Hedgerows like the one pictured here provide an array of habitat features for wildlife, connect forested areas, and enhance early successional, grassy areas. Photo Credit: Kyle Magdziuk, Tall Timbers

Hedgerows like the one pictured here provide an array of habitat features for wildlife, connect forested areas, and enhance early successional, grassy areas. Photo Credit: Kyle Magdziuk, Tall Timbers

Updated: August 12, 2026
By Daniel Pratson

Are you considering planting trees and shrubs on your property? You aren’t alone. Many Marylanders have taken advantage of county- and state-funded programs that seek to afforest or reforest landscapes by incentivizing high-density woody plantings. 

Planting projects can lead to a slew of benefits – they can stabilize riparian areas, increase soil carbon, enhance water quality, and provide shade. In addition, well-planned planting projects can create or enhance wildlife habitat. Early successional habitat, which is characterized by open canopy conditions and mixtures of young trees, shrubs, and grasses, plays a critical role in many wildlife species’ life cycles. This habitat, however, accounts for only a fraction of the total terrestrial habitat across Maryland and has declined as forests mature.

Cover page of EB-1015-0771, "Birds and Other Wildlife Need Small Trees, Shrubs, and Early Successional Habitat"
Cover page of EB-2025-0771, "Birds and Other Wildlife Need Small Trees, Shrubs, and Early Successional Habitat"

In our recent Extension Bulletin, I worked with Luke Macaulay (Wildlife Specialist with UMD), Kyle Magdziuk (Biologist with Tall Timbers), and Ben Larson (Conservation Director with the Ruffed Grouse Society/American Woodcock Society) to help landowners intentionally plan planting projects that use short trees and shrubs to emulate early successional habitat. Our publication offers several useful tools, including a list of recommended tree and shrub species; planting preparation and spacing considerations; advice on continued management; and highlights from two different projects that have used planting to create habitat for wildlife dependent on early successional conditions.

Although early successional habitat conditions naturally persist for short periods of time, they play an important role in sustaining wildlife. Planting small trees and shrubs in marginal, open land can help increase early successional habitat’s representation across Maryland’s landscape and can contribute to tree planting initiatives. Be sure to read our publication as you plan and carry out your next restoration planting project!

Access the publication through any of the links below:

Webpage shortened link: 
https://go.umd.edu/EB-2025-0771

QR Code: 

QR code to access Extension Bulletin EB-2025-0771. "Birds and Other Wildlife Need Small Trees, Shrubs, and Early Successional Habitat"

Shortened PDF link: 
https://go.umd.edu/EB-2025-0771-DownloadablePDF

Branching Out, Vol. 34, no. 3 (Summer 2026)

Branching Out is the free, quarterly newsletter of the Woodland Stewardship Education program. For more than 30 years, Branching Out has kept Maryland woodland owners and managers informed about ways to develop and enhance their natural areas, how to identify and control invasive plants and insects, and about news and regional online and in-person events.

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