How to Make a Brushpile

by David Donnelly

High on the list of important microhabitats you can create for wildlife in
your backyard is the brushpile. Do not confuse the brushpile with your
compost pile. Make sure the brushpile is made with only branches, sticks,
and twigs. No lawn clippings, leaves, or compost should be used, because
they will compact and block off the many entrances and exits that make a
brushpile the great hideout that it is.

To start a brushpile, pick a spot in the yard a distance from your house but
still visible, so you can observe the pile's inhabitants. The finished size
will depend on the amount of room you have. A good rule of thumb is to make
the pile about twice as wide as it is tall.

To start your brushpile, place four logs or thick branches about 6 feet long
in a square. On top of these, place five or six thinner limbs, propping them
against each other to form an inverted cone, or teepee shape. The leafy ends
of the branches should be toward the ground. Place smaller branches, again
with the leafy ends down, against the uprights to fill in the spaces. This
allows roosting birds access but keeps out nighttime predators such as
raccoons foxes, and cats. The pile can be a great winter hideout for
rabbits, too, if you keep two of the corners of the four bottom logs at
least 4 inches apart before adding the branches. Make the brushpile thickest
on the side facing the prevailing winds. Add more branches as the pile
breaks down over the months and years. As you continue to build, crisscross
the sticks to create a honeycomb effect.

Brushpiles are one way a backyard wildlifer can attract many animal species.
From shelter for wintering mammals to reproductive cover for low-nesting
birds, or even as a spot for hibernating butterflies, the brushpile is a
great attraction that uses plant material that would otherwise be put out on
the curb for trash.