Artificial Brush Cover Piles and Nesting Areas
Source: PEI Ecosystem-Based Forest Management Standards Manual (October 2025), pp. 31–32
What it is
Artificial brush cover piles use harvest residue — or other suitable material described in the PEI Forest Wildlife Manual — to improve wildlife habitat.
Ground-nesting birds, snowshoe hare and other small game need good resting and escape cover. Where natural cover is thin, a brush pile hides and shelters them from predators and weather, and gives seeds a place to germinate and plants a place to grow.
Eligibility
- The site or stand lacks natural ground cover.
- The owner wants to improve wildlife habitat.
Standards and assessment
Where to put brush piles:
| Good locations | Avoid |
|---|---|
| Woodland borders and clearings | The middle of an eroding wash |
| Next to feeding and nesting cover | |
| At the head of a gully, where piles also help prevent erosion | |
| Near impoundments and other wetland areas in open terrain | |
| Anywhere the surroundings lack natural cover |
The best spacing between piles depends on the site and the target species.
Materials. Use material harvested in an earlier treatment in the same stand, or bring it in from another area (per the PEI Forest Wildlife Manual). Don’t use imported material that looks diseased.
Artificial nesting areas follow the PEI Forest Wildlife Manual’s specifications:
- surface area at least 1.2 m²,
- height at least 1 m.
Upkeep. As a pile breaks down, add fresh branches so it keeps working as cover.
Assistance. Up to 10 per forest management plan.
These piles are built as wildlife cover. They are a different treatment from manual brush piling, which clears ground for planting.
Based on the PEI Ecosystem-Based Forest Management Standards Manual (October 2025), pp. 31–32. Where this guide and the manual differ, the manual governs.