Start Life in a pond A refuge for wildlife How to build a forest What makes a butterfly meadow In praise of older fields Rejuvenating a mature woodlot Shelter from weather and predators A model backyard

Virtual tour How to build a forest Between the hedge and the road and above the pond, an ambitious restoration project is under way. All those young trees and seedlings you see in the long grass form our New Woodlot. A woodlot takes a long time to become established. We're accelerating the natural process of succession from field to forest by planting poplars — fast-growing but relatively short-lived "pioneer" species. These will provide protective cover for the saplings of more stable forest species, such as red oak, American beech, sugar maple, bitternut hickory, and white pine, which will one day form the climax or mature forest. Extra housing for birds The large bird box on the barn is used regularly by American kestrels (a small falcon), who have successfully raised young here over the last few years. Nest boxes are just one type of artificial enhancement that you can add to your garden to help wildlife. Bat boxes, butterfly hibernacula (overwintering shelters for adult butterflies), and, of course, feeders are other such additions to your garden. Our boxes are frequently used by house sparrows, but those by the pond get snapped up by tree swallows. Sometimes red squirrels co-opt a box for their "nests" or for cosy winter dens. Nest boxes mimic cavities in dead trees (snags) and, although not ideal, can help cavity-nesting species. This page was revised on 11 October 2004 © Fletcher Wildlife Garden Photo: Betty Campbell Our e-mail address