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If you are one of Illinois’ 2.5 million rural or suburban homeowners, you may have some neighbors that you’ve paid little attention to - all the wildlife, seen and unseen, who claim joint ownership of the area surrounding your dwelling.


You may have noticed squirrels, cardinals, finches, different species of sparrows, and an occasional frog or garter snake sharing your backyard environment. But numerous other animals can be attracted to a backyard (or schoolyard, church or temple parcel, company or hospital property, or other similar tract) that has been designed to accommodate wildlife. An amazing variety of wildlife, hundreds of species in fact, can reside permanently or seasonally in small parcels of Illinois land near structures occupied by humans. Given the necessary habitat elements, these species will tolerate considerable human activity and readily coexist with us in our yards and other small tracts.

Wildlife aren't the only beneficiaries of backyard sanctuaries. People can get great aesthetic pleasure from both the plants and the animals. Nothing quite soothes the soul like sitting under a tall oak, gazing at a rainbow of garden color swaying in the afternoon breeze, or like enjoying breakfast at the kitchen table while watching cardinals, blue jays, and goldfinches eat theirs just beyond the window. Landscaping for wildlife also provides another benefit for the homeowner: increased Illinois property value. Shade trees, windbreaks, flowering shrubs, flower beds, and other plantings that improve wildlife habitat can boost a home’s desirability and selling price.

Schools, hospitals, houses of worship, private businesses, and public offices can benefit from providing improved outdoor settings for their students, patrons, or employees, who may use them for social gatherings, lunch breaks, and other activities. Large trees, bushes, and herbaceous plants decrease noise pollution and contribute to healthy air quality. Small spaces designed with wildlife in mind are good for public relations and good for the environment.

Landscaping for wildlife doesn't have to mean creating an environment uncomfortable for human habitation. A backyard, schoolyard, or business parcel can have "wild" areas with unmowed vegetation but still keep mowed paths, walkways, or other sections of lawn for the human visitors who prefer a mix of manicured and natural. And creating some living areas for wildlife neighbors will result in less outdoor maintenance time and cost.

This chapter provides a few ideas for taking wildlife needs into account on small parcels of land around homes, businesses, and community areas so that humans and native wildlife can continue to coexist in Illinois' changing landscape.

Backyard habitats have increased dramatically in our state in the last hundred years. Illinois' population more than tripled from 3.7 million in 1890 to 12.4 million in 2000, and residential areas now cover 2.5% of our state. Many Illinoisans live in apartment and condominium complexes, but 55% of our state's housing units are single-family residences in urban and suburban settings, rural areas, and small towns. Each of these homes has at least some yard surrounding it. While many of these individual backyards are not large, their collective value is quite significant. Add to that all the properties of schools, religious communities, government, and business, and the potential benefit to Illinois wildlife is substantial.

One particularly important function of these habitats is to provide a network of stopovers for migratory birds. During the fall, hundreds of species of songbirds, waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, and other birds travel from breeding grounds in the U.S. and Canada to wintering sites in the southern U.S., Central and South America, and the Caribbean. In the spring they return north. Birds need to stop along the way to feed and to rest. Because most of Illinois' broad expanses of agricultural lands offer little wildlife habitat for these species, backyards and other small tracts serve as migratory travel stops. The scattered nature of our rural and suburban small tracts augments the natural habitat found in the country. Small open spaces offer plant food, insects, water, and woody vegetation for perching and cover, all of which fill an important need.

Collectively, small tracts provide another important benefit. It may seem that the cottontails and cardinals, squirrels and toads of our residential areas are just a drop in the bucket as far as conserving Illinois wildlife. After all, our remaining natural habitat in rural Illinois harbors the largest numbers of these species. But in an era when scientists are seriously concerned about the loss of genetic diversity, hundreds of thousands of backyards and other tracts combined with larger rural acreages help provide significant genetic reserves, at least for the more common species.

Wildlife that live in or visit habitats used frequently by humans do face some difficulties that are less of a problem for wildlife in natural areas. Knowing about these threats will help backyard habitat planners avoid or minimize their effects.

