CORRECTLY TIMING BRUSH MANAGEMENT

Brush management is a land management practice that yields a variety of results. Done improperly, the results seriously alter and damage the landscape -- just one hour with an ill-considered round of chainsawing can take one hundred years to repair. But, when done correctly, brush management enhances your property's value to wildlife, aesthetics, and the surrounding ecosystem. While there are no sure things in land management, a well-considered brush management plan helps ensure the desired results are achieved.

The first step of a proper management plan is to decide the goals for your property. For properties under a 1-d-1w wildlife management use appraisal, the goal should be to improve the health of the land in a way that benefits your targeted wildlife species.

The next consideration should be when to conduct the planned work. With the exception of endangered species habitat, 1-d-1w guidelines allow brush management to be conducted anytime between January 1 and December 31. However, there are times when conducting brush management could be harmful to target wildlife species. For instance, if your wildlife management plan includes managing for songbirds, running chainsaws or equipment in songbird habitat during their breeding season could have a negative impact on the next year's population. While the cool weather of spring might be the most enticing time of year to fire up a chainsaw to clear brush, doing so might hurt the wildlife you are trying to protect. The whine of a saw and the disturbance of brush are not conducive to reproductive activities; nesting may be disrupted and newborns stressed. As the typical songbird breeding season in Central Texas lasts from March 15 to August 15, the better times for conducting brush management are from January 1 through March 15, and from August 15 through December 31.

Similarly, when conducting brush management with equipment such as a skid steer with hydraulic shears on a property being managed for quail or turkey, brush management safely occurs from January 1 through March 31 and from October 1 through December 3. These birds are ground nesting birds, and equipment can inadvertently run over and destroy nests and eggs.

An added benefit of conducting brush management with equipment during these dates is that they also coincide with the recommended dates for planting native grasses that are beneficial to both the land and wildlife. These two management practices work well together not only because of the timing, but also because using equipment to conduct brush management will disturb the soil which is a requirement of planting grass seed. By conducting these practices together, there is an increased ecological benefit. Planting the appropriate seeds can help ensure that the new vegetation will create good quality habitat for the target wildlife species.

Brush management is conducted in a variety of ways and times throughout the year to achieve any number of management goals. The benefits of brush management increase when implemented with a well developed plan, executed at the proper time, and matched with complimentary management practices.

Plateau offers selective and ecologically sound brush management which maintains the integrity of the habitat for native wildlife, while enhancing the beauty of your property. Whether high intensity, machine brush clearing or hand work, our skilled field technicians implement techniques that are tailored to the habitat needs of your property and its wildlife. Contact us for more details.

When done correctly, brush management enhances your property's value to wildlife, aesthetics, and the surrounding ecosystem.

COWS, PLOWS, AND WILDLIFE

A balancing act for Texas landowners

by Kasey Mock, Plateau Business Development Coordinator

As I visit with landowners across Texas, there is a common theme that eventually surfaces as we discuss the ins and outs of wildlife management. The question of whether or not landowners, particularly new landowners, should allow cattle to graze their property is an issue that I often struggle with myself, and I have yet to find a consistent answer applicable to landowners as a whole. My usual response is to first give careful consideration to the condition of the property, and secondly to take into account the landowner's goals.

It might help to think back to the Spanish conquistadors who came upon this piece of heaven we now call the state of Texas. These early settlers made notes of scattered trees and grasses as tall as the stirrups of their saddles. Then came the Anglo cowboys who took advantage of the seemingly endless supply of grass and stocked large numbers of Mexican cattle, soon followed by sheeps and goats, to satisfy an increasing demand from the east. Although the landscape changed and the once abundant native grasses fell victim to overuse, the demand for food and fiber continued to grow as producers struggled to get more out of the land. Improved exotic grasses such as Tifton Bermuda Grass and King Ranch Bluestem were introduced as the substitute for natives, offering higher yields and an increased carrying capacity. While these production goals were met, the indigenous Texas wildlife paid a heavy price. It was this strain upon producers facing an ever increasing demand for food and fiber, coupled with land fragmentation and property values driven by the non-traditional rural land buyer, that eventually led to the special valuation on open-space agricultural and wildlife lands in our Texas Constitution.

