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Most
of us have had the experience of being in a very high quality natural area with many rare and conservative plant species,
but not finding many animal species. The current conservation theory is that
if the plant communities are improved, the animals will follow. This may not
always be true. This handout is designed to provide additional input for planting
and restoration so that animal food sources may be taken into account in addition to purely focusing on plant quality ratings.
|
Tree/Bush Species |
Swink & Wilhelm # |
Wildlife Value for Food & Shelter |
|
Box
Elder |
0 |
8 (V, s, w, sm, b, I, bud) |
|
Black
Maple |
5 |
9 (V, s, u, lm, sm, b, I, bud) |
|
Red
Maple |
7 |
10 (V, s, w, sm, b, I, bud, h, n) |
|
Silver
Maple |
0 |
9 (V, s, w, wa, sm, b, I, bud) |
|
Sugar
Maple |
3 |
9 (V, s, u, sm, b, I, b, n) |
|
Ohio
Buckeye |
3 |
2 (L, sm, I) |
|
Tree
of Heaven |
Alien |
0 (L) |
|
Black
Alder |
Alien |
2.5 (M, s, u) |
|
American
Shadbush |
9 |
3 (O, s, sm) |
|
Smooth
Shadbush |
8 |
3 (O, s, sm) |
|
Paw
Paw |
9 |
1 (L, sm) |
|
Yellow
Birch |
10 |
8 (V, s, u, sm, b, I, bud) |
|
River
Birch |
7 |
9 (V, s, u, w, sm, b, bud, h) |
|
Paper
Birch |
10 |
6 (O, s, u, sm, I, bud) |
|
Blue
Beech |
8 |
2 (L, s, w) |
|
Bitternut
Hickory |
7 |
2.5 (M, s, sm) |
|
Pignut
Hickory |
5 |
5.5 (M, s, sm, I, h, n) |
|
Shagbark
Hickory |
5 |
3.5 (M, s, sm, I) |
|
Mockernut
Hickory |
10 |
3.5 (M, s, sm, I) |
|
Catalpa |
Alien |
0 (L) |
|
Hackberry |
3 |
7 (V, s, sm, I, h, n) |
|
American
Bittersweet (climbing) |
4 |
1 (L, h) |
|
Redbud |
3 |
0 (L) |
|
Hazelnut |
5 |
3.5 (M, u, sm, bud) |
|
Pagoda
Dogwood |
9 |
9 (V, u, s, w, lm, sm, b, bud) |
|
Rough-leaved
Dogwood |
2 |
6 (O, s, u, b, h, n) |
|
Gray
Dogwood |
1 |
6 (O, s, u, b, h, n) |
|
Red
Osier Dogwood |
6 |
6 (O, s, u, b, h, n) |
|
Round-leaved
Dogwood |
10 |
4 (O, s, u, b) |
|
Cock-spur
Thorn |
2 |
6.5 (M, s, u, sm, b, lm, I) |
|
Red
Haw |
2 |
7.5 (M, s, u, sm, b, lm, I, bud) |
|
Pruinose
Haw |
2 |
6.5 (M, s, u, sm, b, lm, I) |
|
Beech |
5 |
5.5 (M, sm, I, bud, h, n) |
|
White
Ash |
5 |
2 (L, h, n) |
|
Black
Ash |
10 |
3 (L, s, sm, I) |
|
Red
Ash |
5 |
4 (L. s, sm, I) |
|
Green
Ash |
1 |
6 (L, s, sm, b, I, h, n) |
|
Blue
Ash |
8 |
3 (L, s, sm, I) |
|
Honey
Locust |
2 |
5 (L, s, sm, I, h, n) |
|
Kentucky
Coffee Tree |
8 |
0 (L) |
|
Witch
Hazel |
8 |
4 (L, s, sm, b, h) |
|
Butternut/White
Walnut |
8 |
1 (L, sm) |
|
Black
Walnut |
5 |
1 (L, sm) |
|
Common
Juniper |
10 |
5 (O, s, b, h, n) |
|
Red
Cedar |
2 |
9 (V, s, u, sm, b, bud, h, n) |
|
European
Larch |
Alien |
2 (L, s, u) |
|
Tamarack |
10 |
3.5 (M, s, sm, I) |
|
Osage
Orange |
Alien |
0 (L) |
|
Prairie
Crab Apple |
4 |
5.5 (M, u, sm, lm, h, n) |
|
Iowa
Crab |
3 |
7.5 (M, s, u, sm, lm, I, h ,n) |
|
White
Mulberry |
Alien |
2 (L, s, u) |
|
Red
Mulberry |
10 |
6 (O, sm, lm, u, s, I) |
|
Hop
Hornbeam/Musclewood |
5 |
4 (L, s, sm, b, h) |
|
Jack
Pine |
9 |
8 (V, s, u, sm, b, I, bud) |
|
White
Pine |
9 |
9 (V, s, u, sm, b, I, bud, h) |
|
Scotch
Pine |
Alien |
5 (V, s, u, h) |
|
Sycamore |
9 |
2.5 (M, h, n) |
|
Tree/Bush
Species |
Swink
& Wilhelm # |
Wildlife Value for Food & Shelter |
|
White
Poplar |
Alien |
8.5 (M, s, u, b, sm, I, bud, h, n) |
|
Cottonwood |
3 |
10 (O, s, u, sm, w, b, I, bud, h, n) |
|
Big-tooth
Aspen |
6 |
7 (O, s, u, b, sm, I, bud) |
|
Quacking
Aspen |
4 |
4.5 (M, u, sm, I, bud) |
|
Wild
Plum |
5 |
4 (L, s, u, sm, h) |
|
Black
Cherry |
1 |
8 (V, s, u, sm, bud, h, n) |
|
Choke
Cherry |
3 |
8 (V, s, u, sm, lm, bud, h) |
|
Mountain
Ash |
Alien |