Motor vehicles. To minimize the threats posed by cars, trucks, and motorcycles, keep habitat improvements other than tree plantings as far as possible from roads.
Lawn-care equipment. Lawnmowers, weed trimmers, and cultivators can pose threats to unsuspecting wildlife. Before the activity begins, walk over the area to be covered to scare off animals and check for nests that can be avoided during yardwork.
Power lines. Exposed wires in and around a building can threaten wildlife as well as humans. Check to make sure no exposed wires or uncovered electrical panels are present.
Dogs and cats. Pet owners have to decide what they feel is most valuable-free-ranging pets, an abundance of wildlife, or some combination of both. If you have pets that frequent the back yard, remember that they are predators. Place feeders and houses to minimize predation.
Pesticides. While various pesticides are used on rural acreages and farms, application is often intensified and concentrated in and around homes. In fact, statistics show that landowners apply pesticides to their lawns and gardens at rates many times higher than farmers apply to their crop fields. This increased use is caused both by preconceived ideas of what makes an attractive yard (no dandelions, for example) and by a desire for a certain level of comfort (such as keeping mosquitoes and wasps at bay). But many pesticides cause direct and indirect harm to wildlife. Most threats are indirect-for example, insecticides reduce the amount of insects, which in turn reduces a critical food supply for wildlife. Numerous studies, however, have also documented direct injury and mortality to wildlife from applications of common yard herbicides and insecticides.
Sometimes homeowners counteract their own efforts to improve their backyard habitat without realizing it. One example would be a homeowner who applies insecticides to a vegetable garden in one corner of the yard, near a butterfly garden created in another corner. Several butterfly caterpillars feed on common garden plants, such as tomatoes, parsley, and corn. Many insecticides used to eliminate garden "pests" are nonselective-they kill all moth and butterfly caterpillars at the site, along with dozens of other types of insects, including beneficial predators like ladybugs and preying mantis. Beauties that would grace the flowers of the butterfly garden are eliminated before they ever reach adulthood.

There are numerous alternatives to using chemical pesticides in lawns and gardens. One of the easiest ways to reduce large numbers of pests is to increase the variety of plants on your property. The more varied your plantings, the more varied the types of insects that will be present. Since different insects prey on each other, rpore diversity will offer a better local balance. Lawn "weeds" can be removed by hand or smothered with a temporary covering. There are also various organic methods to repel or eliminate insect pests. For more information, check books on organic gardening or contact a natural-landscaping organization.

Illinois homeowners, school administrators, business owners, organization trustees, and other small-tract owners can help wildlife by doing three things:

Creating new habitat on their property.
Protecting existing habitat on their property.
Working with neighbors and local officials to encourage neighborhood-wide habitat development and protection, or working with local businesses, schools, and places of worship to improve their lands for wildlife.
Wildlife Landscaping Needn't Be Wild

Whatever decisions you make or restrictions you face, don't let wildlife improvements be a substitute for maintaining an attractive yard. Just allowing a yard to grow up without some sort of a scheme may look like you are testing the nuisance laws. Plantings for wildlife can be varied and extremely pleasing to the eye and can even include a variety of "weeds" that have wildlife value. Make sure your project plan provides the elements needed by wildlife and also incorporates contemporary aesthetics, especially in suburban settings.

Rural homeowners usually have more control over what they do in their backyards and don't face the restrictions encountered by their suburban counterparts. However, if property is surrounded by agricultural lands, the owner may need to consider the effects of a habitat project on adjacent crop fields. Discussing with the farmer (if someone else owns or farms the property) the location and type of plantings you'll be doing will help avert problems. Illinois hunting property for sale

Rural homeowners can also work to provide better habitat by undertaking practices on any adjacent farm ground that they own or by encouraging other owners to do activities that enhance the overall area for wildlife. These might include placing any fallow areas or grassy field borders adjacent to the backyard instead of elsewhere on the farm; creating corridors between the backyard habitat and nearby woods, Grasslands or wetlands; leaving a few rows of crops unharvested adjacent to the backyard; and being particularly careful with pesticide use in the vicinity of the yard. Also, if the crop field is tilled each year, encourage minimum tillage on the field, or at least in a strip near the backyard.

