Creating Native Grassland Ecosystems for Ground-Nesting Birds
Elizabeth Steele joins Missouri Department of Conservation’s Grasslands Systems Manager, Frank Loncarich, to explore the many benefits of a diverse native grassland to the birds, plants, livestock and farmers that use these areas. Grassland bird species include, bob white quail, meadowlark, grasshopper sparrow & Henslow’s sparrow.
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I have a small area (2-3 acres) that used to be farmed, but for the last 5 years I have let it grow volunteer vegetation. There is a lot of broomsedge & goldenrod, among other things. I mow it usually once a year to keep it from growing up in brush. When would be the best time to mow it so as not to adversely endanger wildlife, like rabbits, ground nesting birds, turtles, etc.?
When wildlife is the management goal, it is usually ideal to split the field into 2 or 3 or more pieces and manage the pieces differently. In other words, if we mow 1/3 of it February 1st, and 1/3 of it August 1st, and 1/3 of it next year, then there is always a refugia where the wildlife can go when the other part is mowed down.