ccomplished by the following methods:

a) Applying a silvicultural cut designed to produce or enhance the desired species; e.g., to produce browsable plants for snowshoe hare winter feeding in a nature stand may be accomplished by clearcutting patches or thinning;

b) Mowing or fall burning the existing vegetation to create open meadows will increase the amount of new foliage for spring browsers;

c) Interplanting of various species of trees based on their silvics; e.g., red oak in open to semi-open conditions;

d) Girdling or by some other means killing trees to create bark beetle habitat for insect feeders such as Northern.Three-toed‘Woodpeckers;

e) Providing growth space (crop tree release) and/or fertilizing specific plants to cause the production of more fruit, mast, or foliage; '

f) Working up the ground surface (scarifying) the ground to alter species regeneration for increased production of deciduous browse or the long term manipulation of seed production;

g) Multiple species plantings to stabilize the production of seed crops between years and to extend the length of time during which it is available in a given year; e.g., the planting of-balsam fir, red pine, white spruce, black spruce, and Austrian pine will provide the availability of seed from late August to February.

You should remember that you must create alterations within the home range of the animals you wish to enhance.

Some landowners will wish to set up feeding platforms to help animals

xrough the winter or to increase the chances to observe them. In all cases where you wish to do this, please ensure that a steady supply of food is kept at the feeder (the birds become dependent on it).

Water:

On Prince Edward Island water availability for drinking purposes is not normally a problem for wildlife. You may wish to create artificial ponds for breeding purposes for amphibians or to create high visibility sites for observing wildlife. There are some good pamphlets available from various government and non-government agencies on the creation of appropriate ponds. Be cautioned that mosquitoes also enjoy such sites.

Shelter:

' The first criteria to define is the type of shelter required and the purpose the animal uses it for. For example, the red squirrel will nest in tree cavities, it will build its own leaf nest for resting and/or nesting, it will store cones and nuts in ground burrows or tree cavities (where the relative humidity will prevent the cone from opening and the seed being lost), and it will create subnivian (under snow) tunnels for winter feeding during extreme cold (the tunnels stay warmer than the outside air during severe winter conditions). '

The types of shelter (cover) required may include:

a) Nesting cover for the protection of parents and young; b) Loafing cover for shade in summer and protection in winter; c) Winter cover for protection from cold and/or snow;

. d) Escape cover for predator protection;

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