Guess I'm set! I've got a mulch pile that was moved to the back of the property, mixed with gravel and caliche, because the guys working on the shed moved it with a backhoe. And a big pile of brush from the land cleared...eternal burn ban here, so it'll be there forever, I guess. And a smaller pile of scrap lumber from shed construction. Both on the back of the place. I don't even want to know what might be in them!

I have brush pile over my compost I did not get to. one brush pile I had a while ago 1990's , had a red female toad living in it , she was bright red over twenty years old and as big as an average mans foot , I have never seen any box turtle here (well one years ago) , I miss them . wish I was allowed to keep and breed them . (not since late 1960's have I done that ..
I have seen a lizard ,lots of different toads , snails with shells , around my rockier efforts ..

It's good to hear about so many piles and the wildlife that takes advantage of them. I have seen one box turtle here but not lately. I hope s/he's under a pile somewhere for the winter. We are allowed to keep them so if I can find the turtle again, I may see about that.

I've had larger critters in my brush piles - even got one of our rescued cats from in a pile by the back woods. Now she's right at home here.

Warm welcome Jimard8! Years ago we planted a stand of Xmas tree seedlings between us and the neighbors which totally got away from us. We now have a nice stand of mature Douglas and Grand fir trees, all in neat tidy rows. I have been randomly limbing up the lower dead branches and/or taking trees out so it is not so rigid looking, which creates a lot of brush. I burn most, but not all of the excess, and have been leaving piles here and there in the 'forest.' It is slowly creating a nice visual screen barrier between us and the neighbor, whose house is quite close to our shared fenceline. Thanks for the reminder to leave more of these here and there.

Bravo, Joy!

Excellent idea!

Thanks, chelle. There's definitely more to a healthy ecosystem besides plants. Luv plants, but you know what I mean.

I always have brush piles because of the shrubs and trees that need pruning.
But in the city they are frowned on by neighbours who have been brain washed into the perfect lawn and perfect straight row garden bed senerio. I have to camoflage them a little by growing other plants near them.