As winter approaches, small wildlife begins searching for safe, cozy places to shelter from the cold. When tackling your final fall yard cleanup, remember that a little mess can make a big difference for wildlife! Fallen leaves, branches, brush piles, and dried flower stems all provide essential winter habitat for insects, amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals.
Here are five simple ways to help wildlife this winter:
*Build a brush pile! Gather fallen limbs, branches, and leaves into a pile along a woodland edge or in a quiet corner of your yard.
*Leave those flowers standing! Dried flower heads and stems provide shelter for overwintering insects and seeds for hungry birds.
*Create cozy hiding spots! Partially bury clay pots, old pipes, or cinder blocks near brush piles to provide additional shelter for small critters.
*Put old boards to good use! Place untreated wood boards in a wooded area or beneath trees and cover them with leaves to create protected hiding spaces.
*Let logs lie! Leave a few fallen logs around your garden, brush pile, or woodland edge to provide habitat for insects, salamanders, and other small wildlife.
Remember, a wildlife-friendly yard doesn’t have to be perfectly tidy! These small actions can make a big difference in helping wildlife survive the winter while supporting biodiversity right in your own backyard.
