Species at risk incentive program

Barn Swallow The barn swallow does not nest in boxes, but they will use nesting shelves mounted in trees or in the eaves of your homes or human-made structures. Red-headed Woodpecker Widespread but rare in Ontario, the red-headed woodpecker lives in open woodland and woodland edges.

The CWF has created some useful guidelines on how to build a nest box for the red-headed woodpecker. Barn swallow nesting structure. Illustration by Scott Mooney. NestWatch has created guidelines on building an appropriately sized nest box for the prothonotary warbler. Chimney Swift Before European settlement, chimney swifts nested mainly on cave walls and in hollow trees.

Today, they are often found in chimneys and other human-made structures. Learn about building your own chimney swift tower for nesting. Note: There are regulations you must follow if you wish to modify a chimney or structure that is already habitat for a chimney swift.

More information on modifying a chimney is available. Photo by Jen Hoesen. Many species of overwintering birds wait out stormy weather inside hollow tree trunks and snags. However, it may be hard for birds to find decent roosting spots. Build a winter bird roost to help shelter birds, consider the guidelines from CWF. Support native pollinators and plants especially those at risk , by leaving hedgerows and natural places on your farm intact, planting nectar-rich plants including beneficial crops and cover crops , and establishing suitable nesting sites on your land.

The program promotes a number of on-farm best management practices to support species at risk that can be applied to croplands, grasslands, wetlands and woodlands.

Through the Species at Risk Farm Incentive Program, Johnson accessed cost-share funding for two different best management practices. For the first project, Johnson planted a tree shelterbelt next to his cow pasture, planting around sugar maple trees that act as a windbreak between his fields and the pasture.

If they are designed properly, tree shelterbelts or windbreaks provide a number of benefits, including preventing soil erosion, sheltering crops and improving the overall biodiversity of a farm. In summer months, shelterbelts can protect crops from losing moisture by reducing the impact of hot and dry winds.

Shelterbelts and windbreaks also provide shade for livestock, and can supply food and shelter resources to some species at risk.

At the bottom of a ravine on his property, the two ponds provide habitat for a number of species including birds, frogs, turtles and plenty of plants.

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