Small wildlife corridors are important too

By DENNIS APRILL, Outdoors Columnist

While broad expanses of land are needed for large wildlife like moose and wolves to move back and forth, small natural corridors are equally important on the local level, and they often can be created or maintained by a single landowner.

For example, a couple of weeks ago, Department of Environmental Conservation Forester Chris Sprague and I cruised my woodlot looking for wildlife travel corridors. On my land they would go through logged-over land and through old stone fencerows, streams or wooded sections that connect to other wooded sections. In such places, squirrels, mice, and other small mammals can move about with some protection, especially from airborne attacks by hawks and owls.

Following these small mammals are fox, fisher and the occasional bobcat. If my land had been farmland, then vegetation links from tree stands could be even more important for wildlife movement.

Within a woodlot, some species of birds rely on barriers to keep out competitors. The cowbird, for instance, is an example of a species that will deposit its eggs in other birds’ nests at the forest fringe, leaving that other bird to hatch them. In so doing, the other species loses time from caring for its own offspring. Ecologists have found that 200 yards are needed for some species to get to interior habitat safe from cowbirds. Woodpeckers and wood thrushes utilize these interior places.

How does a landowner interested in wildlife find out how to manage his or her land? First, if the lot is in Clinton or Essex County, Sprague comes out and does a preliminary cruise with the landowner. Then he gives that person a list of private cooperating foresters approved by DEC.

"The goal," Sprague says, "is to get a Management Plan written that will serve as a guide for future land use." After the ice storm of 1998, many landowners utilized federal programs like S.I.P. to clear ice damage and fix woods roads. S.I.P. money, Sprague says, is pretty well gone, "but there are still things landowners can do to improve their woodlots for wildlife." Once again, here’s where the cooperating forester comes in.

If, say, someone wanted to manage a lot for deer, woodcock and grouse, with hunting as a major activity, a young or transition forest with lots of poplar would be preferred. If the goal were wildlife common in mature forests, then more limited cutting would be done.

"Whatever the goal," Sprague reiterates," The key is having a plan."

To contact Chris Sprague for a preliminary cruise of your lot or for a list of private foresters, call him at 643-9045. The Franklin County contact is Rich McDermott at 897-1357.

There is an excellent book out on the subject. Titled, appropriately, "The Woodlot Management Handbook," authors Stewart Hilts and Peter Mitchell go into every aspect of small woodlot management and stewardship. The book can be purchased online or from Adirondack Life magazine at 1-800-328-4461.