Schools and churches might use a habitat project as a demonstration site and actively encourage nearby property owners to incorporate wildlife considerations as well. Habitat projects can often reduce the maintenance time and costs required to sustain a visually acceptable property. This fact alone may sell the idea of habitat development to an organization. Habitat projects also offer a focus for students or members of a religious or civic group.

Richard and Susan Day #################

Nesting kestrels and bluebirds, ruby-throated hummingbirds flitting among summer blooming prairie plants and summer tanagers feeding at one of many bird feeders are just a few of the highlights of Richard and Susan Day's backyard habitat. Their property's bird checklist features 172 species, with 60 of those nesting.

Though the yard has long been colorful, it hasn't always had this diversity of bird life. The Days live in Richard’s grandparents' house, located near the southern Illinois town of Alma. His grandparents had an "old-fashioned" daffodil farm. Once the plants bloomed, the flowers were cut and shipped by train. The daffodils are now gone, replaced by prairie, a wetland, a few crops, and a yard. For a while the Days' yard was "typical," with a few trees and lawn. When they married 1990, Susan learned about landscaping for wildlife and asked Richard, "Do you care if we plant a few things?" The answer was "No, do whatever you want." Susan took the message to heart, and over the years their "few things" have turned out to be more than 200 bushes and trees and twelve flower beds.

While the couple jokes that once they started buying plants they couldn't stop, each plant was carefully selected for its avian benefits. As more bushes and flowers were added, more birds came. The backyard landscape plan was carefully researched to provide the necessary habitats for birds. The Days were interested in providing not only food, but shelter. They were fortunate that nursery owners would search for native
stock for them; this way the Days could be assured the plants would survive in southern Illinois land. Today, their three-acre yard is the envy of many and perhaps is the "ultimate backyard."

Providing wildlife habitat doesn't stop with their yard-the Days also have a five-acre prairie. Once again, they researched their plan, contacting the local Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) office. From IDNR they learned about the .Illinois Acres for Wildlife program, in which landowners agree to set aside land for wildlife. They worked with a heritage biologist .in planning, preparing the soil, and planting. To complete their homestead, they established an eight-acre shallow-water wetland, ten acres of crop, and sixteen acres of woodland.

When asked what hands-on lessons they have learned, Susan replies, "With calluses on our hands, we learned how to be flexible, adapt, and that a whole lot of laughter helps! We also learned about patience. We would call the heritage biologist in a panic when only weeds were coming up and were reassured to 'have patience.' We have also learned to say no. You can't do everything. Even though we would like to go to the nursery and say, 'I want one of everything,' you must have guidelines on what to plant. And when you come home and find a big bag of forbs and two tree planters are on your doorstep, you know the plants must be put in the ground immediately-that's hands-on!"

Every year during the first week in May, the Days volunteer at Stephen A. Forbes State Park during conservation field days for the fifth graders of Marion County. Here excited kids learn about backyard wildlife and their food, shelter, and water requirements. The Days find this very rewarding-they note that the future is in children's hands, and they believe they can have a significant influence on these young minds.

Susan L. Post ##################

When Wildlife Wear Out Their Welcome

When you provide habitat and food for wildlife, you may get more than you bargained for. Species you didn't plan for may show up, literally at your door. And even desired species may overstep their welcome.

We enjoy the entertaining antics of a family of raccoons, the incredible ingenuity of a gray squirrel, the grace of a white-tailed deer. Watching a doe and her speckled fawn just outside the kitchen window on an early summer evening makes developing backyard habitat all seem worthwhile. Later, however, when deer browse prized garden plants or raccoons take up residence in the garage attic, our attitudes may change. Illinois farmland for sale

The homeowner who creates songbird habitat or a butterfly garden may later realize that other species may be attracted as well. Opossums may show up at night to feed on leftover birdseed. Or a red-tailed hawk may be attracted to the bird feeder-not for the seeds, since it is a carnivore, but for other birds as potential prey.

Yes, these are the facts of nature! Wildlife are hot-wired to survive. It can be difficult, perhaps impossible, to provide for only a few desired species without attracting others. This fact reflects the ecological adage that "everything is connected to everything else." It also speaks to the soundness of planning for more than just a few favorite species. Occasional nuisances can be dealt with humanely and effectively. The resources listed at the end of this chapter can help you avoid problems before they start. Many are simple, common-sense approaches for keeping raccoons out of the house, reducing squirrels' access to the bird feeder (unless you intend the feed for them, too), and protecting valuable landscape plantings from browsing.

