Every decision we make on land impacts wildlife. The Four Things for Wildlife series helps you think about how you can help wildlife wherever you find yourself! This page explores opportunities for doing right by wildlife in forests and woodlands!
1. Control invasive species.
Exotic invasive species in forests change the structure and function of the forest today with ripple effects on forest canopy and diversity that will last for generations. Thus, any efforts to combat their prevalence or impact today can make a difference for wildlife for years to come. Forest invasive species range from everything from pathogens to trees, but those that are most subject to management and control tend to be invasive woody plants. Bush and Tartarian honeysuckle, European buckthorn, multiflora rose, Siberian elm, burning bush, Japanese barberry, or tree of heaven are common examples of those species found invading Iowa forests. Chemical, mechanical, or even control through goat grazing are all practices that can be used alone or in unison to try to reduce the extent of an invasion or prevent new invasions. The native plants that replace them after careful control operations will be better for wildlife and for the future of the forest itself.
2. Pick and promote productive plants.
Any native tree or shrub can help wildlife in some ways, but some species can carry an extra load. Scientists call these plants “keystone” species, because they can be the keystone of an ecosystem. Oaks are the best example, since they provide so much for wildlife, from nourishing leaves that feed caterpillars that feed birds, to acorns that that provide nutrition to dozens of species throughout the fall and winter, to branching and growth structure that provides myriad places to roost and raise young. Oaks are heavy hitters, and thus, anything done to promote the health and vigor of oaks in a forest will do right by the wildlife there. Oftentimes, competition for sunlight is what holds oaks and other keystone plants back. Applying practices like crop tree release that seek to allow more sunlight to hit more of the canopy of a tree in a forest can promote its growth and ensure it continues to provide resources for the wildlife there for years to come. Other keystone plants can benefit from the proliferation of sunlight onto them or onto the forest floor too, like fruit-bearing shrubs including blackberry, raspberries, plums, or hazelnut, or any tree that’s unique among its neighbors, like fruit-bearing black cherries and hickories or the nectar producing basswoods or Kentucky coffeetree. Picking and promoting winning trees that promote function and diversity in the forest will help more wildlife find what they need in the forest.
3. Promote and protect forest structural diversity.
Forests are far from a monolith. In fact, some of the most productive parts of a forest don’t look all that much like a forest at all! That’s because the age and structure of a forest stand, the diversity of those structures or ages found in any one area, are critical for promoting wildlife diversity. Young forests for example, like those created by a timber harvest or major disturbance event like fire, flooding, or heavy winds, are rich in plant diversity and provide unique places for some forest wildlife species to live. Other species of wildlife take advantage of mature stands with little sunlight penetrating to the forest floor and towering canopies of large trees. To promote wildlife diversity in any one area then, we have to look to our forest and our neighbor’s forests to understand what unique forest structures are missing and then work to promote them. Foresters can help judge this and then help a forest manager apply the right silvicultural techniques that may promote the right mix of forest stand diversity for the site to maximize its value for wildlife.
4. Protect unique features.
What makes a forest is far from just the trees that meet the eye. In some cases, what may make a forest for some species of wildlife, may be the small patch devoid of trees or even a dead tree! These are the unique features that many wildlife species are uniquely adapted to that deserve careful attention in any forest management activities. Streams, rivers, wetlands, or ponds are all critical elements of many healthy forests that can be protected and enhanced. Even small ephemeral pools of water that go wet only for a few weeks each spring can be the difference between a suitable forest for amphibians and an unsuitable one. The same may apply to small patches of prairie, nestled within the forest. For example, the timber rattlesnake, thrives in rocky bluff prairies inside forests, even though “timber” is right in its name! Many species of insects, including the endangered rusty-patched bumblebee need resources from prairies and forests alike, so protecting or managing each can become essential. And finally, unique features within the forest itself, like dead or dying trees, dead or hollow branches with cavities formed naturally or by woodpeckers, or hollowed out den trees can be essential areas for wildlife to raise young, roost, or even over-winter. Noticing and then working to protect and improve these unique features can help wildlife thrive within any forest