6.5 (M, w, s, sm, lm, I, bud) |
|
Wafer
Ash |
7 |
5.5 (M, s, u, sm, b, bud) |
|
White
Oak |
5 |
10 (V, s, u, sm, b, I, bud, h, n) |
|
Swamp
White Oak |
6 |
9 (V, s,
u, w, sm, b, bud, h) |
|
Scarlet
Oak |
4 |
9 (V, s, u, sm, b, I, bud, h) |
|
Shingle
Oak |
7 |
9 (V, s, u, sm, b, w, bud, h) |
|
Bur
Oak |
5 |
7 (V, s, u, w, sm, h) |
|
Pin
Oak |
8 |
9 (V, s, u, w, sm, b, bud, h) |
|
Red
Oak |
7 |
9 (V, s, u, sm, b, I, bud, h) |
|
Black
Oak |
6 |
9 (V, s, u, sm, b, I, bud, h) |
|
Common
Buckthorn |
Alien |
2 (L, s, h) |
|
Glossy
Buckthorn |
Alien |
2 (L, s, h) |
|
Smooth
Sumac |
1 |
7.5 (M, s, u, b, lm, sm, bud, h) |
|
Staghorn
Sumac |
1 |
7.5 (M, s, u, b, lm, sm, bud, h) |
|
Poison
Sumac |
10 |
2.5 (M, s, sm) |
|
Black
Locust |
Alien |
1 (I) |
|
Peach-leaved
willow |
5 |
9 (O, s, u, w, b, sm I, h, n) |
|
Sandbar
Willow |
1 |
6.5 (M, u, b, sm, I, h, n) |
|
Black
Willow |
4 |
8 (O, s, u, w, sm, I, h, n) |
|
Sassafras |
3 |
3.5 (M, I, h, n) |
|
Elderberry |
1 |
4.5 (M, s, I, bud, h) |
|
Basswood |
5 |
2 (L, sm, I) |
|
Canadian
Hemlock |
10 |
3.5 (M, s, sm, I) |
|
American
Elm |
3 |
6.5 (M, s, u, w, sm, bud, I) |
|
Siberian
Elm |
Alien |
4.5 (M, s, w, sm, bud) |
|
Slippery
Elm |
4 |
4.5 (M, w, s, sm, bud) |
|
Rock
Elm |
10 |
4.5 (M, w, s, sm, bud) |
|
Sweet
Viburnum |
5 |
5 (O, s, u, sm, I) |
|
Maple-leaved
Viburnum (native) |
9 |
4 (O, s, sm, b) |
|
Arrowwood
Viburnum |
Alien |
4.5 (M, s, sm, b, h) |
|
Highbush
Cranberry (native) |
10 |
3 (S, B, SM) |
|
Nannyberry |
5 |
3 (S, B, SM) |
|
Black
Haw |
5 |
8 (O, s, u, sm, b, I, bud, h) |
|
Fox
Grape |
9 |
6 (O, s, u, sm, lm, I) |
|
Prickly
Ash |
3 |
5 (O, s, u, sm, I) |
V:
Very high wildlife values overall (+2 on Wildlife Index scale)
O:
High wildlife values overall (+1 on Wildlife Index scale)
L: Low wildlife value overall (0 points on Wildlife Index scale)
s:
songbird food source, usually fruits and seeds
u:
upland game bird food source (pheasants, wild turkeys and bobwhite quail)
sm:
small mammal food source (rodents) (These mammals can serve as food for larger
carnivores.)
lm:
large mammal food source (raccoons, opossums, skunk, foxes, and coyotes)
b:
hooved browser food source (In our area this means white-tailed deer.)
w:
waterfowl (especially in bottomland forests)
I:
Insects feed on this plant extensively. These will provide food for insectivorous
birds.
bud:
These buds are an important winter food for wildlife
h:
These trees tend to provide nesting holes and cover for wildlife shelter.
n:
Good nesting and shelter sites in these trees and bushes.
The
obvious result here is that any new or restored habitat can help both plants and animals by promoting the following tree species:
Oaks, Pines, Red Mulberry, Dogwoods, Birches, and Red Maples. Do not plant alien
species! There are plenty of good native choices for each habitat type.
This index ranks trees and shrubs from 0 to 10. Zero is essentially worthless as wildlife food and shelter. Ten is excellent.
References:
Swink,
F., & G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region, Indiana Academy of
Science Press.
Martin,
A.c, H. S. Zim, & A. L. Nelson. 1951. American Wildlife and Plants: A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits. Dover Press, N.Y.
Payne,
N. F., & F. C. Bryant. 1998. Wildlife Habitat Management of Forestlands, Rangelands, and Farmlands. Krieger Press, FL
Comments
& Suggestions on this handout should be sent to: Randy Schietzelt, MS, Harper
College, 1200 W. Algonquin Rd., Palatine, IL 60067, or emailed to rschietz@harpercollege.edu
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