Background
Trains aren't as common as they used to be, and many communities now have abandoned railway corridors. If there's one in your area, find out if you can adopt at least part of it and turn it into a "greenway" instead of a railway.
Procedure
• Start a cleanup campaign and collect any garbage that's been dumped in the corridor.
• Plant native wildflowers that appeal to butterflies and bees, and shrubs that produce native berries. Hawthorn hedges, for instance, have dense branches, heavy foliage, and thorny defences; they make excellent sanctuaries for nesting birds. Game birds such as woodcocks and grouses use the shrub's cover to hide and rear their young. As well, while the yield of fruit varies from year to year, there is usually an adequate supply of berries for birds like robins and cedar waxwings, and leaves, twigs, and fruit for animals like the white-tailed deer.
Maintenance
Patrol your reclaimed railway corridor regularly for signs of diseased growth, insect infestations, and so on.