Managing Habitat for Wildlife

Landowner’s Guide to Wildlife Abundance Through Forestry (Virginia Cooperative Extension)
The satisfaction of working with nature to increase wildlife abundance, and at the same time, of leaving to the next generation property of increasing economic and esthetic values can be yours through careful but decisive management.

Tarheel Wildlife: A Guide for Managing Wildlife on Private Lands (N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission)
Because wildlife are public-trust resources, management decisions made by private landowners affect the natural systems in which we live, often beyond our property boundaries; our neighbors; our community; and, especially with migratory species, our nation and beyond. It is important that private landowners think about these multiple perspectives in making land management decisions.

Making Your Woods Welcoming for Wildlife (My North Carolina Woods)
One of the joys of woodland ownership is watching the birds and animals that visit. If you love these wild visitors, there are some easy things you can do to make them feel at home—most of them at little or no cost.

Low Cost Habitat Improvements (N.C. State University Cooperative Extension)
The smaller natural areas that abound on private lands and in many backyards can be enhanced using a variety of improvement options to provide habitat for a variety of animals.

Woodland Stewards Webinar Series – Wildlife and Woodlands (on-demand webinar)
Managing wildlife is commonly ranked as a primary objective among landowners. This session will introduce basic wildlife management principles and concepts and provide information on habitat requirements of various wildlife that occur across the region.

Woodland Wildlife Nest Boxes (N.C. State University Cooperative Extension)
This publication focuses on constructing and placing artificial nest boxes.

Integrative Forest Management for Wildlife and Forest Health (webinar) (Forestry Webinars)
This webinar discusses forest management strategies to improve wildlife habitat in forests while maintaining productivity and health.

Land Planning for Wildlife  (N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission)
If your property has more than one land use (for instance,farmland and forest), it is important that you consider habitat-management opportunities to benefit the species or group of wildlife species you want to enhance across each habitat type.

Farm-level Habitat Management for Bobwhite Quail and Other Farm Wildlife  (Mississippi State University)
Many woodlots and hedgerows have grown to the point where little sunlight reaches the ground underneath. Reducing tree density in these areas and developing a grassy ground cover can greatly improve their value to quail and other grassland species.

Light Disking to Enhance Early Successional Wildlife Habitat in Grasslands and Old Fields: Wildlife Benefits and Erosion Potential (Mississippi State University)
Annual plant communities characterized by grasses, forbs and legumes provide essential resources for bobwhite and other early successional species. These plant communities occur following some form of soil disturbance such as agriculture, timber harvest or disking, and live a single growing season.

Integrating Deer, Quail and Turkey Habitat (Texas A&M System AgriLife Extension)
To be successful in multi-species management, land holders must understand the habitat needs of all desired species and plan carefully.

Balancing Objectives and Outcomes for Wildlife Habitat and Forest Management (webinar) (Southern Regional Extension Forestry)
This webinar discusses strategies for multi-use forestry, specifically managing forests for health and productivity while creating deer-friendly habitats.

Forest Stewardship: Wildlife (Penn State Extension)
Wildlife is an integral part of any healthy forest community. The information provided will provide you with the basic knowledge needed to begin wildlife stewardship on your property.

Wild Turkey Habitat Management (NY State Department of Environmental Conservation)
In the last several decades, many people throughout the Northeastern United States have come to love the wild turkey. While many are happy just to see or hunt turkeys on other people’s land, others want to manage their land to benefit turkeys. Let’s take a look at what someone who owns 50-100 acres can expect to be able to do for the wild turkey.

Working Trees for Wildlife (National Agroforestry Center)
This article discusses how Working Trees provide wildlife habitat and contribute to the social and economic well-being of landowners and community residents.

Wildlife Management Basics (on demand webinar, Alabama Cooperative Extension System)
This webinar provides an overview on the basics of wildlife management, specifically for game species. This is an introductory session that briefly highlights many aspects of wildlife management that landowners or managers should consider on their property. Topics include habitat needs, ecological succession, managing edge, food plots, supplemental feeding, managing invasive, predator control, prescribed fire and balancing timber production with wildlife need