MONTGOMERY-When managing for wildlife, not all grasses are equal. Native grasses, referred to as “weeds” by many, have unique properties that benefit wildlife. Improved pastures may benefit some domestic livestock but they do not offer the same benefits for wildlife.
Non-native improved pasture grasses, such as tall fescue and Bermuda grass, were brought to America as a better alternative to native grasses for grazing cattle. However, these improved grass species have little value to wildlife except the occasional consumption of their seeds and vegetation. These grasses 
have much different structure and growth forms than the native grasses they replaced. The structure and growth form of the native grasses are beneficial to the wildlife species that evolved in those habitats. Native grasses provide cover and increased forage opportunities that are not provided by their non-native counterparts.
Native grasses, such as little bluestem and broomsedge, grow in clumps or bunches that create open spaces between the grasses. This makes it easier for smaller animals, such as bobwhite quail and young wild turkeys, to navigate and feed through these grassy areas. The benefit to wildlife is even greater when legumes, such as partridge pea, and small, scattered shrubs, such as wild plum and wax myrtle, are incorporated. These plants provide additional food in the form of seeds and small invertebrates (e.g., insects) that are more accessible on the bare ground between the grass clumps.
Improved pasture grasses typically form dense, low-growing turf, making navigation through these pastures nearly impossible for young quail and turkeys. Small animals use less energy while searching for their next meal in a native grass system due to the ease of walking between the grass clumps.
Food is one important component on any property managed for wildlife. However, the amount of cover provided for wildlife is a limiting factor on many properties. Native grass communities provide escape cover, nesting habitat and brood-rearing habitat for many different wildlife species. The amount of cover and structure the native grasses provide not only increases the survival rates of wildlife that use these areas, but also increases their reproductive success.
Native grasses can offer a much-improved habitat for many wildlife species in Alabama 
and throughout the Southeast. These habitats must be managed if they are to be maintained in their most beneficial stages. Prescribed burning, mowing, or tilling should be used routinely to manage native grasses. Alternating the timing of these management practices creates a diverse habitat with native grasses at various stages of development.
Additional information on developing and managing native grasses is available from any Wildlife and Freshwaters Fisheries district office.
MEDIA RELEASE/Justin Brock, Wildlife Biologist, Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries
