EAGLESTAR.NET LAND AND PROPERTY REVIEW
http://www.eaglestar.net
Issue #5
Feb. 25, 2008

IN THIS ISSUE:
Properties of the Week
Got Wildlife? Attracting Wildlife to Your Property
Buyer's List Update
Reader Feedback
Landterms.com Term of the Week: Abstract of Title


PROPERTIES OF THE WEEK
Hunting and wildlife-watching opportunities abound on this week's properties.

Property #1 - Abundant turkey, deer, and other wildlife on this beautiful
754-acre ranch in McDonald County, Missouri. Woods, rolling hills, pasture, a
spring-fed creek, and ponds surround a 3-bedroom home. See photos and details
at http://www.eaglestar.net/mcc.html.

Property #2 - Stunning hunting and wildlife property in Williams County, North
Dakota. Trees, farmland, water, and a pine-finished 4-bedroom home accent this
1,120-acre parcel. Watch or hunt white-tail deer, mule deer, pheasant, duck,
grouse, geese, partridge, and more! Photos and additional information at
http://www.eaglestar.net/dkr.html.

Property #3 - Lake of the Ozarks / Osage Beach area, Benton County, Missouri: 4
acres with building site near boat launch. Enjoy wildlife and fishing in the
forest! Owner will finance. View photos and more information at
http://www.eaglestar.net/hrr.html.

Property #4 - Heavily wooded 84-acre parcel in Oglethorpe County, Georgia.
With Beaverdam Creek running through it, this property has lots of wildlife.
Accessed by county-maintained gravel road. For photos and additional
information, visit http://www.eaglestar.net/csnelson.html.

Property #5 - Lakeside parcel in Springfield, Idaho. Enjoy 29 acres on the
Springfield Reservoir, with irrigation and domestic water rights. Year-round
boating and fishing, deer, elk, antelope, eagles, hawks, geese, swans, ducks,
and more! Photos and details at http://www.eaglestar.net/cdl1-.html.


GOT WILDLIFE? Attracting Wildlife to Your Property
An Occasional Series
Part 1: General Tips and Ideas

One of the joys of owning real property is being able to view wildlife right in
your own backyard. Rural properties generally attract more wildlife in terms
of both abundance and variety, but city-dwellers and suburbanites can also
easily enjoy this rewarding pastime. The key to attracting wildlife to your
property, no matter where you live, is creating as many diverse components of
habitat as you can.

Habitat is the physical environment that will support the life of a plant or
animal. Willdlife habitat is no different from human habitat - we all require
the same basic things to survive. There are some components of habitat that
you can control to influence what sort of animals use or live in your yard.
All animals need water, food, and places to take cover and rear their young.
By thoughtfully planning your backyard wildlife habitat, you can enjoy years of
wildlife watching even if your yard space is relatively small.

The simplest way to begin planning your wildlife viewing area is to figure out
which plants are desirable to wildlife in your region. Select species for
planting, with the idea that a variety of plants will attract a variety of
wildlife. Flowers provide nectar for hummingbirds and butterflies. Fruit and
nut trees provide sustenance for a variety of creatures. Many birds feed on
insects; to attract them, create habitat desirable for insects. You can do
this by using mulch, composting, and leaving some dead vegetation (such as
fallen leaves) on the ground. Agricultural extension offices, universities and
community colleges, and local nurseries are great resources to help you figure
out what animals are in your area and which plants they desire.

Remember that plants provide much more than food, so try to include shrubs or
trees that provide cover and nesting habitat. Even a potted shrub on a
concrete patio can provide enough cover to entice certain animals. Evergreens
are a great choice for shrubs or trees, because they provide cover year-round.
Grasses and small shrubs can provide cover, nesting habitat, and food for
birds, amphibians, and small mammals.

