Wildlife needs safe places to escape from predators, find shelter from weather extremes, and bear and raise their offspring.

• Mature trees provide nesting sites for birds and squirrels. If it is safe to do so, leave snags or dead trees on your property for cavity-dwelling wildlife.
• Hedges provide good cover for small mammals and birds.
• Limit the pruning of trees and shrubs where wildlife likes to hide and let leaves remain where they fall.
• Observe the species of birds that frequent your yard and plan trees, shrubs or a birdhouse suited to their preferences.
• Rock piles, rock walls and brush piles provide cover for rabbits and chipmunks. However, they may also provide shelter to snakes, skunks or other less welcome wildlife species.
• Let your plants go a little wild, but don't create a jungle that is unusable. Remember to leave some open space, which serves as a foraging area and provides better wildlife viewing opportunities.

The greatest variety of wildlife use “edge” areas where two or more different habitat types meet.