Native Warm-Season Grass Restoration in Mississippi

Natural-resource managers often promote the establishment and management of native warm-season grasses for wildlife habitat. This is because a diverse mixture of native grasses and forbs generally provides better food and cover resources for wildlife species than nonnative grasses such as bermudagrass and tall fescue. Nonnative grasses were introduced for soil stabilization and livestock forage because they were easily established and highly productive, and because they could be grazed heavily. However, because nonnative grasses provide poor habitat for most wildlife, there has been greater interest in restoring native grasses for wildlife habitat.

Native warm-season grasses also provide excellent forage for livestock, making them more compatible for operations striving to produce livestock forage and good wildlife habitat simultaneously. With some careful planning and preparation, native warm-season grasses can be successfully established to meet your grassland habitat goals. Many assistance and cost-share opportunities are available to help you meet these goals. Thus, native warm-season grasses can be successfully managed for multiple objectives in Mississippi.

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This project was funded in part by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks and the MSU Natural Resource Enterprises program.

The information given here is for educational purposes only. References to commercial products, trade names, or suppliers are made with the understanding that no endorsement is implied and that no discrimination against other products or suppliers is intended.

Publication 2435 (POD-10-24)

By Rick Hamrick, Wildlife Biologist, Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks; L. Wes Burger, former Professor, Forest and Wildlife Research Center; Jeanne Jones, former Associate Professor, Forest and Wildlife Research Center; and Bronson Strickland, Extension Professor, Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture.