Keeping Nature Wild

How residents can remain curious about wildlife without disrupting it

By Rebecca Myers

Everyone is probably tired of hearing that 2020 has been a year for the ages, what with a pandemic altering so many facets of how we exist. But what if you’re an animal who didn’t get the news update?

Well, wildlife might not have received an alert straight from the governor, but our animal neighbors have definitely realized something is different. Scientists have dubbed this unique time the “anthropause,” “anthro” for human and “pause” for the break in human activity caused by stay at home orders that have drastically changed our routines and habits. That pause, in turn, has affected wildlife throughout the world, including critters around Dublin.

Animals that regularly have been wary or fearful of humans and their noisy vehicles, are now being spotted out and

A Dublin Road home hosts a Certified Backyard Habitat. Adding native plants to existing landscaping adds diversity and color to any garden and benefits many types of wildlife. 14 • October/November 2020 Kids learn how to start seeds during an outdoor family activity at Coffman Park.

about more often during the day with the decrease in traffic – as noise impedes an animal’s ability to focus. And animals that rely heavily on human refuse, like raccoons or rats used to feeding off scraps from now-shuttered restaurants, have had to rely solely on natural food since the COVID-19 pandemic began. These are some big changes, says Barbara Ray, the City’s nature education coordinator.

“I noticed how quiet the sky was without all that airplane traffic,” she says, “but the animals noticed it too. And that really reduced some of their struggles with having to hunt and find food and talk to each other with all that ambient noise.”

Ray points out that some animals, like foxes, raccoons or coyotes, follow a more nocturnal routine not because it’s in their nature but because it’s helpful in order to avoid humans. Nowadays, you might see those creatures and other animals such as rodents out during the day because they do not need to scavenge at night to circumvent people.

She also notes there aren’t more animals outside, people are just more aware of the wildlife activity around them. For some, working from home has meant being cognizant for the first time of what’s happening in their own back yards at different times of day. Ray has received an uptick in detailed inquiries about why animals behave the way they do rather than complaints about what they’re doing. That curiosity about the biology of wildlife is something Ray relishes as a naturalist.

“I feel like our community got a little closer firsthand look at how wildlife lives because we were observing it, and we were noticing that (animals) are not really doing that much damage, for one, and they’re not out to get us,” she says. “We can coexist with them – they have been here all along, we just didn’t see them!”

In Ohio, people are frequenting parks between 50 and 60 percent more, and Dublin has seen its share of increased parkgoers. Dubliners have built more Certified Backyard Habitats as well as asked more questions about composting and gardening. And don’t forget birdwatching, which has risen by 30 percent in the Buckeye State. That’s according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which tracks sighting reports from individuals. www.dublinlifemagazine.com

But with all that curiosity and attention to nature, Ray asks that residents continue to be responsible in order to protect the integrity of habitats to keep wildlife wild.

Tips for Keeping Nature Wild • Use high quality bird feed in feeders.

This is a healthier and safer option than feeding birds bread or popcorn (Per City ordinance, you can’t feed waterfowl). • Keep feeders clean. • Take down feeders for a time if you are attracting unwanted animals like deer (Your birds aren’t going anywhere). • Habitat is critical, so don’t put yard waste in green spaces that border water because the runoff can introduce harmful nutrients into the water source (The

City picks up yard waste as a service). • Keep leaves out of gutters to help with nutrient runoff. • Plant native species in your yard, like coneflower or butterfly bush, which are helpful for pollinators to thrive.

The City also has more options and pro grams to help keep wildlife and environments safe and thriving. • T ry creating a Certified Backyard Habitat, which includes making a native green space or water feature to cultivate important ecosystems. (It’s a program through the National Wildlife Federation, and

Dublin has been certified as a Community

Wildlife Habitat since 2012). • Compost! In August, the City started

Dublin Compost, a free compost disposal site for food scraps, yard waste and natural materials. Diverting food waste and solid waste from the landfill helps out all animals. • Use rain barrels to collect water to use for watering your garden. Dublin offers rebates for rain barrels.

Fall Friends

Outside of new animal activity brought on by the pandemic, the fall season has a host of changing creature habits of its own.

Ray says right now, bucks are approaching their breeding season, so tree rub can happen until January as deer still have their antlers. When a buck rubs its antlers against a tree, it signals to others how big they are and their strength. So, residents worried about young saplings can wrap them with mesh fencing to protect their bark.

Squirrels are another species to take note of this autumn. They’re having their second litter of babies for the year, and that can mean an increase in tree activity. People who have to cut down old trees or limbs should actually wait until mid- to late October or early November to ensure young squirrels are out of the trees. It’s also safer for bats, who are weaned and on the lookout for hibernation spots – you don’t want them hiding in the treetops you plan to remove.

Look out for reptiles this fall. Baby turtles and snakes, who hatched in August and September, will want to sun themselves in the middle of the day or catch some insects to eat. Aquatic turtles are on a mission to head toward the nearest water after they’re born, so if you see a baby turtle struggling to cross a road, Rays says you can pick them up and place them in the grass or nearby a creek in the direction they were heading (but please don’t make them or baby snakes your pets).

While the animal kingdom is constantly adapting to the humans around it, it seems that we, too, can adapt to learning more about what’s around ourselves.

“One good thing that has come out of this pandemic time, this anthropause, is people have gotten a little better understanding of wildlife,” Ray says. “Not because we told them to, but because they observe it for themselves.”

Have a question for Barbara Ray? Email her at bray@dublin.oh.us. Check out DublinOhioUSA.gov/nature for more info about the programs described here.

Neighbors who live near Wall Street Pond erect a martin house as a conservation project. Martins are a valuable bird that eat thousands of insects, helping reduce mosquito and harmful insect populations.

Dublin: Tree City of the World

By Shirley Blaine

The City of Dublin is home to more than 60 parks, 30,000 street trees and even more opportunities to connect with nature. With all that activity, the Arbor Day Foundation this year has named Dublin a Tree City of the World.

The City is honored for the designation, one that highlights the rich urban forest the community has to offer residents and visitors. The award comes after 33 years of Dublin being named a Tree City USA.

So, our Forestry team knows a thing or two about getting your trees off on the right “root,” and fall is also a great time for planting. Follow these helpful tips to keep your trees looking great all year. • Do your research: Did you know there are more than 60,000 species of trees? You’ll want to pick the right tree based on your soil composition, sunlight exposure and the location in your yard. Keep in mind that trees have a mature height and spread that you’ll need to take into account. • Know what’s below: Before you dig, be sure to call 811. Y our local utilities will mark their lines so you can dig safely. • Plant at the right depth: Make sure the root flare is not planted too deep. Aim for at or just above ground level. • W ard off drought: Add two to three inches of organic wood mulch around the tree. Take the mulch coverage all the way out to the tree’s outer circumference, also known as the dripline. • Stay hydrated: After planting your new tree, be sure to give it a deep watering. Then continue to water throughout the hot and dr y seasons. • Schedule follow-up care: Once your tree is established and starts to mature, work with a certified arborist to keep your tree in tip-top shape!

If you are unsure about whether you are watering or mulching your trees appropriately or if you have any other questions, feel free to reach out to your City Foresters at 614.410.4701. It’s greener in Dublin!