Over 90% of Ohio’s remaining wildlife habitat occurs on private lands. Likewise, migratory birds and other resident bird, mammal, and insect species depend on private land during their breeding, nesting, and brood-rearing seasons. Improving and managing your land for wildlife will make a difference in the sustainability of Ohio’s natural resources.
Ohio’s historic landscape was a unique wilderness comprised of hardwood forests, vast wetlands, fens, bogs, prairie grasslands, oak savannas, clear springs, creeks, and streams. This diverse landscape provided the resources European settlers depended on as the expansion west continued in the early 1800’s. Today, few pre-European settlement wetlands, prairies, and mature forests survive in Ohio. Less than a 1% of the prairies exist. Only an estimated 480,000 acres of wetlands remain for migratory waterfowl. Ohio’s once vast forests are threatened daily by invasive species, disease, and continued fragmentation. This degradation of natural ecosystems has also contributed to poor water quality in some of Ohio’s streams. Likewise, the wildlife that depends on these unique ecosystems has declined proportionately. Migratory birds like the Cerulean warbler, Henslow’s sparrow and blue-wing teal need healthy forests, diverse grasslands, and productive wetlands to sustain their life cycle.
Land stewardship begins with you, the private landowner. By promoting wildlife habitat you contribute to species survival, soil and water conservation, and you can begin to build a land ethic for future generations to emulate and respect.
REMINDER: This listing is a free service of LandCAN.
Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program in Ohio is not employed by or affiliated with the Land Conservation Assistance Network, and the Network does not certify or guarantee their services. The reader must perform their own due diligence and use their own judgment in the selection of any professional.