Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Handbook.

The National 4-H Wildlife Invitational is a competitive event to teach youth about the fundamentals of wildlife management. Youth learn that management for wildlife means management of wildlife habitat and providing for the needs of wildlife. This handbook provides information about wildlife habitat management concepts in both urban and rural settings and prepares participants for judging events. The contents and activities in the handbook are arranged in six sections in the order used by wildlife managers when deciding how to manage areas for specific wildlife species. The introduction describes how to use the handbook, preparing for contests, and general contest rules and guidelines. The second section defines 11 basic concepts on which the contest is based. The third section separates the country into 14 regions having similar climate, vegetation, and wildlife for use in the contest. The fourth section discusses habitat requirements and practices useful for managing habitat for the birds, mammals, and other species listed in the Regions section. The fifth section lists alphabetically 43 practices used to manage habitat. A general description of each practice and its effect on habitat are provided. The sixth section describes the five activities in which each contestant is expected to participate. Additional information includes criteria for scoring the contest, and a glossary of 71 terms. Contains 55 references. (MDH)