WILDLIFE HABITAT PLANTINGS ON PIVOT CORNERS

WHAT IS A WILDLIFE PLANTING?

It should first be noted that virtually all tree plantings of any size, provide habitat for wildlife, but trees planted strictly for shelterbelt purposes often lack some habitat features important to wildlife. Tree plantings that are established to specifically benefit wildlife usually include a variety of tree species whose selection, planting arrangement and location are planned to do three things for wildlife: provide shelter, food and escape routes.

Most of us are familiar with the layout design of trees planted for shelter around farmsteads. They usually consist of a multi row planting that includes a shrub type species on the outside row with one or two rows of tall deciduous trees and sometimes one or two rows of conifers on the side next to the farmstead itself. Farmstead shelterbelts provide some shelter and, if large enough, travel lanes or escape routes, but often they do not provide much in the way of food.

A multi row layout should also be used for a wildlife tree plantings, however, it should ideally be designed so that fruit bearing shrub species are planted on opposite outside rows with taller deciduous trees and possibly coniferous trees on the inside. This general "wildlife block planting" design provides all of the important elements for food, cover and, depending on its length, escape routes. This planting design maximizes the amount of "edge" available to wildlife. "Edge" is a term used to describe an area where grassland or cropland and shrubs meet. It is known that increasing the amount of edge increases the feeding and nesting of birds. Additional information on, wildlife block plantings is available in Designing Tree Plantings for Wildlife publication.

Multi-Use Plantings:

Farmers are often not prepared to dedicate the amount of land necessary to establish a block planting specifically for wildlife. This is especially true on pivot corners where some of the land may be needed for stacking feed, placement of granaries or equipment, among other uses. However, they may be prepared to establish a tree planting that would provide shelter for their uses while at the same time provide more useful elements for wildlife than a standard farmstead shelterbelt. In this case a standard multi row farmstead shelterbelt planting on the windward side of a pivot corner could be incorporated with a woody food plot type planting extending at right angles to it. (see Figure 1.)

However, if the farmer is prepared to dedicate more land to this planting, consideration should be given to planting some lower growing deciduous trees and shrubs on the other side of the conifer row. This can even be done at a later date. In this case the shelterbelt portion of this multi-use planting would be converted to what would be more appropriated called a wildlife block planting, as described previously.

Woody Food Plots Tree Planting

The main objective of this type of planting is to provide a year-round source of food as well as some protection. The amount and type of food provided will depend on the wildlife species you wish to attract. A variety of foods can be provided by woody plant material such as berries, seeds and browse. Figure 1, Figure 2, & Figure 3, all incorporate various configurations of woody food plot plantings with pheasants specifically in mind.

Escape Routes and Travel Corridors

Narrow one or two row corridor wildlife plantings that provide continuous cover between larger tree plantings create important escape routes or travel lanes. By tying such plantings in with existing trees ie. along coulees, creeks or canals the travel lanes can be extended further. In Irrigation Districts, corridor plantings should be considered on new irrigation district pipeline right-of-ways when irrigation canals are replaced by pipelines, since useful wildlife habitat is often lost in the process. Corridor plantings in this case, can be especially useful, if they can link larger wildlife plantings on different pivot corners.

DESIGNING WILDLIFE PLANTINGS FOR TARGETED SPECIES

Selection and design layout can favour some species more than others. The design recommendations for wildlife habitat in attached Figures 1 through 3 were designed with pheasants in mind as the target species, however, the recommended development of habitat in this brochure will also provide shelter, food and escape routes for numerous other wildlife species.

Cover and Shelter Requirements of Pheasants

The selection of cover types by pheasants often depends on their daily activities. One major determinant of habitat selection appears to be protection from predators. During the day, cover that includes a woody canopy and little understory vegetation will be selected for protection from avian predators. During the night, low herbaceous or shrub cover will be selected to allow escape by flight from mammalian predators.

During the winter, especially during snowstorms, pheasants will require protection from low temperatures, high winds and blowing snow. Tree species and the size of the habitat become important in this situation. The best barrier against high winds and blowing snow is dense vegetation such as cattail marshes or coniferous trees. The size of the habitat is important because if the habitat is too small it may become filled with snow and thus be of little use as protection.

Recommendations

A multi-use wildlife shelterbelt should be a minimum of 4 to 6 rows wide for adequate protection. The outside (windward) rows should be a hardy shrub species such as Caragana, Sea Buckthorn, Buffaloberry or Chokecherry. The next rows moving inside should be tall deciduous species to give height to the shelterbelt such as Manitoba Maple, Green Ash or a willow. Finally, the innermost rows should be a conifer such as spruce or pine, which will eventually provide the best year-round protection from the elements (see Figure 1.).

Food Requirements of Pheasants

The proximity of a food supply to the cover and shelter areas is important for survival, especially in winter. Pheasant will often select habitat with good quality cover over one with a good food supply and little cover. It is therefore desirable to include a food plot near secure cover.

