sawdust mulch & other sheet mulching techniques

From that site (not updated, but full of useful tips) this caught my eyes, Kat:
"Sawdust, toads, frogs and birds protect from slugs, snails, wood lice and earwigs."

I have found that to be true for our gardens here. The compost we use is horse manure and pine shavings, composted yet with the sawdust and shavings still somewhat present. I'm now using free mixed-wood shavings from a nearby boat building school for the paths, and I love it! When we first started working the ground here there were so many slugs they would be all over our shoe tops as we walked around in the grass. I still find them from time to time, but so few even our lettuce is usually untouched. The kind of mulch we use, the hand picking, and the frogs, salamanders, toads, birds and our bantams have dramatically reduced slug, snail, and earwig populations.

maeve