While today's rural landowners in wildlife have the ability to actively manage their property without the use of the cow and the plow to maintain a favorable property tax valuation, being in wildlife does not mean letting the land go wild. The need for ongoing management persists as land that is left alone can be quickly overtaken by invasive species, ultimately unusable to critters and problematic for humans. In his 1933 textbook Game Management, Aldo Leopold wrote "game can be restored by the creative use of the same tools which have heretofore destroyed it -- ax, plow, cow, fire, and gun." Considered the father of wildlife management, Leopold understood the need for diversity, both of habitat and the approach to management. He also recognized that with proper application, the cow and plow can serve as an asset to the wildlife cautious property manager.

A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of visiting with a client in Lavaca County who made the switch from ag to wildlife in 2008. By removing cattle and allowing his property to rest for multiple growing seasons, he has seen an incredible recruitment of native grasses and the benefits being reaped by quail, turkey, deer, and other wildlife species. Though this may seem a final success story, that isn't why we met at his 70 acre property. The rebound of native grasses has also created the perfect scenario for a beneficial rotational grazing program. By evaluating the available forage load we were able to make proper stocking rate suggestions. Today he is preparing to re-stock for a spring "flash graze." This is a prime example of a property owner taking advantage of the increased options available through wildlife management.

The rebound of native grasses may create the perfect scenario for a beneficial rotational grazing program.

Routinely grazing a property will continue to promote overall plant diversity while contributing beneficial bacteria and aeration to the soil. As we evaluated his property, I continued to reaffirm the importance of monitoring forage levels and the benefits of a rotational grazing program. I was reminded of a phrase my father-in-law, a life-long rancher, shared with me. He explained to me that he uses cattle to regulate grass, rather than grass to grow beef. A successful land steward is in the grass business, not the cattle business.

For years the State of Texas, through the Cooperative Extension Service, taught landowners how to cultivate scientifically improved grasses which require large amounts of fertilizer and herbicide. Fortunately, these producers recognized the lack of sustainability and long term effects of exotics. Realizing this, Dr. Larry Redmond with Texas AgriLife Extension is focusing efforts toward a state wide campaign to educate landowners on the importance of re-establishing Texas native grasses. A mosaic of shrubs and native grasses creates ideal habitat for bobwhite quail and other ground nesting birds, while reducing input costs and the environmental impact of the cattle producer.

As a former 4-H member and director for Hays County Farm Bureau board, I am a lifelong advocate for Texas Agriculture. With agriculture being the leading job creator in Texas, and the world dependence on a steady supply of food and fiber, where would we end up if every acre of Texas was taken out of production? The answer is simple: naked and hungry. That being said, I am reminded of a quote by Theodore Roosevelt during his 1912 Confession of Faith Speech, "There can be no greater issue than that of conservation in this country." I suspect that the former President, along with Mr. Leopold, would have shared similar views of conservation and habitat management.

So, should farming and ranching be left to the farmers and ranchers, or should wildlife management property owners include grazing in their activities? In a nutshell, it just depends. The only absolute for a landowner is to always approach the answer with reverence for stewardship and careful consideration of the condition of the property and landowner goals.

I wish you a prosperous and wild 2011!

SOLID TERRAIN MODELING: A MAP OF YOUR LAND IN 3D

by Zach Stark, Plateau Level II Wildlife Services Field Technician, B.S. Geography

Plateau Land & Wildlife Management is excited to announce that we have teamed with Solid Terrain Modeling Inc. (STM), a nationally recognized leader in three dimensional (3D) mapping technology. Together, we are taking mapping capabilities for our clients to the next level.

Plateau client landowners now have the ability to showcase their land with a 3D model map, available in a wide range of sizes from desktop to wall mount, that is easily interpreted, catches the eye, and serves a wide variety of purposes. Whether you want to display your ranch for personal pleasure or for detailed land and wildlife management planning, a 3D terrain model is an invaluable tool to have at your disposal. Maybe you live hours from your property and want to be able to accurately convey to your friends and family how to navigate to that special hunting blind or stock tank, or you're tied to the office but need to make sure the planning and development of a large land project is conducted exactly how you envisioned, these instructional and engaging educational tools give unprecedented clarity and communicate effectively the message you need to convey.

Plateau begins the 3D mapping process by defining the area you want to model and obtaining a set of digital elevation data points that are then entered into our milling computer so high density polyurethane foam can be cut into the surface topography. After this base is built, STM takes high resolution satellite imagery of the landscape and uses its special fly-over printing technology to print directly onto the model. The end result is an extremely accurate scale representation your land.

