Number 15

Edges (or ecotones) are areas

where two habitat types meet, such
as a forest and a meadow. Edges
also occur between different aged
patches of the same habitat type.
Edges occur naturally where there
are abrupt changes in soil
characteristics or where fire or
severe wind destroy part of a forest,
but most edges are created by
human
activities,
such
as
agriculture or timber harvest.

Edges are also important because they

form a refuge for many soft-mast
producing plants (fruits and berries) that
cannot survive in mature forests or
cultivated fields. Most of these plants need
full sunlight to thrive and cannot tolerate
the shade and competition within a forest
or the repeated disturbance associated
with cultivation and grazing. Soft mast is
an important source of food for many
wildlife species during the summer.

EDGES ARE IMPORTANT

Distributed in furtherance
of the acts of Congress of
May 8 and June 30, 1914.
Employment and program
opportunities are offered to
all people regardless of
race, color, national origin,
sex, age, or disability.
North Carolina State
University, North Carolina
A & T State University, US
Department of Agriculture,
and local governments

Edges are unique because they

combine
some
of
the
characteristics of two or more
habitats. Edges are inhabited by
some of the animals and plants that
are characteristic of each original
habitat, plus species that are
specially adapted to live in edges.
Therefore, edges usually have
more diverse wildlife communities
than unbroken blocks of habitat.
This increased diversity is known as
the edge effect.
The brushy
nature of some field edges provides
nesting, brooding, feeding, and
escape cover for a wide variety of
animals.
Predators
often
concentrate their hunting activities
near edges because of the
abundance and variety of prey
animals that are attracted to this
special habitat.

Trees
Plum
Persimmon
Mountain Ash
Dogwood
Honey Locust
Chinaberry

Mulberry
Crabapple
Hawthorn
Redbud
Black Locust

Shrubs
Greenbrier
Blackberry
Dewberry
Titi
Yaupon
Elderberry
Strawberry Bush
Passion Flower

Wax Myrtle
Raspberry
Sumac
Gallberry
Serviceberry
Autumn Olive
Huckleberry
Blueberry
Beautyberry

Vines
Poison Ivy
Virginia Creeper

Wild Grape
Honeysuckle

North Carolina
Cooperative Extension Service
North Carolina State University
College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
College of Forest Resources

Page 2

Landowners can increase the diversity of wildlife on their land by actively managing edges.
Parcels of land that already have forested and open areas interspersed are excellent
candidates for edge management. Below are some suggestions for increasing the amount of
edge on your property:

TIPS FOR EDGE MANAGEMENT

When harvesting timber, make several small, irregularly shaped cuts to increase the
amount of edge

Retain strips of forest along streams for water protection and for wildlife travel lanes

Leave about 5 % of recently harvested areas untreated to provide brushy edges

When possible, allow fingers of native vegetation to creep out into open areas

Allow native vegetation to take over fencerows, terraces, roadsides, and field borders

Plant trees and shrubs to speed up the development of cover along edges

Plant wildlife travel lanes (corridors) or hedgerows to connect large forested areas where
edge is limited

Create brush piles in pastures, clearcuts, and other open areas

Cut and leave large trees on field edges to provide cover

Successful edge management involves

periodic mowing and disking.

N.C. Cooperative Extension Service

Working With Wildlife # 15 - Managing Edges for Wildlife

Page 3

Cut every
5 - 10 years

MANAGING EDGE
VEGETATION
Mow annually

Mow or disk low vegetation nearest the

open area every year

Mow or disk medium-height vegetation

midway between the open and forested
areas every two to three years

Mow or cut tall shrubs and saplings

nearest the forest on a rotation of 5 to 10
years

For the medium and tall levels, do not

perform maintenance on more than onethird of an area in the same year

Avoid edge maintenance from April to

August, the period when many edge
species are nesting

Mow every
2 - 3 years

Schedule for maintaining forest/field edge

Although active edge management can increase

wildlife diversity on small landholdings that are a
mosaic of open and forested areas, it should not
be used on tracts of contiguous forest larger than
200 acres. Such large, unbroken forests are vital
for maintaining populations of forest interior
songbirds, which have declined greatly in recent
decades because of forest fragmentation. Edges
that protrude into extensive, unbroken forested
tracts can provide a pathway for aggressive
competitors and predators, like the brownheaded cowbird, raccoons and opossums, that
can severely impact forest interior songbirds.

When considering edge management on your property remember that there are some definite
tradeoffs associated with edge management, namely, impact on interior forest species,
increased predation, crop loss, and increased management costs. Still, edge management
can be very beneficial in enhancing habitat and wildlife species diversity. Consult your local
wildlife biologist to discuss the merits of edge management for the target species on your
property.

Prepared by:
Kent S. Karriker, Graduate Research Assistant,
Edwin J. Jones, Department Extension Leader,
Mark A. Megalos, Extension Forestry Specialist

Page 4

Cost share assistance may be available through the Stewardship Incentive Program for these
practices. See your Wildlife Biologist, Forester, or Extension Agent for more information about
the Forest Stewardship Program.
Mowing photo on page 2 and Forest/Field graphic on page 3 are used with permission from
the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

Other Wildlife Notes Available:

No. 1 - Endangered Species
No. 14 - Snags and Downed Logs
No. 2 - Eastern Gray Squirrel
No. 15 - Managing Edges for Wildlife
No. 3 - White-tailed Deer
No. 16 - Building Songbird Boxes
No. 4 - Songbirds
No. 17 - Woodland Wildlife Nest Boxes
No. 5 - Wild Turkey
No. 18 - Low Cost Habitat Improvements
No. 6 - Wood Duck
No. 19 - Pools for Amphibians
No. 7 - Cottontail Rabbit
No. 20 - Hummingbirds and Butterflies
No. 8 - Bobwhite Quail
No. 21 - Bats
No. 9 - Ruffed Grouse
No. 22 - Owls
No. 10 - Black Bear
No. 23 - Managing Beaver Ponds
No. 11 - Raccoon
No. 24 - Herbaceous Plants for Wildlife
No. 12 - Mourning Dove
No. 25 - SIP Wildlife Opportunities
No. 13 - Wildlife Terms

FOREST STEWARDSHIP
a cooperative program for
improving and maintaining all of the
resources on private forestland

11-94-4M-WWW-15