Old fields across Mississippi often lack the plant diversity needed to support healthy wildlife populations. Many are dominated by non-native grasses such as bermudagrass, bahiagrass, tall fescue, and johnsongrass, which can limit plant variety and wildlife productivity, according to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks.
However, these areas are not beyond recovery. With proper management—such as herbicide application, disking, or prescribed burning—landowners can restore them into high-quality early successional habitat. Promoting native grasses, forbs, and browse can benefit species like quail, turkey, and deer.
The department provides a guide on how to convert and manage old fields to support wildlife. The full guide is available online at the department’s website.
Jon R Myers is the executive editor of Alcorn County News and the founder of the Mississippi News Group, which he started in 2013 to cover communities across North Mississippi. He also founded the Mississippi Sports Group in 2006, which grew from a single community publication into a statewide network covering high school and college athletics. He reports on local government, public safety, schools and community life in Corinth and Alcorn County, working from public meetings, agency records and interviews with the people involved. Contact him at editor@alcornnewsms.com with news tips or corrections. For a correction, include the article link and supporting source material.
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