The more we learn about wildlife, the easier it is to plan and enjoy a positive relationship with them. Inviting wildlife into your backyard can be a very important way to nurture this relationship. Watching squirrels from your dining room window provides year round glimpses into their lives. From their mating chases twice a year, to their chattering communication system, to their scatter hoarding of nuts in the fall, each seasonal observation provides a chance to better understand them.

Squirrels may challenge you to keep them out of the attic or the bird feeder, but remember, they have to make a living, too! You will find it helpful and enjoyable if you supplement your observations by reading about the life histories of a few of the animals you have attracted. Knowledge leads to understanding. And understanding can lead to tolerance and a peaceful coexistence.

Other Additions to Your Backyard Habitat

Most of the features discussed in chapter 7 can be incorporated into backyard habitats. Nest boxes are among the easiest and most visually acceptable of the practices. Many cavity nesters are adapted to human-dominated areas and will use nest boxes.

What about brushpiles or rockpiles, which neighbors might consider unsightly? Try hiding these in back corners of the property, with tall flowers planted around the perimeter. Dense shrubs can also hide a brushpile or rockpile. And wildlife will actually like it better when the pile is a bit hidden and has a food source nearby.

Creating backyard habitat can be a rewarding adventure. Numerous publications go beyond the scope of this chapter. Check with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, a nearby botanical garden, or a local garden center or bookstore for additional materials.


Three general categories of wildlife use backyards and other small areas frequented by humans. Wildlife with small home ranges, such as toads, squirrels, cardinals, house finches, and garter snakes, may spend their entire lives in a backyard habitat. Migratory species whose winter or summer requirements are met in a backyard or similar tract may use it seasonally for nesting or for winter cover or feeding. Examples include summer residents such as house wrens and robins and winter residents like pine siskins and whitethroated sparrows. Occasional visitors include species that might stop briefly during spring or fall migration, like a blackburnian warbler or a cedar waxwing, or local permanent residents that periodically visit a backyard, such as an opossum or a downy woodpecker.

Two factors affect the types and numbers of species that use and visit your backyard or other small-tract habitat:

The type and amount of cover and food you provide.
Your backyard habitat's proximity and connectedness to other suitable habitats in the area.
The more diverse habitat you create on your property, the more species you will attract. But to some degree, the surrounding land uses will also playa role in the numbers and types of species you attract. And whether your property is physically connected by habitat corridors to adjacent or nearby quality habitat will also affect the amount and type of wildlife using your property.

As discussed in chapter 2, every species has a different set of habitat requirements that dictates its home range. The more space and habitat variety offered in an entire neighborhood or rural area, the more wildlife that entire region will support. If your yard or other small tract is located near a park or forest preserve, for example, you will probably attract a greater abundance and diversity of species than if it is located near a busy shopping center. Backyards, schoolyards, and business properties located in rural areas often have other suitable habitat within the immediate area, and thus have a good chance of attracting a wide variety of species.

Some species with limited mobility, like frogs, toads, chipmunks, and voles, won't be able to move from the nearby habitat to your property if they have to cross large expanses of land without cover and protection from cars, cats, mowers, and natural predators. So it is important to have not only suitable habitat in the surrounding landscape but also corridors for travel. The corridors don't have to be large, although the bigger the better. For some species, a row of shrubs or a strip of unmowed grass or flowers may be sufficient to allow dispersal from one habitat area to another. But a broader corridor will give more species an opportunity for safe movement.

You can't control the location of your property, but you may be able to influence adjacent or nearby land uses. Why not encourage neighboring homeowners or businesses to develop wildlife habitat plans for their properties? Or if they don't want to invest in a property-wide plan, maybe as a minimum they would be willing to create a corridor between your land and a nearby habitat area.

Many homeowners fear repercussions if they strike out individually and create a drastically different "look" from their neighbors. One simple solution for suburban residents is to form a neighborhood wildlife-habitat group. With several neighbors working together on a project, individual concerns about image can be alleviated. A recent trend in subdivisions is the formation of homeowners' associations. This is another avenue to pursue neighborhood-based wildlife habitat planning.

