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; 
     
    
   
   
    
     -11-