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Benefits to Wildlife The management and restoration plan highlighted above will increase productivity in the grassland, which will increase populations of meadow voles, deer mice, and pocket gophers. Large insects, including Orthopterans, beetles, and butterflies will also benefit. Seeds and insects produced in grasslands are the basis of an important food web. Abundant rodent populations serve as food for many mammal species such as coyotes and gray foxes. Numerous raptors, such as Swainson's hawk, northern harrier(Circus cyanus), American kestrel,red-tailed hawk, and white-tailed kite make use of these environments. Several species of reptiles, such as gopher(Pituophis melanoleuecus), California king (Lampropeltis getulus.) and garter snakes live in these habitats. Many songbirds, including sparrows and blackbirds also forage for seeds and insects in grassland areas. Grasslands, especially dense spring vegetation,provide nest sites for many waterfowl species. Some waterfowl, notably geese, graze in short grasslands. While grazed grasslands, both annual and perennial, are more beneficial to some species, ungrazed grasslands can be beneficial for nesting species. Stands of native grasses stay green longer and provide denser nesting cover than do introduced annuals. In the early part of the summer,perennials should present less of a fire hazard than do annuals, which become very dry earlier in season. Grassland Pilot Restoration Projects Perennial grass test plots will be established in locations representing a range of soil and vegetation combinations. The four habitat types are 1. open savanna, 2. shady, sandy-soil forest, and 3. buffer zones. Buckeye Ranch Resource Plan (November, 1993) 153