The flip side of this trend is the residential restrictions some subdivisions and homeowners' associations have implemented. To keep subdivisions looking uniform and tidy, homeowners are required to use pesticides and aren't allowed to plant "wild" gardens or do other alternative landscaping. In this situation, any idea to improve individual or subdivision habitats may be poorly received. Try showing photos of other subdivisions that have considered wildlife concerns, or take association committee members on a field trip to see how other neighborhoods have provided for both wildlife and human residents. Buy Illinois hunting property.

Developing a Plan

Chapter 9, on planning, provides the basics of preparing a plan for habitat improvements and protection on your property. Be sure to read it once you're ready to create your plan.

Considering the human element is especially important when planning backyard habitats. Before deciding what portions of the yard will be devoted to wildlife, designate any areas of human use on your planning map, such as a volleyball court, barbecue area, clothesline, or vegetable or herb garden. The locations of these human activities may affect where you place various plantings, like trees that will become tall or flowers that will attract a lot of bees.

Conversely, it is important to think about how the human element may affect wildlife. For example, you may not want to place certain types of nest boxes near an area that gets regular use by humans, because wildlife parents will be disturbed while they rear their young. Or you might want to place hummingbird plants away from the street, where the birds could dart into traffic. And consider the effects on wildlife not only from your own family but also your neighbors. For example, you wouldn't want to locate a nest box or garden adjacent to your neighbor's swimming pool if it will be busy all summer with activity and noise.

The following sections provide ideas on incorporating specific types of covers and features into your habitat plan.


Creating and Protecting Woody Cover

Many Illinois yards and urban areas contain just a few species of non-native woody plants. For example, yards may have several yew bushes, a couple of shade trees, and nothing else. While yews may be used by house finches, cardinals, and a few other species for nesting, they provide little other wildlife value.

The best thing any homeowner can do is create diversity. Planting a variety of trees and shrubs will create a much better environment for wildlife and humans alike. Use half a dozen or more types of shrubs and at least three different tree species on a half-acre property-the more the better. And of course, even more diversity should be incorporated on a larger property. Look at the types of trees and shrubs already growing in your neighborhood or on surrounding fields, and plant complementary native species to create diversity.

Shrubs come in myriad shapes and sizes, with flowering and seeding varieties. When selecting shrubs, choose plants that provide both good cover and a food source for wildlife. Plant taller species along property borders or behind grasses and flowers, and place shorter shrubs near homes, patios, and other human-use areas. Choose at least four different fruiting varieties to provide a varied food source for wildlife across the seasons. When possible, select native shrubs. While it may seem that exotic plants can't spread from a backyard, especially a suburban one, remember that the birds eating their fruits are transient and can deposit the seed remains of their meals miles away. Some of today's worst problems with exotic plants, such as Tartarian honeysuckle, in natural areas originated from plantings in backyards.

Trees offer dual benefits of providing both wildlife habitat and home-energy savings. Tall shade trees placed strategically on the south and west sides of a home or business protect the building from summer sun and can cut air-conditioning costs by 30%. Likewise, conifers such as cedars, pines, and spruces on the north and west sides of a building provide a barrier against winter winds, cutting heating costs up to 40%. Deciduous shade trees can be planted near a building, but conifers should be planted farther away to maximize winter wind protection. A hundred feet between home and windbreak is ideal. Tall trees, both coniferous and deciduous, are good choices to define the boundaries of your property.

Table 8.1 "Landscaping With Native Illinois Trees and Shrubs" recommends shrubs and trees for wildlife plantings. Also, see details on establishing and maintaining woody cover.

Creating and Protecting Herbaceous Habitat

Grasses and broadleaf plants (forbs) play an important role in the backyard habitat plan. They add texture and color to the Illinois landscape and host a multitude of wild species, since ground-level cover is extremely important to nearly all wildlife. It is fine to designate areas of manicured lawn for human use, but be sure to also set aside spots where grasses and flowers will be allowed to grow to provide cover.

