by Dr. Roman Jesien (Dr Jesien is the science coordinator for the Maryland Coastal Bays Program.)

Have you ever seen that little sign on someone’s desk that is filled with large piles of papers, “A Neat Desk Is the Sign of a Sick Mind”? To me it sends a strong message that messy might be thought of as an acceptable alternate life style. Consider the neat rows of loblolly pine or corn or soybean fields. The neat rows maximize the harvest, but they do not maximize the productive potential of that field. Management for a variety of organisms needs an alternate approach.

Piles of brush or other woody debris, technically referred to as brush piles, were originally created as disposal areas along field edges, gullies, pastures and other sites for the purpose of concentration of debris to remove it from the proximity of agriculture or other activity. Observations of brush pile sites showed they were strongly associated with a lot of wildlife activity and became prime areas to hunt. Other sites of piling occurred around fields and wood edges that also contribute to habitats. Stones were removed and piled sometimes forming stone fences stretching for miles. Old buildings, equipment, discarded fences and stored construction material likewise contributed habitats. Brush piles were usually more numerous and many times were combined with other piling activities. It was common to find brush piled on rock disposal areas or on top of other discarded debris.

Wildlife managers, landowners, hunters and professionally trained biologists all recognize the value of brush piles. The diversity of wildlife can be enhanced through the construction of brush piles. Brush piles serve by providing escape habitat, burrow cover, breeding sites, nesting cover or foundation rearing positions and climatic cover or micro zones protecting organisms from extreme temperature or weather. Individual species benefit from a diverse structure that brush piles provide.

A brush pile located out in a field hundreds of feet from other cover or habitat elements may be isolated and have less transitory use by many wildlife species but never the less, it will serve as an attractant for those species which travel away from cover. A brush pile function is dependent on its location, but we have not seen a pile that did not increase diversity including bacteria, fungi, insects, birds, and algae no matter where its location. All of these species are food sources in the trophic structure and productivity of a brush pile.

Brush piles are analogous to man-made reefs. In many Midwestern lakes, brush piles are built on ice during winter, then with spring thaws, the brush pile sinks and becomes an artificial fishing reef. Many a lunker largemouth bass are caught around these brush piles. Reef communities are recognized for
immense concentrations of life and its complexity. Artificial reefs in estuaries and coastal areas are made from a variety of materials including cars, concrete structures, ships and even military tanks. These areas provide habitat for a variety of creatures including crabs, lobsters, sea bass, croaker and tautog.

Nature has a way of promoting habitat diversity through floods, fire, hurricanes and droughts. Use of brush piles is a way of working with nature to promote a healthy and diverse ecosystem.

Contribution to this article was provided by Bruce Nichols, Natural Resource Conservation Service