and kinds of wildlife using different parts of your woodland. If you decide 
     
     to harvest or plant part of your woodlands or even individual scattered 
     
     trees, these decisions also cause changes in the numbers and kinds of 
     
     wildlife. Depending on what choices you make, certain types of animals will 
     
     increase in number, others will decrease in number, and still others will 
     
     stay at the same population level. 
     
    

    
     The following article will attempt to introduce you, in a very brief 
     
     way, to certain field techniques which are applicable to wildlife enhancement 
     
     in our Island’s woodlands. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Virtually all wildlife enhancement work is based on the theory that, if 
     
     you improve the amount of food, water, shelter and special requirements 
     
     available within the "home range" of a given animal, the amount of area 
     
     utilized by the animal will decrease and the same area can therefore support 
     
     more animals. 
     
    

    
     Most of the information that is available in wildlife management texts 
     
     is for the game animals (those that are hunted or trapped) and even that 
     
     consists largely of observation and measurement of observable items such as 
     
     food consumption. The actual relationships between why and when a particular 
     
     food is used and the health of the population is still poorly understood. 
     
    
   
   
    
     QQECEPTS THAT ARE USED: 
     
    

    
     Home Range: This term refers to the area normally used by a mammal for its 
     
     usual activities. 
     
    

    
     Territoriality: Territoriality exists when an animal defends and holds an 
     
     area against intrusions by other members of its species or, sometimes another 
     
     species. It is most frequently seen during the breeding season but varies . 
     
     between species. It results in the establishment of territories which only 
     
     strong members can hold and results in weaker individuals being forced into 
     
     poor habitats from which they attempt to emigrate when good habitat becomes 
     
     available. 
     
    

    
     Population Forces: These are any of the factors which affect the number of 
     
     animals in a population. Population increase may be caused by an increase in 
     
     the birth rate, immigration, and/or decreases in mortality. Population 
     
     decreases may be caused by a decrease in the birth rate, emigration, and/or 
     
     'increases in the mortality rate. 
     
    

    
     Carrying Capacity: This is the maximum number of individuals that a given 
     
     habitat can support. - 
     
    

    
     Edge: The border line where two or more types of vegetation meet is 
     
     referred to a edge. Counts of animals in edge habitat are usually higher 
     
     than in the adjacent habitat that create it. Because of this, wildlife 
     
     managers often create edge for the species they are managing by interplanting 
     
     a different species or by cutting techniques. 
     
    
   
   
    
     ' BEQQJREMENTS FOR FOOD. WATER, SHELTER, ETC. : 
     
     Food: 
     
    
   
   
    
     An intimate knowledge of the food requirements and feeding methods of 
     
     each species during the various phases of the year is needed to allow the 
     
     food crop to be manipulated properly. This data is sometimes difficult to 
     
     obtain but the best sources for this information are life histories or 
     
     species monographs. Some of these can be obtained from the U.P.E.I. library. 
     
    

    
     Altering the food species present or the abundance produced may be . 
     
    
   
   
    
     -10—