Green Day @ The DEC – Today’s Wild Residents

courtesy of Sandy Blanquera, Social Boomerang

During the Green Day, October 15, 2009, at the Dublin Entrepreneurial Center, we kicked things off with Today’s Wild Residents, a presentation by Mimi Migliore, Nature Education Coordinator at The city of Dublin.Mimi discussed how Ohio’s natural history has impacted the wildlife that inhabits our residential areas. One example she highlighted was the loss of wooded areas in Ohio decreasing to a mere 15% in 1940. This was due to people clearing much of the area for farmland leaving little spaces for wildlife to live. The good news is that the forest cover in Ohio has increased to more than 30% today.

The City of Dublin is dedicated to saving natural features, protecting our waterways and preserving our history. For instance, any tree of a significant size or age will secure the city’s attention and they will put forth effort to save or preserve it. Dublin recognizes the importance of waterways, such as Dublin’s stretch of the 230 mile-long Scioto River as well as Indian Falls, a natural historical feature to the Wyandot natives.

Migliore also focused our attention to why wild residents are finding comfort in our backyards. Most of us homeowners are territorial and tend to put up fences in our yards and where we cannot do that, most will outline their yard with landscaping. This becomes a green haven for wildlife to live.

Some of the wildlife in the Dublin/Columbus area include: skunks, deer, coyote, Canadian geese, eastern bluebirds and bats. Mimi brought pelt samples and works of taxidermy that showcased some local critters. She highlighted some tips we may want to consider in dealing with these wild residents.

The striped skunk commonly hangs out in residential neighborhoods and they love window wells, hiding under decks, and getting into our trash. It is common to find skunks migrating during their mating season in February and March. To exist cooperatively with them, it’s important to understand that bird feeders are like a McDonald’s drive thru to Skunks, an easy meal. So fill your bird feeders with no more than a cup of food once a day.

The whitetail deer population vanished in Ohio in 1904. In the 1920’s, 20 deer were reintroduced into Ohio and those have multiplied to over 750,000 in Ohio today. This over population means that many deer will look for refuge in resident’s yards and wooded areas.

Canadian Geese were uncommon the first half of the 20^th century, but today they are abundant. Typically, if you live near a waterway or pond you will likely see these geese. It is important to use techniques to scare geese away or divert yourself from their path.

Mimi closed by talking about effective ways to live with wildlife including respecting them, expecting them and dissuading them from coming to your yard. The City of Dublin is attempting to become a national community wildlife habitat through certification. Residents are encouraged to apply. http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/pdfs/bwhapplication.pdf

To contact Mimi call 614-410-4730 or email her at mmigliore@dublin.oh.us