Building Habitats in Hackley's Forest

The Advanced Forest Ecology Students are continuing the annual tradition of using recycled Christmas tree to build habitat for birds.

Each year, the Science department invites employees to drop of Christmas trees at the Buessow trail head after the holidays. Similar to what is happening on Island Beach Park in New Jersey, where Christmas trees are being used to rebuild the beaches along the barrier islands there, students and faculty then use the trees as extra habitat in the Hackley Woods.

Science teacher Tessa Johnson reports, "We position the trees around our bird feeders where students have been collecting data for Cornell’s Project Feeder Watch the last 10 years. The trees act as cover since most of the natural cover is gone due to deer overgrazing. The cover makes the birds feel safer hanging out by the feeders and attracts more wildlife."
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