in your area as they can provide equipment and manpower to help with your burns.

Finally, if there is no water supply on your property, building a small pond in or near the woods is something wildlife will appreciate. Small clearings are excellent locations. Water sources near cover give wildlife a sense of security. Some states, such as Missouri, offer cost-share dollars available to build wildlife-specific (no livestock) watering holes.

Quality habitat is possible with careful planning, a little labor and ongoing maintenance. The payoff, even for small tracts of land, is a wildlife haven that can be enjoyed for generations.