Pheasants are primarily granivorous, but will utilize fruits when available. Siting a wildlife planting targeted for pheasants adjacent to cereal crops is a desirable practice. Leaving some cereal crop standing (as a food plot) on the edge between it and the wildlife planting will help pheasants over winter. Fruit from the woody food planting is also an important source of food in the winter because it is less likely to be covered by snow and is, therefore, accessible to the pheasants. The fruit from Hedge Rose, Snowberry and Russian Olive are particularly important in the winter.

Recommendations

Tree species that have use as a food source for pheasant include shrubs such as Hedge Rose, Snowberry, Russian Olive, Sea Buckthorn, Buffaloberry, Chokecherry and Red Elder. It should be noted that, although Manitoba Maple and Green Ash were previously recommended to add height to a wild life plantings, their seeds also provide a source of food for pheasants during winter.

Note: Russian Olive can be invasive along water courses. Hence, it is recommended that this species not be planted near native or man made watercourses.

Travel Corridors For Pheasants

Pheasants will often travel from one food plot or sheltered area to another. Secure travel lanes between these habitats are important to protect the pheasants from predators and inclement weather. The habitat provided in the pivot corners can be linked by one or two row tree plantings to provide travel corridors. These plantings can be either on the border of the quarter, a canal right-of-way, and/or along an irrigation district pipeline right-of-way.

Recommendations

Where possible at least two rows are recommended realizing that the number of tree rows will depend on the amount of space available. Recommended species for these travel corridors are Sea Buckthorn, Caragana, Hawthorn, Buffaloberry, Chokecherry and Scots Pine. Shorter species such as Hedge Rose, Dogwood or Snowberry can also be used for corridor plantings that are sited on the boundary of quarter sections which have pivot irrigation systems. Their shorter mature height will insure that they will not interfere with the pivot operation.

Dense Nesting Cover for Pheasants

One of the most important factors affecting the survival of pheasant populations on the Canadian prairies is the availability of secure nesting habitat. A secure nesting habitat has vegetation that is of sufficient height and density to provide concealment from predators and protection from weather. The nesting site should ideally contain a food source or at least be in close proximity to a food source. Secure nesting sites can be found in cropland, hayland and on native vegetation. Most cereal and hay crops grown under pivots provide excellent dense nesting cover for pheasants, however, nesting cover can also be provided by perennial grass seeded in conjunction with a wildlife planting in a pivot corner.

Pheasants and Hayland Management

Provision of alternate nesting cover in conjunction with a pivot corner wildlife planting is particularly important if hayland is planted under the pivot since the first hay cutting often takes place when the hens are either still on their nest or when the chicks are still quite young. When haying the first cut, especially if there are wildlife plantings in the pivot corner, it is recommended that the field be cut from the pivot point out. There is then a greater chance that hens with chicks will then be driven to the sheltered pivot corners. Use of a haybine flush bar is also recommended.

FORAGE SPECIES SELECTION IN PIVOT CORNERS

There are many options for providing dense nesting cover. They include introduced cool season grasses and legumes, tall warm season native grasses and mixed prairie native grasses. Although many of the species in the two native categories mentioned above can provide excellent nesting cover, the availability of seed, the cost of seed, and the care and diligence needed to get establishment may require more time and money than many landowners are prepared to invest. Also, farmers may want to, occasionally at least, hay this area, hence, introduced dryland hay species may be a more likely choice. If landowners do want to hay this land yet keep it primarily for wildlife it is important that the area be hayed late in the season (ie. wait until July).

If a landowner wishes to plant native grass and plans to leave it for a dense nesting cover, two native species that could be considered are Stream Bank Wheatgrass and Slender Wheatgrass. The seed for these species may be more readily available than other native species and they are easier to establish than most other native species. An additional suggestion, if the grassed area is not to be utilized for hayland or other purposes, would be to plant some clumps of either snowberry or wild rose within the grassed area.

Slender Wheatgrass

Slender Wheatgrass, although not as drought resistant as Crested Wheatgrass, is easy to establish, and will grow on a wide range of soils including alkaline and saline soils. It is generally described as a bunch grass species, whose seed stocks are 60 cm or more in height with an abundance of leaves. It is further described as a short lived species (ie. 5 to 6 years), however, researchers have found that if it has very little grazing or haying pressure it will last as a stand up to 20 years or more.

Stream Bank Wheatgrass

Stream Bank Wheatgrass is a drought tolerant, native, long lived perennial, cool season, sod forming grass, similar in appearance to Northern Wheatgrass. It has deep roots and very strong vigorous rhizomes that enable the grass to spread rapidly forming a good ground cover. The top growth, however, is relatively short (leaves are 10 - 25 cm high and stems are up to 90 cm high). Due to its sod forming nature and relatively low growth habit, it provides excellent protection against erosion on irrigation ditches. Under dryland conditions it can be used for parking areas and machinery yards. Its thick sod keeps an area weed free with a minimum of maintenance.

