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Be a coastal steward - Plant Virginia natives!

Landowner's plant list for migratory birds

• Native plants provide wildlife habitat!

• Native plants protect water quality!

• Native plants save money and time!

With careful and creative planning, these general recommendations will not only be simple to accomplish, but might save you time and money, as well as increase the value of your property.

As you plan a new development or improvements on your land, consider integrating these specific suggestions:

• Set aside undisturbed areas as wildlife habitat when planning any significant changes on your properly.
• Considering wildlife habitat during the planning phase of a construction or development project is the most effective means of maintaining habitat.
• Use native plants for landscaping.

  On the Delmarva Peninsula plant natives with an especially high value to migratory birds. Native plants typically provide the best habitat and food for migrant birds and other wildlife. These plants are also best adapted to the local climate and easier to maintain.

• Connect habitats on your property with those on surrounding lands.

  How habitats are connected has an influence on how animals move and how many may be supported within a local area. You can maximize your land's usefulness for birds by creating vegetated "corridors" between existing vegetation patches.

• Consider the distribution of habitats on surrounding lands when planning significant changes on your property.

  Plan your lot so that "set asides" or landscape features adjoin those of your neighbor. This provides more cover for songbirds so that they can escape from predators.

If you Own Forested or Open Lands...

Forested Lands

• Prior to construction, conserve native plants.
• Plan your homesite to protect at least 60% of the existing vegetation on your property.
• When removing trees and shrubs from the construction area transplant the most valuable native plants to undisturbed areas of the same habitat type to enhance the value of "set aside" areas for wildlife such as migrating birds.
  
• Leave dead trees standing, if safety considerations permit. Dead trees area a component of healthy forest habitats.
• Design viewing areas and access paths in ways that preserve understory vegetation.
• Construct brush piles to provide protective cover for migratory efficiency by songbirds.
• Replace removed trees and shrubs with native plants valuable to migratory birds.
• Clump plantings to create tree/shrub islands. Islands of dense vegetation will provide more cover than evenly spaced, isolated trees and shrubs.
  

Open Lands

• Maintain some fallow land as wildlife habitat.
• Plant winter cover crops beneficial to wildlife.
  
• Use integrated pest management programs (IPM) that reduce chemical inputs (and costs!) when possible.
  
• Maintain or establish hedgerows.

Want to learn more?! Check out the following publications and Web sites!

Migratory Birds of the Lower Delmarva - A Landowners Guide (PDF)
This guide was produced by the Virginia Coastal Program and the Department of Conservation Biology at the College of William and Mary. The guide provides guidelines for restoring and enhancing migratory songbird habitat.

Virginia Hospitality (PDF)
This full color publication was produced by the Virginia Coastal Program and the Center for Conservation Biology at the College of William and Mary. It tells the story of the fall migration of thousands of birds along the Virginia Eastern Shore. The publication offers many wonderful photos of migratory bird species and describes how these species rely on the area's vegetation during their migration.

Native Plants for Conservation, Restoration and Landscaping - Department of Conservation and Recreation Division of Natural Heritage web site

Habitat Management and Home Habitats - Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries web site

Using Beneficial Plants - A Homeowner's Guide (PDF)
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay web site

Beneficial Plants for Bayscaping in the Chesapeake Bay (PDF)
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay web site

Bayscapes - A Homeowner's Guide to Designing Your Property (PDF)
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay web site

Virginia Native Plant Society

Center for Conservation Biology - College of William and Mary - habitat assessment project underway

Coastal Virginia Wildlife Observatory - Protecting wildlife and habitats in coastal Virginia through field research, education, and land conservation.

Migratory Bird Species Seen during the October 2006 Eastern Shore or Virginia Birding Festival (PDF)

Native plants of high value to migratory birds

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For comments or questions concerning this program's web pages, contact the Web Author.

This web site is provided by the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program through a Coastal Zone Management Act grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Department of Commerce.