Creating a Wild Backyard - Brush Piles - Wild Acres - Wildlife and Heritage Service - Maryland Department of Natural Resources

Creating a Wild Backyard - Brush Piles - Wild Acres - Wildlife and Heritage Service - Maryland Department of Natural Resources:

How to Build a Brush Pile

A finished brush pile should be at least ten to 15 feet wide and 25 feet long. It should be dense enough to protect the animal while still allowing wildlife to easily run inside. However, smaller brush piles can be of benefit to birds, lizards, chipmunks, and other small animals. A brush pile has two parts:

Supporting Base

The base is formed from two layers of logs, evenly spaced, to allow easy access. Within the base, you can also put drainage pipes, or tiles, cinder blocks, or tires with holes cut along the tread. Animals may use these as dens.

Build the base of the brush pile over stones, tires, cinder blocks or other durable material to slow the decay of the log base.

Place alternate layers of logs at right angles to one another to form the base. These logs should be at least six inches in diameter and spaced six to ten inches apart. The base will look similar to a log cabin.

Rot resistant wood like cedar, locust or other hardwoods make the best base. Stay away from treated wood for your base.

Pile of Plant Material on Top

The “brush” part of the pile can be made from a variety of plant parts, including old Christmas trees.

Place the small trees, branches, and other brush over the base using enough material to form a tepee or mound-shaped pile about five feet tall.

Pile the brush on the base so that the center is very dense, but the edges are loose. This will shelter the animals and still allow them to easily come and go.

Replace material as it decays

Take note: Though brush piles are tremendously beneficial to wildlife, they can also attract woodchucks, skunks, and snakes, all of which may become household pests. Because of this, it is best to keep brush piles away from your home. Brush piles may also conceal predators, so it is also good to keep them away from bird feeders located on or near the ground. Also be aware of local and community ordinances before creating a brush pile habitat.