Backyard Conservation
Backyard conservation can be accomplished on any sized lot, using any combination of practices. There are many ways you can protect and enhance natural resources right in your own backyard. Maintaining a natural area on your property creates a pleasing environment that is attractive to humans and wildlife alike. Landowners who choose to maintain and establish native habitat on their property are more likely to witness a greater variety of wildlife. Establishing habitat is more effective when neighbors work together to connect their habitat projects. When neighbors work together to plant contiguous native vegetation a wildlife corridor is created providing a travel route for wildlife allowing them to maintain their natural movements. Landowners who own agricultural land or land that was once in production may qualify for cost-share programs through the USDA. These programs offer financial and technical assistance to establish many practices including: wetland restoration, riparian buffers, prairie restoration, forest restoration, wildlife habitat establishment, windbreaks and others. If you are interested in landowner assistance programs that provide cost-share and technical assistance please call Josh Williams.
Please keep the following in mind when establishing habitat on your property.
Food
It is best to have a mixture of plants that produce different kinds of food and at different times during the season. It is important to choose the right tree for the right situation. Click here for a list a trees appropriate for Anoka County. It is important to plant trees and shrubs that provide food, but it is equally important to plant native grasses and forbes. Native grasses and forbes provide important browse for larger animals and seeds for many songbirds. Native grasses also offer shelter for insects and small mammals preyed upon by birds.
Water
The existence of water is vital to the well being of wildlife in any area. We are fortunate to have an abundance of wetlands in Anoka County that support a wide variety of mammals, reptiles, insects and birds. While open water does attract some wildlife species it is important to maintain existing natural wetlands in their natural state. Wet meadows, fens, seasonally flooded basins, marshes, shrub swamps and forested swamps are best left in their natural state. Often times when natural wetlands are disturbed through digging or filling the wetland is overrun by nonnative vegetation than can greatly reduce the habitat value. Wetlands can also loose their habitat value by runoff and a change in water flow. It is important to leave vegetative buffers around wetlands to filter sediments. Increasing or reducing the amount of water entering or leaving a wetland can also change the vegetation make-up of the habitat, thus changing the habitat value.
Shelter
By providing various forms of shelter animals will be protected during bad weather or pursuit by a predator. Shelter can come in a wide variety of forms, not just vegetation. Rockpiles, brush piles, burrows, bird houses, bat houses and fallen trees can be home to any number of insects, birds, bats, small mammals and reptiles. Vegetation is important to providing year round shelter to animals, especially during the nesting season. It is best to provide grassland vegetation along with trees and shrubs. Many birds depend on hearty native grasses for food and shelter. Unlike introduced grasses like bluegrass, brome and other pasture grasses, native grasses grow indefinitely with little maintenance. Native grasses are very important for year round animal because they are sturdy and provide shelter during cold snowy winters.
Location, Location, Location
When planting vegetation it is important to mimic the natural conditions of the area. Anoka County is home to some great ecosystems that provide excellent habitat for a wide variety of animals. Find out what kind of ecosystem is or was on your property. Before making a backyard conservation plan assess any native vegetation on your property or in the neighborhood. By matching the native vegetation types you will have better success growing native vegetation and attracting wildlife native to the Anoka Sandplain. Develop a plan than creates habitat continuity. You may want to work together with your neighbors to create a habitat corridor throughout the neighborhood. Position vegetation in way the provides the best food and shelter for animals. Plants can be arranged in a manner that provide quality habitat and aesthetic value. For help doing this please contact Josh Williams.
Benefits
- Stabilizes slopes and stops erosion
- Increases wildlife habitat
- Acts as corridors for wildlife
- Enhances water infiltration
- Traps sediments
- Reduces lawn maintenance
- Beautifies your property
- Native plants are Drought tolerant
- Absorbs nutrients and pollutants
