Mount Vernon Signal • Thursday, September 27, 2012 • Pg. A5

Open Monday - Saturday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. • Sunday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.910 W. Main St. - Mt. Vernon - 606-256-9810

A rabies clinic for dogs was held at the Livingston Fire Department on Monday.The clinic was sponsored by the Rockcastle County Health Department and theRockcastle Veterinary Clinic in Mt. Vernon. Local veterinarian Dr. James Chismis shown above vaccinating Julie Blackburn’s dog “Sassy” for rabies.

Yards to ParadiseBy Max Phelps

Backyard Wildlife HabitatsGet Results

I have seen a lot of babybirds lately—over a dozennests in trees I've plantedwithin the past year. (Plant-ing some diverse trees forfolks has produced somespectacular results!) Havealso seen young wild tur-keys galore lately. Whenwildlife has suitable habitatthat provides safety frompredators, plus ample foodsupplies and a place for eachdiverse species to do the re-production thing, you getsuccessful wildlife families.

All critters need a placeto live, and then they canfunction as instinct or judg-ment dictates, for better orworse.

I happen to subscribe tothe Genesis account whereman was given dominionover animals. But part ofthat includes stewardshipfor the welfare of the ani-mals. And just as a cattlerancher selectively culls andsells excess animals, so tooit needs to be with wildlife,otherwise the wildlife mighttake over like in the novel,Animal Farm.

Humans have raisedfamilies and multiplied rap-idly over the centuries. Infact it could be stated thatelectricity, running water,the telephone and theinternet are detrimental tothe future of human be-ings—instead of families ofsix or twelve kids, there'sabout one and a half today.(Even if we count abortedlittle ones, the count wouldstill be down.) So, when lifewas slower and difficult,people found more time to“get busy” than in today'srushing around and always-on-the-go lifestyles Onewonders if this narcissisticgeneration is not far lesscivilized despite our prodi-gious increase of knowl-edge and gadgets.

Anyway, back to habitatand wildlife. A yard withoutweeds, with no trees, withfew shrubs, with clean fencerows, is a yard hostile towildlife of most every kind.Grass, weed and brush kill-ers, as well as lawn mowershave made life difficult formost critters. From wormsto spiders to frogs to beesto birds to deer—it's a roughlife with houses thicklyplanted and nothing butshort-mowed grass to liveon.

Look at birds again: they

need shelter from storms, asecure place to raise babies,a place to bathe and washaway dander, dirt and lice.They need a choice in food,not just the bagged stufffrom China in the big boxstore.

(Incidentally, bird feed-ers will never keep a familyof robins happy...they loveto eat worms!)

Look at butterflies: theyneed to get away fromwindstorms and rain as theirbodies are so frail, they needtheir favorite plants onwhich they will lay eggs toraise their babies (the eggsturn into worms that eat upthe leaves on your trees andshrubs—but that is whathappens if you lure lovelybutterflies and they decideto try growing a family inyour yard!), they need lotsof flowers that provide nec-tar all summer long, andthey also need sunshine,water and salt.

Bluebirds nest in cavities(hollow stumps, posts,trees—or birdhouses).Those maple trees and taxusshrubs will never be hometo bluebirds. Swallows likethe eaves of buildings tonest in. Just as there are hun-dreds of bird species, eachone has differing habitatneeds and food needs. Somelike thickets, some ever-green trees, some tall trees,some prefer little shrubs fornest building. Diverse habi-tat attracts diverse critters.

Hedge rows, fence rows,woods edges along a fieldor clearing are all primehabitat areas for the most di-verse of wildlife. It is nowonder that weed killersand pesticides reducedsongbird populations in thepast. Also, with added habi-tat and supplemental feed-ing, it's not a surprise thatwildlife numbers are grow-ing today.

Big farm fields with onecrop, with clean-sprayedfence rows, with lots ofchemicals in use, it's a won-der more species aren't ex-tinct. But a lot of crittersadapt to changing condi-tions—just think of the rac-coon—he can't find a per-simmon tree, but he findsdumpsters and trash cans.Ditto with bears who findpeople food more interest-ing than hunting fish or wildbee honey or wild blueber-ries.

So, what are somesimple steps to improvewildlife habitat in your

yard? Allowing some vio-lets, clovers and dandelionsto grow is probably a goodbeginning (although youmight be surprised to hearthat from a landscaper).Several kinds of shrubbery,not just all evergreen or alldeciduous. More than onekind of tree. A wet or “soft”area, both sunny and shadyareas would be nice. Leav-ing an old stump or log ortree would be helpful if youcan safely do so. Trees withnuts, fruits, cones—these allare eagerly discovered bywildlife.

Add a water source, apile or stones, some weedsleft to produce seeds. Nowyour yard may be the mostinteresting one on the blockto various wildlife. Whatmore could a critter want?

The more diverse the en-vironment, the more diversethe inhabitants.

The author is a landscaper.Contact Max:

waterfallsinyards@yahoo.com