ABSTRACT
Chapter 27 completes the third chapter on wildlife management, which students have found to be one of the most useful in applications for conservation around their homes. Whether in urban or rural areas, woodlots in need of conservation can be found in parks and on private property. The simple principles are relatable and time-tested. The chapter reviews the characteristics of old growth so it can be recognized when it is present, but makes the case that old growth is not always the most biodiverse in the successional sequence for a forest. For forests, the same four conservation priorities are important as for farms: treat water like gold, create a mosaic, prioritize unique features, minimize invasive and introduced species. The details for each of these are reviewed including rules of thumb about the ideal width of riparian zones, the four types of habitat diversity (horizontal, vertical, life form, and physical), and conservation of thickets. The chapter finishes with final words about writing a wildlife management plan.