When thinking about grassy cover, consider eliminating your current lawn mix and planting a native prairie garden. Prairie grasses and flowers, many of which are warm-season plants, can provide an attractive alternative to non-native species such as bluegrass and fescue and are easy to maintain once established. Since they thrive on Illinois' hot summer weather, they won't turn brown in July and August like the non-native lawn grasses. Plant a balanced mix of grasses and forbs to provide variety. Consult chapter 3 for species selection. Consider prairie grasses and flowers that are smaller and less aggressive. For example, prairie dropseed could get the nod over big bluestem, and drooping coneflower would be a better choice than prairie dock.

Flower gardens that include non-native plants can also provide valuable cover and food
for many wildlife species. However, as with woody plants, select native species as much as possible. And if you use non-natives, select those that do not invade natural areas.

Butterfly and hummingbird gardens have gained popularity in recent years. With the correct plants and an appropriate site, such a garden often attracts ruby-throated hummingbirds as well as dozens of butterfly species. Butterfly gardens should be located in sunny, sheltered areas protected from the wind. Butterflies are most active when warmed by the sun, so basking areas such as rocks and logs should be in full sunlight for most of the day. Include a couple of periodically moistened mud puddles as a source of water and minerals.

To keep butterflies visiting your garden all season, incorporate a variety of flowers that will bloom at different times. Also, be sure to plant flowers A and grasses that will provide food for the caterpillar stage of butterflies as well as for the adults.

Table 8.2 "Butterfly Larval and Nectar Sources" details plants that attract butterflies and hummingbirds.

Creating and Protecting Aquatic Habitat

Adding some water to your backyard habitat can do wonders to attract more wildlife. Providing water can be as simple as setting up a birdbath or as involved, as designing and excavating a small pond. Retention ponds, a common feature in many suburban and commercial areas, can also provide excellent habitat if properly managed.

Birdbaths have long been popular additions to Illinois yards. The most important aspect is to regularly fill the birdbath with fresh water. Often rain will do the work for you, but during dry periods, be sure to replenish the basin. This water source is of greatest importance to wildlife during extended dry periods.

When choosing a birdbath or water device, be sure it doesn't have a slick surface, so animals can perch easily on the sides and climb out from the basin. Also make sure it has a gradually sloping bottom and isn't too deep. Place it away from areas used by pets, especially potential hiding spots or elevated perch sites for cats. Remember, too, wildlife need water throughout the year. Extended winter periods below freezing are important times to provide a water source for wildlife. Consider installing a submersible heater in the birdbath.

Creating a small pond or pool in your backyard isn't as difficult as it may sound. Many nurseries sell plastic liners for creating ponds in porous soils. They also stock aquatic plants and other materials for creating a backyard pond. If your soil holds water, you won't need a plastic liner and you can dig out your own pond. Most small ponds will need to be replenished periodically with fresh water in the months when temperatures exceed 90°F. Include lots of plants in and around your pond, and consider placing logs and rockpiles in it or nearby.

Besides providing valuable wildlife habitat, a small wetland can be an attractive addition to a home or business. And it can provide excellent educational opportunities for schools. Seriously consider adding aquatic habitat to your property.

Retention ponds have become commonplace in many suburban areas. But many are little more than sterile bowls of water. With minor modifications, they could benefit a variety of wildlife. Consider planting some shrubs and trees near these ponds. Plant a portion of the edge with aquatic plants, and establish at least half of the banks with patches of tall herbaceous vegetation that will remain unllfowed. Also consider building some rockpiles near the edge of the water.

Chapter 5 provides additional ideas on creating, improving, and managing aquatic habitats for wildlife.

Creating Winter Food Plots and Wildlife Feeding Areas

Providing food for birds has significant value for certain species, especially during prolonged periods of deep snow or sub-zero temperatures. But most birds that dine at feeders also eat a range of other natural foods. Like people, most birds need a varied diet to obtain a balance of nutrients. To provide the best possible conditions for birds, provide a mix of food plots and bird feeders containing a variety of seeds.

Most native-flower gardens provide a range of seeds eaten by birds and other wildlife. Again, the more plant species you offer, the better variety for wildlife. And don't be quick to eliminate the "weeds" like goldenrod, foxtail, and asters that might pop up in your yard or garden. These plants usually have excellent food value. Also, if you have enough space, consider planting small food plots of corn, soybeans, sunflowers, or milo to supplement your natural food plots.

