MONTGOMERY-All wildlife species have the basic habitat requirements of food, water, cover and space. The arrangement of these requirements will directly affect both the number of wildlife species and the number of individuals inhabiting an area.
Old Growth
Wildlife habitat is influenced by location, climate and land use. Managers cannot affect location or climate, but they can manipulate the land in numerous ways. Habitat diversity can be obtained by a variety of methods depending on the goals of the landowner or manager. A landowner may consider the protection of an old growth timber ecosystem to benefit species preferring this type of habitat. Protecting old growth habitat is also beneficial in many instances because of the length of time it takes to replenish itself once it is removed. However, the diversity within this system can be increased by creating openings. The openings should be large enough to provide adequate edge, but not so large that they adversely affect wildlife that depends upon old growth forest. Edge is the area where two or more habitat types meet.
Prescribed burning is one way to manipulate habitat for wildlife.
The changes in wildlife habitat from bare ground to mature forest are known as changes in succession. Many species of wildlife prefer habitats that are in early succession, the first few years of growth from bare ground. This type of habitat is most often created by clearcuts or timber thinning. Power line rights of way may also provide this type habitat. These habitats can be maintained with the use of prescribed fire, mowing, disking or herbicides. Utilizing those tools, early succession can be maintained indefinitely.
There are many tools a manger can use in making land management decisions. Perhaps the most import tool is knowledge. A manager should understand the consequences of any actions before implementing a practice. Many landowners have suffered because they were not fully aware of those consequences. Be aware that anything you do on the land causes change. Some changes are minor without much impact and others have dramatic effects.
The wildlife that is on any particular piece of property is directly dependent on the habitat. To increase
Manage for Wildlife diversity
the variety of wildlife species, wildlife managers and landowners should manage for maximum habitat diversity. Increasing habitat diversity will enhance the enjoyment of both consumptive and non-consumptive uses of our wildlife resources.
Additional information regarding management practices to benefit wildlife can be obtained at any Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries District Office. To locate the district office closest to you, visit www.outdooralabama.com.
MEDIA RELEASE/James Altiere, Regional Hunter Education Coordinator, Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries/Photo courtesy of the National Wild Turkey Federation.
