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Forests and Wildlife 



WILDLIFE IN THE SMALL WOODLAND 



EDWARD H. GRAHAM 



O MALL WOODLANDS are natural 

 O homes for such valuable fur bearers 

 as the skunk, opossum, mink, raccoon, 

 fox, and weasel. Among game animals, 

 woodlands harbor squirrels of various 

 kinds, woodcock, ruffed grouse, rabbit, 

 and snipe. Fox and raccoon provide 

 sport as well as pelts. In the woods also 

 live flying squirrels, chipmunks, pocket 

 gophers, mice, and other forest rodents. 

 Song and insect-eating birds are abun- 

 dant the thrushes, warblers, wood- 

 peckers, and nuthatches, kinglets, and 

 whippoorwills. Predators, hawks and 

 owls, live in the woods and feed upon 

 insects, snakes, frogs, and small verte- 

 brates. 



Many kinds of wildlife that live in 

 woodlands are found nowhere else. 

 When the woodland is harmed or de- 

 stroyed, these creatures become fewer 

 or disappear. To protect the useful and 

 beautiful wild things of the woodlands, 

 we must first protect their woodland 

 homes, where they get food, shelter, a 

 place to breed and hide and live. 



Above: The bear was once a respected 

 animal of the western range and forest 

 country. 



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The things to do to help woodland 

 wildlife are much the same as the rules 

 to be followed in growing the trees, for 

 when trees are protected they make 

 homes for wild animals. 



The rules for the management of 

 the woodland wildlife are : Protect the 

 woodland from uncontrolled fire, pro- 

 tect the woodland from intensive graz- 

 ing, cut the trees selectively, preserve 

 den trees, develop woodland borders. 



Wildlife usually benefits most when 

 fire is kept out of the woodland. In the 

 few instances in which fire is employed 

 as a tool in forest management, it must 

 be carefully supervised. Reckless burn- 

 ing destroys cover that is used by wild- 

 life for nesting, escape from enemies, 

 roosting, and other purposes vital to 

 their survival. Uncontrolled fire also 

 reduces the food supply of wildlife and 

 may burn them to death as well. After 

 a serious fire it may take years for the 

 woodland trees to recover and as long 

 to recreate the proper habitat for the 

 birds and mammals. 



The woodland that is subjected to 

 intensive grazing is usually a poor place 

 for wildlife. Constant trampling and 



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