Planting Grass Between Tree Rows

To reduce the amount of competition for moisture during the tree establishment period, planting grass between tree rows is not recommended. Once the trees have a large canopy and are well established, planting grass between tree rows may be considered. Planting grass between the tree rows at this point will reduce the amount of maintenance required as well as provide additional habitat for pheasants. Sheep's Fescue is an example of a low growing relatively non-competitive bunch grass that will grow in shaded areas, however, it may not survive long periods of drought. In order to establish a healthy stand of trees in the dry southern prairies, it can be beneficial to delay planting grass between tree rows for up to ten years after tree planting.

TREE PLANTING SITE PREPARATION

Shelterbelt weed control begins with site preparation. The elimination of perennial weeds on the planting site is important and much easier to accomplish prior to planting. The entire planting area should be cultivated and, where possible, the perennial weeds should be left to regrow to the proper stage for glyphosate (Roundup) application. If chemical usage is not desired, repeated cultivation must be done to eliminate the perennial weeds. Therefore, for best results, it is recommended, that the tree planting site be prepared a year before the trees are actually planted.

In the case of a tree planting site, grass should be classified as a perennial weed. If grass is left to grow around a tree seedling it will often out compete the seedling for moisture. After trees are well established with good canopy, specific grass species that grow in shaded conditions may be considered (see above).

WEED CONTROL

The success of prairie tree plantings are dependant upon many variables, some of which can be controlled or influenced. Weed competition is one variable that can be controlled and is the single most important activity in the success of any new tree planting. Since the goal is to have functioning wild life tree plantings, the growth rate is as important as survival. Studies by the PFRA Shelterbelt Centre have consistently shown that tree plantings with good weed control significantly outperform those with poor weed control in both seedling survival and growth. In most cases, seedling growth is more than double in plots with good weed control versus those without. A fifteen-year-old wildlife block tree planting that has not yet reached five feet in height still has only limited value for wildlife. Thus, it is imperative that actions be taken to minimize weed competition in new tree plantings.

Chemical Weed Control

If herbicidal weed control is the chosen method of reducing weed competition, a pre-planting application of a trifluralin product (ie. Treflan) will provide effective control of annual grasses and a number of broad-leafed weeds, for a significant period of time after application. A tank mix of treflan and sencor that is pre-applied before tree planting will further enhance the range of broadleaf weeds controlled. Instead of using sencor to control the species that the trifluralin does not, linuron can be applied after planting. Note however, that it has to be applied immediately after planting.

Once your trees are established, annual applications of linuron, simazine or dichlobenil (Casoron) can be used. It should be noted, however, that some mechanical weed control (ie. the hoe) will still be required. Chemicals cannot be expected to control all weed growth without severely affecting the trees. Whenever chemicals are used, rates must be followed and all necessary safety precautions taken.

Non Chemical Weed Control

Non-chemical methods of weed control may also be considered. The use of mulches to prevent weed growth around trees is becoming a popular option. Mulches can be organic or plastic and each have their relative advantages. The organic mulches consist of products such as wood chips, sawdust, flax shives or straw. Organic mulches have the advantage of being inexpensive, but may cause nitrogen deficiency that may have to be addressed by fertilizer. Organic mulches also tend to keep soil temperatures lower, although this is not generally a problem. Finally, proper selection of organic mulches will minimize rodent damage to the tree planting.

Plastic mulches, help conserve moisture and provide longer lasting control of weeds around shelterbelt trees. The plastic is laid down over the soil around the trees to prevent weed growth and to conserve moisture. Plastic mulches require special equipment to apply, but require relatively little follow-up work. Both organic and inorganic mulches require some weed control after initial application. Weeds will grow up along the edge of the mulch and occasionally where the trees penetrate the mulch. These weeds should either be mowed or sprayed to control their growth.

DESIGN OPTIONS

The attached wildlife planting designs for pivot corners were planned keeping pheasants in mind as the target wildlife species. Figure 1. and Figure 2. specifically illustrate some possibilities for the creation of wildlife habitat using multi-use shelterbelts, woody food plots and grassland vegetation on pivot corners. Figure 3. provides some options for adjacent pivot corners. As every situation is different, these designs are presented as ideas. Further adjustments may be made to meet the needs of a particular site.

TECHNICAL NOTES

1. The typical setback regulation is 150 feet from municipal roads and 300 feet from highways but the producer should check with their county for local regulations.
2. We recommend maintaining a distance of about 100 feet from access roads, buildings and any other areas on which you do not wish snow to build up.
3. We recommend that tree rows be spaced a minimum 12 - 16 feet apart to allow for mechanical weed control. Row spacing will depend on the size of your equipment.

Some PFRA District Offices have plastic mulch applicators available for use by farmers in their Districts, if you are interested in using a Plastic Mulch Applicator please contact your nearest PFRA District Office.

For more information contact: