Working Trees for Wildlife - Agroforestry

Agroforestry

Working Trees
for Wildlife

Working Trees
provide wildlife

habitat and
contribute to the
social and economic

well-being of
landowners and
community residents.

Sustaining quality wildlife that are in the right place to do a Photo by Steven Katovich, USDA Forest Service
habitat is challenging, specific job. Whether Working
especially where agricultural Trees come in the form of a corridors for wildlife. But,
fields offer little plant diversity windbreak to enhance crop or remember, not all wildlife
and in suburban areas where livestock production or a species are benefited by trees.
human development has riparian forest buffer to filter Integrating Working Trees onto
fragmented the landscape. stormwater runoff, they add the land can add a new source
critical wildlife habitat to the of income, improve our
Increasingly, these areas are landscape. environment, conserve natural
managed primarily for people. The benefits of Working Trees resources, increase property
But, an amazing variety of extend far beyond providing values and save time, energy and
animals call the same areas food, cover, and nesting sites — water.
home and depend on us to make all essential wildlife habitat Read on to discover how
sure that their needs are met. components. Working Trees add Working Trees support a
diversity and help reconnect the seemingly endless variety of
Working Trees are trees and landscape by creating travel wildlife, while they enhance
shrubs, especially native species, property, income, and our lives.

What Is Habitat?

All animals need a unique combination Territory Nocturnal
of food, water, cover, and territory. This Animals move animals, like the
environment in which an animal lives is daily, searching for food, pocketed free-tailed
called habitat and how these features are or as they migrate to bat, sleep during
woven together on the land affects the wintering or breeding the day and are
quality of their habitat. All of these habitat grounds. Home range varies
requirements must be met as an animal's from less than one acre for beetles to active at night.
needs change throughout the seasons. thousands of square miles for bears.
Original photo by Merlin Tuttle,
Bat Conservation International.

Used with permission.

Food Water Cover
Most wildlife have food preferences and Almost all animals need access to clean Animals use all tiers of Working Trees,
diets that change with the seasons. water to survive — some simply need from the tree canopy down to burrows
Trees and shrubs provide seeds, berries, drinking water, while others depend on in the ground. They breed, roost, nest,
nuts, and fruits. Some animals also eat water to reproduce and live. Agroforestry rear young, regulate body temperature,
the leaves, twigs, roots, buds, stems, practices protect water quality and hide, and escape predation in tall grasses,
grasses, mosses, and lichens that are provide travel lanes to water sources like dense shrubs, leaf litter, downed logs,
found in a woody environment. farm ponds, streams and wetlands. stumps, rock piles, and brush piles.

Benefits Migratory birds, like the American tree sparrow, spend the winter
in the U.S. and migrate to northern Canada to breed and nest.

Original photo by Dave Menke, US Fish & Wildlife Service

Social Photo by Keith Weller, USDA NRCS Educational
Working Trees and wildlife provide In a Working Trees outdoor classroom,
a sense of place to an area and attract students learn to identify plants and
families, nature photographers, bird- animals, as they become aware of the
watchers, and those who like to hunt importance of balanced human and
and fish. The linear configuration of environmental interactions.
some Working Trees practices makes
them well suited for a trail oriented Bumblebees are important crop
recreation like walking or bicycling. and wildflower pollinators.

Environmental Original photo by Richard Straight,
Trees and shrubs clear toxic elements USDA National Agroforestry Center
from water and absorb runoff, reduce
Economic
flooding, and erosion, replenish Working Trees and wildlife
oxygen, cleanse the air, and support a billion dollar
enrich and restore soil. industry of non-game
wildlife appreciation.
Amphibians live part of their life in Working Trees provide habitat for
water and part on land. Green tree frogs native pollinating insects that provide
are drawn to open, damp areas and can be another billion dollars worth of pollinat-
found under flakes of bark on trees. ing services. Properly designed, Working
Trees can reduce work and home energy
Original photo by Laurie Reid, South Carolina Forestry Commission consumption.

