Hello Wild Side Readers,
If you are new to this blog, I share information on Ohio’s wildlife, but as an educator, I also create posts related to presentations at educational events. Recently, I had the honor of presenting a webinar for the Smithsonian Gardens ‘Let’s Talk Gardens’ webinar series. I spoke about managing trees and small forest patches in urban and suburban areas for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife. The below links are resources I shared during that presentation, as well as the slide set.
One item I didn’t get to in my presentation, was several new fact sheets for those interested in wildlife-friendly landscaping. The two fact sheets below share information on several native trees and shrubs that provide benefits to multiple species. Enjoy!
Native Trees: Creating Living Landscapes for Birds, Butterflies, Bees, and Other Beneficials
Native Shrubs: Creating Living Landscapes for Birds, Butterflies, Bees, and Other Beneficials
Also be sure to check out the NEW Plant by Numbers Guides for Specialist Bees, Bumble Bees, and Butterflies & Moths.
Managing Public Trees and Spaces for Wildlife – slide set
Managing Public Trees and Spaces for Wildlife – webinar
Links/Resources:
Doug Tallamy webinar – Restoring Nature’s Relationships at Home (the connection between trees and caterpillars)
3 Billion Birds Lost Research and Website
Alternatives to Non-native, Invasive Plants Brochure and Website– Ohio Invasive Plant Council
- Woody Invasives of the Great Lakes Collaborative (WIGL)
- Midwest Invasive Plant Network
- Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
Butterflies & Moths of North America
American Trails Info on Greenway Planning
Bringing the Snag into the Urban Forest (Arborists and Wildlife: Retaining Trees for Wildlife Habitat) – Brian French
Dead Wood for Wildlife webinar
Nest Box & Bat House Resources
American Bird Conservation Info on Preventing Bird Collisions
Buckeye Yard and Garden Online – provides timely information about Ohio growing conditions, pest, disease, and cultural problems.
Urban Wildlife Information Network
USDA Forest Service Urban Forest Info:
Urban & Community Forestry Inflation Reduction Act Grants
The Cross Pollinator Newsletter – great article on urban forest patches and their importance!
Fact Sheets/Bulletins:
Ohio Woodland Stewards Invasive Species Fact Sheets
Managing Small Forest Patches for Birds – Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative
Creating Snags (Controlling Undesirable Trees, Shrubs, and Vines) – OSU Extension fact sheet
Crop Tree Management – OSU Extension fact sheet
Enhancing Food (Mast) Production for Woodland Wildlife – OSU Extension fact sheet
Ohio Trees for Bees – OSU Extension fact sheet
Nesting and Overwintering Habitat for Pollinators and Other Beneficial Insects
Research papers:
Wang et al. 2021 – Tree species richness and diversity predicts the magnitude of urban heat island mitigation effects of greenspaces
Baker et al. 2020 – Suitability of native milkweed (Asclepias) species versus cultivars for supporting monarch butterflies and bees in urban gardens
Ricker et al. 2019 – Comparing Insect Pollination Visitation for Six Native Shrub Species and their Cultivars
Narango et al. 2018 – Nonnative plants reduce population growth of an insectivorous bird
Mason et al. 2006 – Designing suburban greenways to provide habitat for forest-breeding birds
Recommended Books:
Good Garden Bugs by Mary M. Gardiner
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest by Sally and Harmon Weeks
Native Trees of the Midwest by Weeks, Weeks, and Parker
If you would like more information on forest management, please visit the Ohio Woodland Stewards website. We also have a list of webinars on a variety of forestry and wildlife topics. Enjoy!
Marne Titchenell
Wildlife Program Specialist