Nearly every bird-feeder design imaginable can be found on the market today; choosing the best one may seem a confusing task. If you have the space and the money, install three or four different types, such as a thistle feeder, a platform feeder, and a suet feeder. Feeders don't have to be commercially constructed to be useful. Placing seed on an old tree stump or similar structure also works fine. Platforms can also be built out of scrap wood. Some species prefer to feed on the ground, so spreading a little seed there is useful.

Try to shelter any bird feeder from winter winds. When possible, locate feeders next to shrubs, deciduous trees, or evergreens. This will not only protect the feeding birds from winter winds, it will give them nearby perching sites and provide some protective overhead cover from hawks looking for a feathered meal.

Three common methods-mowing, burning, and tilling-exist for maintaining and enhancing grasslands for wildlife. Sometimes grazing can also be used. Each method can be used independently, or they may be used in combination. In addition, your grassland needs to be protected from other disturbances, and the standards for plant-species diversity, successional stage, and structural components need to be met. All of these considerations together form a practice. By heeding the collective importance of all criteria in a practice when managing your grassland, you can be assured that you're providing suitable habitat for Illinois wildlife.

Remember, complete lack of disturbance is not a healthy alternative for our state's grasslands. At least one of these practices should be used for every existing grassland, depending on the type of grassland, the management objective, and the landowner's capabilities.

With all three practices, the most important factors affecting the disturbance's impact on wildlife are timing and amount. These are discussed in detail for each practice.

Grassland Protection with Delayed Mowing

Mowing at the appropriate times can control invasion of woody plants in Grasslands but mowing favors perennial grasses. Forbs, legumes, and annual broadleafs, which all produce abundant seeds for wildlife, will decrease. Grass litter also accumulates with mowing. Mowing can be useful, but if possible it is best done in combination with burning and light tillage.

Avoid mowing any stand of grass between April 1 and August 1, the prime nesting season for most grassland birds. With cool-season grasses, mowing should also not be done between September 15 and February 15 to assure that adequate winter cover remains. If mowing is used instead of burning for managing warm-season grasses, it should be done only in early spring, from February 15 to April.

The exception to these rules is when you are establishing grassy cover, when you may have to mow to control undesirable weeds. Then mow as needed with a rotary mower, although generally not after June in native warm-season grass plantings.

Don't mow more than a third of an established stand in any one year. This will provide some undisturbed habitat for wildlife and create a mosaic of different plant heights and densities. Divide the grassland stand into units, and rotate your mowing accordingly. For example, if you have thirty acres, you could divide it into three ten acre management units, mowing each unit once every three years.

Grassland Protection with Prescribed Burning

Fire can be useful for managing cool-season grasslands and is the preferred tool for managing warm-season grasses. However, defining the specific objective for burning and planning before the burn season are both essential to a successful and safe burn. A primary benefit of burning is preventing litter build-up (thatch) in grassy cover. With warm-season cover this helps warm up and dry out the soil faster in the spring and allows the prairie species a longer growing season. These factors are important when you are trying to eliminate competing cool-season invaders that don't thrive in warm, dry conditions. In all types of grassy cover, reducing the thatch level also reduces matting and keeps growing plants more erect. Thinned-out vegetation makes it easier for smaller Illinois wildlife species to travel within the cover.

Frequent early-spring burning (March 15 to April 15) can help control woody plants. Burning at the end of this period can also help control and eliminate cool-season problem plants in warm-season grass plantings. But it will also favor the grasses and cause forbs, legumes, and annuals to decrease. Late-winter burning (January 15 to March 15) will benefit diversity in the plant stand, favoring forbs, legumes, cool-season grasses, and annuals, but it will not be as effective in controlling woody plants, except cedar and pine. Hand removal or herbicide treatment may be needed to control woody plants where spring burns are not desired.

Fall burns may be conducted in prairie stands and may be desired on sites that are usually too wet to burn in the spring. Burns done in October or early November can help control or reduce invasion of woody plants and favor forbs. However, fall burning eliminates valuable winter wildlife cover. It is also not recommended on newly established plantings located on steep slopes. Until the grassland has had time to develop its extensive root system, the site could be prone to erosion if a fall burn is conducted.

