Landowner's Guide to Wildlife Habitat

This is a concise introduction to practical forest wildlife habitat management for private landowners, who own most of the forested habitat in New England, the eastern United States, and adjacent Canada. In non-technical terms, experts from the U.S. Forest Service provide useful information about plans that can improve forests, enhance production of forest products, increase the diversity of wildlife, and increase enjoyment of forest lands through sound forest management. The book discusses the history of land use and natural changes in forest environments, why species come and go, and how the scale and presence of special features can create a diversity of wildlife habitats. The authors explain management strategies that contribute to wildlife diversity, how to set goals and work with professional foresters to meet your goals, and project how managed lands will look in the future. They show how to determine what kinds of habitat will be used by various wildlife species, how to consider land capability and the mixture of habitat features necessary to attract desired species groups, and how to get started changing existing vegetative conditions through thoughtful management. Exceptional full-color illustrations, charts, and tables enhance the clear presentation of the text, geared specifically for landowners interested in getting started on improving habitat conditions on their land.