Hi Julia,

Thank you for contacting the UVM Extension Master Gardener helpline with your question.

Planting trees is a big investment both in terms of money and time so you want to ensure that the trees you select will thrive in your environment. Some factors to consider to ensure the tree’s long-term health include the amount of sunlight the planting location receives daily, the size of the tree (height and width at maturity), drainage, the site’s exposure to wind/salt and soil type. You may consider having the soil tested. Soil test forms and instructions can be found on the UVM website: https://www.uvm.edu/extension/agricultural-and-environmental-testing-lab .

Soil testing provides useful information regarding existing nutrients, pH and organic matter content. Additionally, recommendations are made for amendments that should be added to your soil.

Planting native trees offer significant ecological benefits, primarily through supporting local wildlife, enhancing water quality and promoting biodiversity. Native trees are well-adapted to the local climate and soil therefore require less maintenance and water. They provide crucial habitat, food, and shelter for native wildlife, including birds, butterflies, and pollinators. Additionally, diverse native plant communities are more resilient to extreme weather events like floods and droughts, helping to maintain ecosystem stability.

A number of trees are recommended so I’ll provide sources for you and a brief description of some of their benefits to wildlife.

Vermont Audubon’s top four trees include:

https://vt.audubon.org/plants-birds/superstar-native-plants-vermont

Oaks (Quercus spp.) Oaks provide shelter and nesting sites for a wide variety of wildlife, including birds, mammals and insects. It is considered a keystone species - a species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend, such that if it were removed the ecosystem would change drastically.

Black Cherries (Prunus spp.) Black cherries provide a food source and habitat for numerous birds, mammals, and insects in addition to offering edible fruit,

Birches (Betula spp.) Birch trees provide food and shelter for deer, moose, rabbits, squirrels, and other mammals who browse on their leaves and twigs. Birds eat their seeds, buds, and insects that live in the trees.

Red Maple (Acer spp.) Maple trees provide a range of food for deer and rabbits who browse on leaves and twigs while squirrels and birds consume seeds. Insects feed on sap and leaves, and in turn, become food for birds and other animals. Maple trees offer shelter and nesting sites for birds, including cavity nesters like woodpeckers and owls, as well as mammals like squirrels and raccoons.

Doug Tallamy, an entomologist who advocates for planting native trees and shrubs to support biodiversity, particularly insects and birds list includes:

https://www1.udel.edu/researchmagazine/issue/vol2_no1_enviro/pdf/top10natives.pdf

Oaks (Quercus spp.) see above.

Willows (Salix spp.) Willows leaves, twigs, and catkins (flower clusters) are consumed by deer, elk, beavers, and insects. The dense thickets formed by willows offer nesting and cover for birds and other wildlife.

Cherries (Prunus spp.) see above.

Birch (Betula spp.) see above.

Poplar (Populus spp.) Poplar trees support a wide range of wildlife, including insects, birds, and mammals as well as provide nesting and roosting sites for various bird species.

Crabapple (Malus spp.) Crabapples provide a vital food source for numerous wildlife species, particularly during the winter months when other food is scarce. Deer, raccoons, squirrels, birds, and even bears consume the fruit, twigs, and foliage. Their dense thickets and branches of also offer excellent shelter and nesting sites.

Maple (Acer spp.) see above.

Elms (Ulmus spp.) Birds: Elm trees provide nesting sites, and the seeds and leaves are eaten by various bird species and caterpillars and other insects as well as squirrels and chipmunks.

Pine (Pinus spp) Pine trees offer shelter and food for a wide range of animals, including birds, mammals, and insects.

Let me also provide a link to the Vermont Urban and Community Forestry program which has a great tree selection tool: https://vtcommunityforestry.org/tree-care/tree-selection-planting/tree-selection-tool

On this website, you enter certain characteristics of what you want and it provides suggestions.

You have a nice selection of trees to choose from. Late August through October is a great time to plant trees with the warm soil, cooler air temperatures and more consistent rainfall that promote healthy root growth which allows trees to establish themselves before winter sets in.

I hope this helps and happy gardening!