This very same patented STM technology has been used for everything from personal ranch maps to National Geographic Society exhibits to a discussion of the landscape of Afghanistan by General Petraeus in his Meet the Press interview.

For more information on how our 3D mapping can work for you and your land, contact us today.

General Petraeus discusses the landscape of Afghanistan with an STM map. Screenshot taken from his Meet the Press interview.

PURPLE MARTIN BOX INSTALLATIONS

Purple Martins begin arriving in February. Installation of Purple Martin boxes by Plateau's expert field technicians is currently underway and will finish up for the season in February. Photo courtesy Lee Kothmann.

For centuries, Native American tribes attracted Purple Martins to their villages with clusters of hollowed-out gourds. Experts have surmised that the Purple Martins served as village alarm clocks with their early morning singing or, perhaps, they were feathered watchdogs, as the large swallow is well-known for sounding out alarm calls when predators or strangers approach the colony site. Whatever the reason for the attraction, the Purple Martin has been managed intentionally by humans longer than any other North American songbird. Today, whether for their beauty, song, or voracious appetite for pesky flying insects, an estimated 1 million North Americans provide housing for Purple Martins. Due to a decline in natural nesting sites (such as tree cavities) as a result of urban sprawl, farming and logging, as well as competition from the non-native House Sparrow and European Starling, human-provided housing and management has become vital to Purple Martins, especially east of the Rocky Mountains, where they have undergone a complete "tradition shift." Purple Martins are now the only bird species entirely dependent on humans for supplying them with nesting cavities. Purple Martins arrive at their Texas timeshares around the first half of February after spending approximately five months in South America. (Purple Martin information from The Purple Martin and Its Management published by Texas Parks and Wildlife).

ADVENTURES IN WILDLIFE: SITE MONITORING VISIT

The ecstasy and then the big bug agony of nest box maintenance

by Kameron Bain, Plateau Business Development

2010 has been a year full of new adventures for me. I never imagined that when I started working at Plateau Land & Wildlife Management over three years ago that I would have the opportunity to experience the pain and victory of brush management, or the joy of working with a family as they embark on a new journey with their land. For my next adventure I knew it was time to head back out with the tech team, and after my bruising brush with brush management experience I hoped for something a little more mellow. A nice walk in the wilderness checking nest boxes sounded just right. However, the day turned out to be more of an adventure then I had originally planned.

It had been a busy few months at the office so I was excited to get out and away from my email and phone for some peace and serenity in the hill country. I was not at the least bit concerned when Plateau wildlife services technician and my fellow adventurer for the day Zach Stark loaded up the wasp spray and snake guards. We had a busy day ahead of us checking more than forty nest boxes and I did not want to slow him down.

Zach had done much preparation the day before at the office so we could get to the property and immediately get going. And that is what we did. In fact we spent the next 6 hours straight going and going and going.

The day started off great. It was a perfect, crisp fall day and the first few nest boxes we found quickly and easily. Zach and I made a great team. He would open the boxes and I would take the photos and write down all the important information. Opening each nest box was like opening a new gift. I was amazed at the quality of the nests. Each nest was carefully and strategically crafted with twigs, moss, grass and even trash and hair.

As the day wore on we encountered obstacles such as hard to find or missing nest boxes, terrain that was unmanageable, or nest boxes in need of repair. But the one obstacle (at least from my perspective) that reigned supreme over all others? Bugs! Nest boxes also make good homes for bugs, apparently. Having grown up in the wilderness of New Hampshire where I came across plenty of bugs I never considered myself a wimp. But as the saying goes, everything is bigger in Texas. Even the bugs.I have never seen bigger wasps or more scorpions in my life. While I was in the mood for a nice walk, I was not in the mood to get stung. Plus, I really did not want to cry in front of Zach who sacrificed himself to the wrath of the wasps. He let me hide when we came across a nest that had a dull hum or vibration.

By late afternoon I lost a lot of the pep in my step. The constant maneuvering through brush, the escape of the wasps, and the warm sun was starting to take its toll on me. Zach, on the other hand, kept pushing along with the same energy and quick step. I was beyond impressed by his level of dedication and hard work. He always did his due diligence to find a missing nest box, find the perfect spot for a new nest box, or fix a damaged box even if it meant trekking back to the truck.

