MONTGOMERY-Wildlife habitat management often revolves around the manipulation of what land managers call “succession.” Simply stated, succession is the change in plant community types that occurs over time. Although you may not have noticed, everyone has likely witnessed succession taking place. In Alabama’s rural areas, forest clearcuts are a common sight. When the trees are removed, succession is reset. Left undisturbed, succession will progress through a fairly predictable set of stages. First, annual weeds and grasses will appear. In two to three years, perennial grasses and broadleaf plants will become established. In eight to 10 years, shrubs and sapling trees will likely cover the landscape. If allowed to grow, the area will eventually become a mature forest once again, although it may take 60 to 80 years.
Much of the succession around us is not nearly as dramatic as a clearcut. Succession happens readily in old field type 
habitats. These areas are much easier to manipulate and “set back” succession. This may be accomplished using prescribed fire, light disking or bushogging. This type of manipulated habitat is beneficial to many desirable wildlife species such as quail, rabbits, deer, wild turkeys and numerous song birds. These habitats possess three attributes — structure, food production and diversity — that are essential to many wildlife populations.
Early successional habitats often have an open understory with scattered plants that create an umbrella-like canopy. While the tops of the plants provide shade and overhead concealment, underneath, the bunch-type grasses that grow in clumps allow young quail and turkey to maneuver between the clumps and stems. This structure lets many species to take advantage of the food the early successional habitat produces. This food may be the high volume of seeds produced by annual plants, the numerous small insects attracted by the plants or the plants themselves. In addition, early successional habitats can also provide excellent nesting opportunities for multiple species.
Last, my major professor will be glad that I remember his mantra “diversity is the key to wildlife 
management.” Early successional habitats are normally very diverse. Many plant species will compete to get a root hold in newly available ground. Habitats comprised of numerous plant species will normally always be better for multiple wildlife species than those comprised of a few species or a monoculture. Creating early successional habitat will benefit many species. This next winter, create some habitat by lightly disking an old field or have a certified burn manager prescribe burn the property. The wildlife will appreciate it.
MEDIA RELEASE/ Joel D. Glover, Certified Wildlife Biologist, Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries
