5The woods-whether viewed from the ground on a morning hike or among the branches during an autumn afternoon spent in a tree stand-is a complex ecosystem at every level. Few sportsmen observe and even fewer appreciate the balance of food supply for the wildlife and game, which draws millions of families back to the forest every year. Left unchecked by nature, such biomes eventually mature past the point of providing sustenance to the animals they once fostered, while barren, reclaimed strip mines common throughout the Eastern US can be quickly overtaken by nonbeneficial trees relegating them to a shadow of their former glory. This book will show you how to help. From selecting and even grafting beneficial fruit, conifer, and hardwood tree species for your home, property, or game lands to nurturing them through adolescence as seedlings in a backyard nursery, easy to understand, step-by-step guides take the guesswork out of habitat improvement for beginner and veteran gardeners, sportsmen, and volunteers alike. You will learn ideal planting locations, how to give your transplanted trees the best chance of survival-including protecting against obstacles as small as mice, as deadly as blights, and as large as black bears-and how to foster and maintain your plantings to maturity. Helping nature improve wildlife habitat is a selfless and unspoken legacy you will pass on to your children and future generations to come. Your journey begins here. Joe Krug, 2020