Landowners use habitat management when they want to see an increase of specific types of wildlife on their property. Habitat management requires extensive plans and, depending on the landowner's goals, takes years to accomplish.
Plans can range from:
· Restoring vegetation
· Controlled wildlife viewing
· Controlled wildlife hunting
· Controlled wildlife fishing
The written plans describe what’s expected during the multi-year project, including seasonal tasks and preparation. Altering the landscape over the years increases native wildlife carrying capacity and enhances the property’s recreational features, so we also detail the plans for property infrastructure.
What Is Habitat Restoration?
It takes more than heavy equipment and strong muscles to work towards wildlife habitat restoration. The process starts with the identification of healthy and disturbed habitats. Plans have two goals:
1. Protect healthy zones from possible damage.
2. Restore native plants and wildlife to the disturbed areas.
The result is a healthy environment that supports continued land use by native plants, wildlife, and humans.
Restoration is a deliberate act designed to rehabilitate areas damaged or destroyed by habitat destruction. Wildlife habitat destruction isn’t always intentional or the result of a natural disaster. Activities that support civilization have been gradually destroying plant and animal species for thousands of years, often to the point of extinction. The past hundred years have resulted in an increased awareness of activities such as building roads, mining, and even agriculture, which have altered natural ecosystems.
Examples of apparent destruction include: draining wetland areas to use the land for crops and mass clearing of older forests for timber. The disturbance changes the distribution and quantity of native plants and animals. Habitat restoration requires a reversal of the damage in order to restore the balance. Further measures must be taken to ensure its success.
A common industry that is almost unavoidable that causes destruction to the ecosystem is mining. Mining can result in barren land due to metal concentrations and acidic soil which makes it difficult for native plants to thrive. Thoughtful reworking of the soil and surroundings can result in other types of restoration.
For example...
A wildlife refuge or recreational parkland sprinkled with small forests and riparian zones increase water quality in lakes and streams.
Trees and boulders prevent soil erosion on the land.
Boulders, logs, and large rocks placed in selective parts of streams create a spawning habitat for fish.
Wildlife habitat management and restoration support life by encouraging a growth in numbers of endangered and protected species. Habitat increases in size when a previously disturbed piece of land is restored to a healthy state. This may be beneficial to people as well because wilderness designs can incorporate economic and recreational activities. Humans often maintain their sense of balance through outdoor activities like fishing, camping, and hiking. A restored natural area is a great place to renew your sense of peace and balance while appreciating the many facets of the wildlife
Why Is Nature Preserve Management and Consulting Important In Habitat Management?
Every nature preserve management and consulting company has its own way of developing and documenting a project. At PHS, our goal is to focus on the ecosystem itself to solve the larger problems that smaller problems may create.
An ecosystem approach to management results in a heightened awareness of all areas touched by the project. For example, a healthy forest covers more than trees. Water, aesthetics, and wildlife are also included. Recreation and timber are other concerns. Discussing and incorporating the relationship of each part to one another creates a healthy plan of nature preserve management and consulting projects.
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