A C
B F

D
E

Make A Difference In Your Neighborhood, Your Landscape

Every landscape area has a dominant species prefer the patches and corridors. In patch or travel corridor to connect other
landcover, most likely woodland, grassland, many cases, humans have altered, reduced, patches of habitat. To help reestablish
row crop, or urban land. Patches and and even eliminated natural areas and the suitable habitat, first identify regional
corridors like streams, fence rows, roads, vegetative diversity that wildlife depend on, landscape patterns around you. Then devise
woodlots, or urbanized areas dissect this creating a "fragmented" landscape. a plan that will have the greatest impact
dominant cover. Some wildlife species Working Trees help offset fragmentation for wildlife in your area. Work with your
inhabit the dominant area, while other by providing basic habitat, often a diverse neighbors to have even greater impact.

Working Trees And Wildlife

A. Forest Farming B. Riparian Forest Buffers C. Windbreaks

High value specialty crops like ginseng Vegetative buffers along waterways create Properly designed and located wind-
and goldenseal can be cultivated under travel corridors for wildlife. While the breaks protect soil, crops, livestock,
the protection of a forest canopy. This tree canopy reduces water temperature, buildings, and wildlife from harsh winds.
provides a harvestable product for the roots and fallen debris provide food and Over 50 bird species are known to use
landowner which provides incentive hiding places for aquatic animals. windbreaks during the breeding season.
to keep the land in forest habitat. The Riparian buffers filter nutrient-laden The microclimate that windbreaks create
diversity created with forest farming runoff from adjacent land to improve enable native insects to pollinate crops
attracts a variety of wildlife species. water quality. more efficiently.

D. Alley Cropping E. Silvopasture F. Special Applications

Alley cropping systems are designed to Silvopastures combine trees, forage, and Many Working Trees practices have been
grow an annual crop between rows of livestock in an intensively managed adapted to help people and communities
high value trees, like oak, pecan or system. Silvopastures are typically less deal with problems, such as wastewater
walnut, until the trees are harvested or diverse than a natural forest understory, and stormwater treatment, with fast
the alley crops are shaded out. but incorporating clumps of native grasses growing willows and cottonwood trees.
Alley cropping diversifies and forbs can provide quality habitat These trees provide wildlife habitat and
plant structure for may be a future energy source.
wildlife habitat. for wild turkey and other animals.

Working Trees help keep water clean and
cool for aquatic wildlife, like brook trout.

Original photo by Eric Engbretson, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Designing For Wildlife

Beneficial insects, like
the ladybird beetle, help

control insect pests.

Original photo by
Jon Sullivan.

Placement within landscape Diversity of vegetation Disturbance

The way elements are arranged within the By combining a variety of native coniferous Historically, fire, floods, wind, ice, and wildlife
larger landscape determines the habitat and deciduous trees and shrubs and browsing disturbed the land which in turn
value for different species. Having food, including perennial and annual herbaceous helped control invasive species and promote
cover, and water located in the same vegetation, summer and fall fruiting and native plant growth. Today, vegetation can
vicinity creates optimal habitat, and must flowering dates are extended. Use native be managed by mowing, disking, thinning,
consider the wildlife species' normal range plants whenever possible because they prescribed burning, and grazing. The extent
of mobility. For example, if the desired usually provide better habitat and are and timing of disturbances help create
species seldom feeds more than 200 yards adapted to local growing conditions. A diversity and structure. Timing can also
from escape cover, it does little good to mixture of vegetation reduces the minimize impact to wildlife, such as mowing
provide cover a half mile from the food. possibility of losing all plants to disease, after nesting is complete.
insects or a catastrophic event.

