OUTDOOR CORNER: YOUR YARD CAN BECOME A REFUGE

Managing your yard properly can attract wildlife.

As the icy grip of winter gives way to the mild temperatures of spring, our thoughts turn to a variety of outdoor activities. We begin to make all kinds of plans.

For many of us, those plans will include some form of "yard work." Even more of us will make plans to simply "get out" and enjoy the wildlife and flowering plants that abound in early spring. With a little forethought, your "yard work" can directly benefit wildlife and greatly increase your opportunities for enjoying that same wildlife.

It doesn't matter if your "yard" is 100 feet square or 100 acres, the basic concepts are the same. All wildlife requires four basic elements to survive: food, water, cover and space. The need for food and water are obvious but cover and space are equally important if wildlife is to survive.

The cover provides protection from both natural enemies and the weather. Adequate space provides areas for reproduction and the successful rearing of young. Collectively, these four elements are known as "habitat." Every species has unique requirements but you can plan a habitat that will support a wide variety of wildlife.

The first step in managing your "yard" is to decide what types of wildlife you want to attract. If the available space is limited, you may have to make a list and decide which species are the most appealing to you. Once you've done that, you can formulate a plan.

To help you with your plan, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has a number of publications available. "Landscaping for Backyard Wildlife" can provide detailed information on a wide variety of trees and shrubs. It contains charts that tell you such things as the best locations for each species, how large they will grow and their value to wildlife.

"Butterfly Gardening and Conservation" provides specific information about site selection and the types of flowers and shrubs that you should plant to attract certain species of butterflies to your yard.

Both publications are available free of charge from Missouri Department of Conservation, 2302 County Park Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. The telephone number is (573)290-5730.

If you are a rural landowner, the publication "Wildlife Management for Missouri's Landowners" can be useful. The book deals with a variety of wildlife management practices. Individual chapters are devoted to specific recommendations for croplands, grasslands, woodlands, idle areas and wetlands.

There is a chapter devoted to detailed management practices for individual species such as quail, rabbit, turkey, deer and squirrel as well as non-game species.

Another chapter lists the various governmental agencies that are available to provide technical assistance to rural landowners. It lists the agencies, their local field representatives and the type of service each provides.

The final chapter covers a wide range of wildlife management practices. It deals with such things as a variety of planting procedures and their benefits to wildlife. It also provides detailed plans for constructing nest boxes for squirrels, wood ducks and Canada geese.

This publication is also available free of charge from MDC.

~Gene Myers is a Missouri Department of Conservation agent in Cape Girardeau County.