As with mowing, never burn more than a third of the established grassland acreage in anyone year. This rule is especially important with burning because of the insects that overwinter in grassland plants.

See the "Suggested Reading" resources at the end of this chapter for information on safely conducting prescribed burns.

Grassland Protection with Tillage

Tillage can be used to thin a grassland that has become too thick or to establish or promote broadleaf plant diversity in a grass stand. Light tillage (less than 25% of the tilled plot) prevents litter build-up and increases legumes and annual plants. Light tillage may not prevent woody plant invasion. Hand removal, herbicide treatment, delayed mowing, or prescribed burning may be used when woody plants need control. Heavy tillage (more than 90% of the tilled plot) controls woody plant invasion, creates bare soil areas, and will convert most cool- and warm-season grassy covers to old field cover. Any amount of tillage may open prairie stands to invasion by weeds and is not a preferred disturbance practice in prairies that already have a high plant diversity. For seedings that are only grass, however, tillage may improve plant diversity. As with mowing and burning, never till more than a third of the established grassland acreage in anyone year, and do not initiate tillage in new areas during the nesting season, between April 1 and August 1. Fall tillage is often recommended.

Grassland Protection with Light Grazing

Light grazing may be a compatible disturbance with wildlife cover, but the qualifier "light" cannot be overemphasized. Bison and elk historically grazed on Illinois' prairie Grasslands but the grazing patterns were very random and infrequent at most locations. If you plan to graze a grassland, it should preferably be done outside of the nesting season (April 1 to August 1). However, very light grazing during the nesting season may be done without serious consequences to nesting wildlife. Plant heights of at least twelve inches should be maintained at all times on grazed grasslands. Chapter 6 has recommendations for grassland used primarily for hay and pasture.



Dennis Frey

It's hard to drive by Dennis Frey's Hamilton County farm near Belle Prairie City without taking note. The ninety acres of tall grass-big bluestem and Indian grass-surrounding the family's homesite provide an oasis in the agricultural landscape. Though Dennis is a grain farmer, an early job with the soil conservation service piqued his interest in stewardship. When the district conservationist wanted to establish a prairie in the county, Dennis was on the committee. Their discussions came to mind when it was time to put acreage of his own into the Conservation Reserve Program. Buy Illinois hunting land.

While it appears the grassland was always here, it happened only with a lot of hard work. According to Dennis, the most rewarding part was his first good stand of prairie grass, which didn't appear until three years after he started planting. Dennis began small, putting in only five acres in the first year, and he had to master a different kind of farming. He learned that the prairie grasses needed a fine seed bed, and that after the seed is planted, it should be rolled. Picking the proper date to plant was also important-planting the first or second week in June led to 80% success rate.

From that first five acres the grassland on the Frey farm has grown to over ninety acres. As Dennis continued to plant; he interspersed wildlife food plots into the area, and even integrated a wetland. The wet areas became a "field of dreams" for waterfowl, attracting geese, teal, and mallards.

Once established, the grasses have been fairly easy to maintain. Different parcels are burned every year, with the whole cycle completed every four years. "When it burns, what an awesome sight," says Dennis. "The flames are twenty to thirty feet high and it sounds like a train. I can't imagine a thousand acres burning with the wind blowing. What would you do?"

Asked if he would plant his grassland again, Dennis gives a resounding yes! " While I was always interested in wildlife as a kid," he says, "these plantings have given me a greater appreciation of nature. Six coveys of Bobwhite live on the property, and the grassland provides an escape for deer as they bound across the lane to disappear into the grass. Red fox can be seen on the hills, and I even have a beaver dam. Just seeing the wildlife and being able to watch the ducks and birds close-up gives me a great feeling. I also find myself spending more time providing for and watching wildlife than I do hunting."

If he could do it over again, Dennis would plant more prairie forbs and start earlier, but overall he is happy. This is the family property where his father was born and farmed. Now it is Dennis's turn to work their special ground. By his incorporation of a native landscape into a traditional grain farm, Dennis has created a treasured place.

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