Vertical structure Horizontal structure Travel lanes

Different layers of vegetation allow an Arrange vegetation to provide the greatest Many species of wildlife need a minimum
assortment of wildlife to utilize the same width practical and transition smoothly amount of a particular habitat type; if it
area. Each tier creates a niche in the habitat into the adjoining land use. Incorporating gets to be too small they won’t use it.
area. Five or more layers are optimal and clump plantings under a tree canopy or Vegetation can be used to connect several
include the canopy, understory, shrub layer, along the outside edge improves horizontal small isolated areas within a landscape, thus
herbaceous layer, and the floor. structure. Minimize straight lines in the !making those areas more viable and increasing
design if possible.
White-tailed the usable space for wildlife.
deer are a
popular game Consider wildlife conflicts
animal. They
are also valuable When human habitats and natural habitats
as watchable wildlife overlap, even in the best of circumstances,
and as a huntable conflicts like crop or yard damage can
resource. occur. Through proper planning and
design these negative issues can be
Original photo by Mark Gocke. minimized or eliminated.
Used by permission.

Get Started Today

Small changes that Minimize pesticide use Have fun with the border
you make today
will add up to a big Pesticides can kill more than just An unmowed grassy area alongside Working
difference for target pests; they harm animals Trees provides spring nesting areas and a fall
wildlife. that eat the sprayed vegetation and seed supply. Irregular borders and curves
are aesthetically pleasing and provide room
Raccoons prefer eliminate pollinators. to add clumps of berry-producing shrubs
well-wooded areas. Consider spot spraying that will attract all types of wildlife.
All mammals or biological control
have hair and Many threatened and endangered species,
produce milk to methods. like the red cockaded woodpecker, are benefited
feed their young. by permanent vegetation, such as a short-leaf
Leave pine silvopasture.
Original photo by Terry Spivey, snags
USDA Forest Service Original photo by Bill Lea, Southern Research Station,
A snag is a USDA Forest Service.
Let the natural form deteriorating or
dominate dead standing Supply rocks and
tree. Over 85 stone piles
Thickets, brush piles, and fallen North American
branches provide cover for rabbits, bird species rely on Large flat rocks offer a
thrushes, and snakes. Minimize snags to nest, feed, or seek place for lizards, butterflies,
pruning to encourage natural shelter. If they don't pose a chipmunks, snakes, and
diversity in the structure of plants. hazard, leave snags standing. skinks to bask in the sun,
which they need to do to
Go native and think Provide artificial regulate body temperature.
seasonal shelters or food sources
Identify "host" plants
Native plants are adapted to local While your agroforestry planting
soil, rainfall, and sunlight conditions; develops into quality habitat, Some animals are dependent on
they are apt to thrive and require erect special houses and feeders a specific plant. Incorporate host
less maintenance. Choose plants that to attract bluebirds, purple vegetation into your Working Trees
provide food throughout martins, bats, bees, or toads. planting.
the year.
Leave woody debris Provide perches

Limbs, rootwads, and whole trees Eagles, hawks, and other raptors
in streams supply food for critters like to perch on high branches
at the bottom of the food chain from which they can spot prey.
and create a place for small fish Erect poles to provide perches
to hide. until trees are established.

National Contact: USDA National Agroforestry Center, 402.437.5178 ext. 4011, 1945 N. 38th St., Lincoln, Nebraska 68583-0822.
Agroforestry nac.unl.edu
Center The USDA National Agroforestry Center (NAC) is a partnership of the Forest Service (Research & Development and
State & Private Forestry) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service. NAC’s staff is located at the University of
A partnership between: Nebraska, Lincoln, NE. NAC’s purpose is to accelerate the development and application of agroforestry technologies to
United States Forest Service attain more economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable land use systems by working with a national network of
Natural Resources Conservation Service partners and cooperators to conduct research develop technologies and tools, establish demonstrations, and provide useful
information to natural resource professionals.
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First Ed. 1999; 2nd Printing 1999; Second Ed. 2005; Third Ed. 2007; Fourth Ed. 2012; 3rd Printing 2013; 4th Printing 2014.