Water is also very important, which you can furnish by installing birdbaths or
small ponds. Water is especially crucial in the winter. To keep water from
freezing, leave a piece of wood in it. If it still freezes, you may need to
add additional water or thaw it to keep the animals coming. Place water
sources in the open with protective cover close by, so that the wildlife can
spot approaching predators and escape if necessary.

When planning your backyard wildlife habitat, place food and water features so
they can be seen from windows, decks, and patios. These are the places
wildlife congregate and are most visible. Make sure you provide protective
cover nearby, however. Predators abound, from bobcats and red-tailed hawks in
the high-desert mesas of the Southwest to wolves and mountain lions in the
American and Canadian Rockies to black bears and coyotes throughout the United
States. Even if you live in the most urban of environments, wildlife killers
still lurk. The common housecat is responsible for a surprisingly high
percentage of overall wildlife deaths.

Creating your own backyard wildlife habitat and viewing areas can be rewarding
in more ways than one. In an era of increasing fragmentation and destruction
of wildlife habitat, providing a place for animals to eat, drink, rest, and
reproduce is invaluable in itself. A little research and planning can go a
long way toward ensuring that you and your guests are able to enjoy the serene
experience that is wildlife watching. According to the National Wildlife
Federation, you will most likely increase your property value, as well.

Next in this series: tips for attracting certain types of animals in specific
regions of the United States.

Share your thoughts, ideas, and stories about wildlife viewing on your property
at newsletter@eaglestar.net.


BUYER'S LIST UPDATE
Browse or place free "Property Wanted" ads at
http://www.eaglestar.net/Land_Buyers_List/index.html.

Texas: Looking for 10 to 20 acres, $3000 per acre price range, heavily wooded.
A small pond would be fine, lots of wildlife, nowhere close to a highway or
interstate. Contact Eaglestar.net and please refer to buyer #19465.

Washington - Olympia, Seattle, or Tacoma areas. Looking for a small parcel
(less than an acre ok), lots of trees. Want to photograph wildlife. Seek to
avoid strict Planned Unit Development rules. Contact Eaglestar.net and please
refer to buyer #19092.

Western North Carolina: 6-10 acres, heavily wooded or w/ small amount of
meadows/pasture. Desire stream, home site for log cabin off paved road. An
abundance of wildlife and bordering a nat'l forest is a plus! $4,000 - $10,000
per acre depending on location and size of stream (willing to pay more for
larger stream and waterfall). Please refer to buyer #2018676.

Iowa or Minnesota: Looking for 80 acres +, at least 50% timber, remainder
tillable or horse pasture. Site for 2000 sq ft single family retirement home,
access to electricity & water. Desire wildlife (deer, turkeys, etc). Contact
Eaglestar.net and refer to buyer #2015108.


READER FEEDBACK
Last issue we featured a piece on conservation easements. Reader Deborah E.
wrote and asked us to inform our subscribers that in some cases, the recipient
of the conservation easement (usually a land trust) sometimes has a dominant
interest in both the property and the easement and may have the power to
approve or disapprove the sale of the property. As we stated in the report,
conservation easements are private legal agreements and, as such, can be quite
different from one another. We recommend that you seek legal and/or other
professional advice before giving up an interest in real property that you own.
Thanks for your comments, Deborah!


LANDTERMS.COM TERM OF THE WEEK
http://landterms.com
Each issue we feature a real estate, forestry, natural sciences or other
land-related term from our partner site, Landterms.com. This week's term was
suggested by reader Dian in Oklahoma.

Abstract of title:
A concise, summarized history of the title to a specific parcel of real
property, together with a statement of all liens and encumbrances affecting the
property. The abstract of title does not guarantee or assure the validity of
the title of the property. It merely discloses those items about the property
which are of public record, and thus does not reveal such things as
encroachments, forgeries, and the like.

More real estate terms: http://landterms.com/Real_Estate/index.html
All categories of terms: http://landterms.com/categories.html


SUGGESTIONS
We welcome reader suggestions, comments, and questions.
Email: newsletter@eaglestar.net

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