Think of animals when removing Dorian debris, says Island Nature Trust

Many trees across P.E.I. were damaged or toppled during post-tropical storm Dorian. Property owners may have piles of trees, branches and other debris, but those piles could be providing housing for other species.

Some of the piles make ideal habitats for small animals and Megan Harris, with Island Nature Trust, is reminding those thinking about getting rid of their debris to think of the animals.

"Brush is one of the best types of habitat that you can leave anywhere," she said.

Harris said piles like the ones left after Dorian "get occupied quickly."

"The brush piles will attract small mammals," she said.

Shrews, voles, field mice and other small animals will use the piles to nest, Harris said.

"It would be acting something like a shelter for small birds that are resident that would stay here all year round."

When to get rid of a pile?

Many homeowners on P.E.I. are wondering what they should do to clean up debris on their property.

"If they have a plan to try to address it before the snow flies, that is great. I think it is a time when there will not be too much impact on wildlife right now," Harris said.

However, if people plan to leave cleanup for spring, that might not be a good idea.

"Those piles will start to become kind of critical nesting habitat in May, June," she said.

She recommends waiting until the end of summer next year, when the nesting period is over, if people don't plan to get rid of their piles soon.

"By August, anything that has nested in there should have gone and nested and departed again," she said.

In May through to July if people plan to burn their piles then, they will be burning nests along with it, Harris said.

What about big piles?

It isn't just homeowners who are pondering what to do with trees and branches. Officials in Summerside have been brainstorming options to deal with their football-field sized mountain of debris.

Harris said it might not be a bad idea to leave the pile for a year.

"It would be great if they could incorporate wildlife into their planning and strategies for disposal of that. There are times that will impact wildlife far more," she said.

If the city started to work on removal in the late spring, once birds start to set up nesting territories, the animals won't want to take flight.

"Particularly if they already have eggs or young," Harris said.

She said it would be nice to try to accommodate wildlife during that period by working around their natural cycle.

"When planning what to do, looking out a year would be great," she said.

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