A wildlife corridor of your own

What makes a wildlife corridor and how unused parts of your neighborhood can become a safe route for wildlife.

A wildlife corridor doesn’t have to be as big as the Y2Y. We have a wildlife corridor between our house and the neighbors. A stand of trees separates us and makes a safe place for birds and mammals, giving them (and us) some privacy. I didn’t think of it as a wildlife corridor when we first moved in, but as I watched the birds and squirrels, I noticed they used it to make their way from the feeders in the back yard, which are in close to the woods, past our big open front yard which offers no protection from predators, and on to other green sections of our neighborhood. Even the fox that trotted down the driveway stuck close to that side as he made his way through.

The nice thing about a wildlife corridor is that it doesn’t need a lot of fussy gardening. Native plants will grow if left to their own devices. Shrubs and trees make great places for animals to hide and nest and may help keep your yard cooler. Plants that produce berries or nuts are great food sources, especially during the lean winter months. You’ll have the reward of seeing local native wildlife close up and, perhaps enjoy that little extra privacy that hedges, shrubs and trees provide.

So how do you make a wildlife corridor? The key is to leave as wide an area as possible, keep the vegetation natural, and, if you can, keep artificial lights off the area. An alleyway next to the garage is often wasted space. Let it get a bit overgrown, then sit back and watch who comes through.

For further information on urban wildlife corridors: The Center for Biological Diversity