Tips for Creating Brush Piles
by Kevin Monroe, Reston Association
Some communities do not allow brush shelters, and some neighbors might not undertand their value.
Check you local codes and notify your neighbors if the brush pile will be highly visible.
Place your shelter on the edge between two habitats - these "ecotones" house the most wildlife.
Make sure at least half of your shelter receives direct sunlight - many animals love to bask.
Use stone piles in your shelter as part of the base to create hiding places and along the edges to serve as basking sites.
Plant native flowering/fruiting vines to sprawl over the shelter to attract hummingbirds and songbirds.
Weave evergreen branches into the roof of your shelter in the Winter to provide cover from snow/ice storms.
Add old pipes to your shelter's base to serve as tunnels for rodents, reptiles and amphibians.
