Applied Wildlife Habitat Management, Second Edition

Book excerpt: Applied Wildlife Habitat Management, Second Edition, provides a practical guide for users with many levels of expertise in wildlife habitat management and an interest in land conservation planning. Topics are presented so the reader can develop a component of a wildlife management plan through the completion of each chapter—wildlife habitat planning, wildlife habitat relationships, environmental measurements, wildlife habitat analyses, habitat management techniques, common planning approaches, and emerging issues. The work introduces the basic tools to understand, plan, implement, measure, analyze, and document efforts to improve habitat for wildlife using science-based decision-making approaches. Providing a step-by-step guide that is adaptable to a range of environmental settings, the authors first lay out the ecological principles applicable to any project. They take the reader through various sampling designs, measurement techniques, and analytical methods required to develop and complete a habitat project, including the creation of a report or management plan. End-of-chapter summaries emphasize key management concepts with exercises putting ecological principles into practice. This guide is an invaluable reference for students, land managers, and landowners who are developing and implementing management plans for habitat modification and improvement on both private and public lands.