Texas ranchers transform overgrazed land into thriving prairie habitat

When Jim Willis and John Webb purchased a 225-acre ranch near the San Bernard River in 2000, the land was degraded by years of overgrazing and supported little beyond cattle. They removed the herd, conducted prescribed burns, applied herbicide, and planted native grasses such as little bluestem and switchgrass across more than 100 acres. The project also included planting 3,000 native sand plum trees, adding forbs, and expanding a shallow pond into a five-acre wetland with bird nesting boxes.

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the restored habitat now hosts bobwhite quail, deer, ducks, migratory songbirds and about one quail per acre without restocking. Seeing the success, Willis began recruiting neighboring ranchers, eventually forming a coalition of 28 landowners to create a multi-mile wildlife corridor connected to the Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge, with support from Audubon Texas and state agencies. The restoration costs roughly $100 per acre, with ongoing maintenance at $5 per acre, while the improved land also reduces fertilizer needs and aids water retention.