After navigating our way around a lake to clean a duck box, my day was done and I was exhausted. Once again, I am in awe of the challenges and hard work the tech team faces every day. It is nice to get out of the office but I doubt I could do all they do with the same level, skill, and expertise -- day in and day out.

Ultimately, as in my previous adventures, I learned valuable wildlife management lessons including the importance of checking your nest boxes between birding seasons. The property Zach and I visited had not checked their boxes in a year. Some of the boxes had multiple nests in them so there was no room left for a new bird family. Also, those bugs needed to be removed and damages fixed. Thanks to the Plateau team, many properties will have successful breedings seasons.

Finally, a personal thank you to Zach for allowing me to tag along for the day and braving those wasps. Your knowledge and dedication is invaluable to Plateau. Even though the day was long and tiring, it was fun and interesting. Plus after all the exercise, I slept like a rock.

Until next season, have a Happy New Year!

A new owl shack is installed on a site monitoring visit. Kameron no doubt stands exhausted, just off camera.

BRINGING PLATEAU HOME

Nurturing wildlife and the land in a city backyard

by Stacy Marcus, Plateau Sales and Marketing Assistant

Growing up in a big city, I had very little opportunity to experience the vast array of wildlife Texas has to offer. But during the past few months since joining Plateau Land & Wildlife Management, I've been given a chance to dive head-first into Plateau's wealth of wildlife and land conservation knowledge and experience.

While I always understood the importance of taking care of our environment, that understanding shifted from my head to my heart when I became pregnant. Like most parents, I want only the best for my child, and that includes a future full of the color and wonder of nature. In the Spring issue Seasons, our company founder, David Braun, wrote in his article "Beyond BP" about the millions of daily small assaults on our environment -- the pesticides, fertilizers, petroleum products, garbage and byproducts of our modern lifestyle. Believing in the premise that one person can make a difference, along with my family, I decided to not be one of those small assaults on the environment. Instead, we decided to be one of its small champions. Our goals were environmentally friendly gardening, lawn maintenance, and to encourage wildlife visits.

First up, we eliminated the use of harmful lawn chemicals and our usual "weed and feed" routine. This meant hand-pulling weeds instead. Oh joy! Surveying the blanket of dandelions looming above the grass in our front yard, I certainly felt overwhelmed initially. With a "baby steps" plan of action to attack it by sections, I chose the most visible area first and with a bucket and a dandelion puller in hand, my daughter and I headed outside. I was pleasantly surprised by the attention span of a two and a half year old. Although she was more successful pulling out blades of grass than actual weeds, she loved being outside with me and helping. I was also surprised by just how satisfying it was to pull out these unsightly weeds. Each time I pulled out another large plant, I could almost hear the grass sigh with relief. All the while, I'm out in the fresh air of morning with my daughter listening to the birds sing.

Next, we added a simple bird feeder and source of water. If you feed them, they will come! I am simply amazed by the amount and variety of birds that visit our feeder. We have seen Cardinals and Blue Jays and a host of other birds just waiting to be identified. The activity at our feeder morning and evening has become my family's "must-see tv." By the end of the nesting season, we counted three different Dove nests and a Mockingbird nest in the neighbor's tree. My daughter and I even had the enchanting opportunity to watch a Blue Jay chick learn to fly. Together, we watched the baby hop around with both parents standing guard on the fence.

Our next mission is increased rainwater harvesting and composting. Why waste all that delicious water when it's free and gardens thrive on rainwater? Several cities now offer rebate programs for the purchase and installation of rainwater collection barrels. Some even encourage composting. The City of Austin, for example, has offered a rebate up to $75 towards the purchase of compost bins.

Overall, the process of nurturing the land and wildlife in our city home has been easy, surprisingly cost-effective, and remarkably similar to a Plateau wildlife management plan. While the process has been simple, the physical and emotional rewards have been almost incalculable. Our yard is beautiful, one of the few on our block that remain thick and green. We've spent rewarding, quality time outdoors with our hands in the dirt. As a family, we take joy in watching our feathered friends feed at breakfast and dinner. It feels good to know my family and I are doing our small part to take care of this wonderful place while at the same time teaching the next generation a love of nature.

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) offers loads of information on how to make your home and backyard more wildlife friendly, including regional resources, and how to have your backyard certified as a wildlife habitat by the NWF, like Stacy. For more information, visit their website at nwf.org.

Flora and fauna flourishing in Stacy's backyard!

TEAMING WITH WILDLIFE: SUPPORTING TPWD AND ITS NON-GAME WILDLIFE PROGRAMS

by David Braun, Plateau CEO, Co-founder

Since its founding, Plateau has been driven by its mission of helping private landowners achieve their wildlife conservation goals. So, it won't come as any surprise that many of our employees are active in a variety of wildlife conservation causes outside of work, too. For the last 6 years, I've been proud to serve as Chairman of the Texas Teaming With Wildlife Coalition.

The Coalition was established to support the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and its non-game wildlife programs at the state and federal level. I give my time and money to this effort because I believe that having robust public programs for wildlife conservation is critical to our success in Plateau's private conservation work. Using state and federal funding, TPWD provides an array of research, educational programs and technical support that support conservation efforts by private landowners and consultants like Plateau. TPWD is our critical partner.

In my 6 years with the Coalition, and for that matter the 25 years I've been working in this field, I've never seen such a poor climate for publicly-funded conservation programs. At the federal level, much needed new environmental protection initiatives are off the table and our coalition expects to spend the next few years just trying to protect existing programs from cuts as Congress looks for ways to reduce the federal deficit. At the state level, with revenue shortfalls at a record level, TPWD and other agencies are being asked to cut 7-8% from already tight budgets.

Before the legislative session is over in June, TPWD may lose even more of its ability to assist private landowners. For those of you who want to help with the work of the Coalition, you can become a member by contacting Carolyn Burton at cburton@braunassociateslaw.com or by phone at 512-894-5426. We will also be sending more information in future mailings.

In this economic climate, the work of private landowners becomes more important than ever. No one who cares about the health of our natural world can reasonably expect that the conservation job will be done by our government agencies alone. Clients of Plateau and other landowners like them are the front line and most important players in conserving our wildlife resources for future generations. For everyone who can, now is the time to redouble and expand their personal efforts toward improved land stewardship, habitat creation and wildlife management on their land. Plateau is proud to be a partner to so many who are doing so much and we look forward to helping you as you work to achieve your goals.

THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF OPEN SPACE

A refresher on why ag/wildlife valuation matters and why it cannot be taken away

By Shane Kiefer, Plateau Senior Wildlife Biologist

When tax bills began arriving in the fall, you were no doubt reminded of the the economic benefit of having a wildlife or agricultural valuation in place. Many of you are also probably aware of the impending budget deficit that our legislators will face as they prepare a new state budget in the first half of next year. We at Plateau are often asked, "Are they going to take away my wildlife or agricultural valuation?" And as certain as death and taxes, we should expect at least one or two newspaper articles in the spring about how some landowners are getting tax "exemptions" for having a few cows or some wildlife on their property and thus not paying their fair share. While many of you have heard Plateau make this case before, going into the 2011 Texas legislative session, a refresher is in order.

There is a strong protection built into the way the open-space (ag/wildlife valuation) law is structured, which should ease your mind a little. The laws that allow for a special valuation on open-space agricultural and wildlife lands are required by the Texas Constitution Article VIII, §1-d-1, which says that the legislature "SHALL provide by general law for taxation of open-space land devoted to farm, ranch, or wildlife management purposes on the basis of its productive capacity..." (emphasis added).

This means that the legislature cannot simply pass a law to eliminate these special valuations. They can change the rules and requirements, but they cannot eliminate it without amending the constitution, and only the people of Texas can do that.

The laws that allow for a special valuation on open-space agricultural and wildlife lands are required by the Texas Constitution. This means that the legislature cannot simply pass a law to eliminate these special valuations.

The premise that landowners enjoying the benefits of wildlife and agricultural valuations are not paying their fair share is a flawed one. To start, these are not tax "exemptions," they are special valuations designed to tax land on its productive capacity instead of its market value. The truth is that owners of open-space land are helping to make up for deficits in delivering services to residential property. According to a compilation of studies from across the country by the American Farmland Trust, the median cost to provide services to working and open-space lands is only $0.37 for every dollar raised in tax revenue from those lands. This ratio is also known as the Cost of Community Services (COCS) ratio. The open-space land ratio is comparable to the ratio for commercial lands ($0.29/$1.00). In contrast, providing services to residential land costs $1.19 for every dollar raised. That means it costs more to provide services to all those people and houses than they pay in property taxes.

Texas lands are no different. Three counties in Texas had ratios ranging from 0.18/$1.00-0.33/$1.00, which means that Texas open-space land is even more cost-efficient than the national median. Despite the substantially higher revenues that residential use brings in over open-space land with those special valuations on it, the infrastructure and service needs for all that open-space land are much lower. As David Langford of the Texas Wildlife Association has said "cows don't go to school, songbirds don't call 9-1-1, and crops don't require the 'jaws of life' or Medivac helicopters after Saturday night smashups on the freeway."

And remember, you are still paying market value on all the structures (if any are present) and the associated residential land on your property. The only land receiving the tax break is that used for wildlife or agricultural purposes and that requires virtually no government services.

Of course, there are lots of intangible and difficult to quantify reasons to support open-space including improved water quality, wildlife habitat, scenic-views, etc. As wildlife biologists, these mean quite a bit to the Plateau team. As taxpayers, though, it is nice to see that the economics make sense as well.

As we enter the next legislative session in January 2011, remember to encourage your representatives to support open-space. Even though they cannot eliminate ag/wildlife valuations without a constitutional amendment, they can adjust the rules to make it more difficult to qualify. And for anyone who wants to do away with them, remember that if that occurs, lots of land will hit the market with the resulting rapidly increasing taxes, driving prices (and tax revenues) down. And never forget that conversion of land to residential use may result in more tax revenue, but that comes with higher costs to the state and local governments who provide essential services, erasing any benefit to government coffers.

EXPLORING YOUR PROPERTY: AN END OF THE YEAR WALKABOUT (OR HORSE OR TRUCKABOUT)

The end of the year is a great time to explore your property.

As 2010 winds down and New Year's resolutions are made (or at least contemplated), now is a great time to put some thought into how your land is faring. Spend some time, perhaps a sunny afternoon, and really explore your land. With bugs and critters at a minimum, and Texas temperatures typically pretty nice (not too hot and not too cold), winter is an excellent time to explore your property. As your land is constantly changing, you might notice things now that you wouldn't in the middle of the summer.

Look for any changes over the past year (or years) that might be negatively impacting your property. Check for soil erosion. Are there places where your soil is headed downhill to your neighbor's property or into the creek? Placement of slash or rocks to slow the flow and seeding bare areas can help address this.

Have invasive species invaded? Common invasive species include Chinaberry, Chinese tallow, and willow baccharis. In the case of Chinese tallow, its numbers in East Texas increased by 174 percent from 1992 to 2007, creating tight monoculture grips on the land, excluding diversity, and wiping out special habitat and native grasslands. If you do find some non-native trees, removing them before they proliferate saves headaches in the long run. Think about having them taken out, turned into dead snags to provide nesting and roosting areas for native birds, or replaced with colorful native varieties. Carolina buckthorn, flame-leaf, fragrant and evergreen sumacs, rough-leaf dogwood, red oaks, and big tooth maples all provide wonderful fall colors, and will help you let go of any beautiful, but potentially damaging, invasives.

Assess your cedar control. Are there areas that need to be thinned out? Keep in mind that slash, the material from cut trees that you've taken out, can be put to good use as erosion control or standing brush piles, providing habitat for small critters that keep the food chain going. Running the slash through a shredder and using it as mulch is also a good option. Burning it is the most economical choice but should be a last resort, as that can sterilize the soil beneath the burn pile, leaving a bare patch open to erosion and/or eventual invasion by fast-growing, non-native grasses. Returning slash to the land instead will build your soil, counteract past erosion, and improve your soil's ability to hold water. And consider where to sow some native grasses.

While on your walkabout (or horse or truckabout) look at your property through the eyes of the wildlife. How do the deer find your property? Wildlife are primarily looking for three things: food, water, and shelter. As wildlife managers, it is our goal to provide adequate food, water, and shelter. As land stewards, we need to determine if the best way is through natural or supplemental methods. As you explore your property, look at the biodiversity of plants, check out your brush piles, and see if you have any nest boxes that might need replacing.

Finally, look at your land as just that -- your land! As you explore, think about improvements you might want to make. Wildlife ponds, nature trails, and wildlife viewing destinations are common additions that will allow you to better enjoy your land in 2011 and beyond!