Two friends restored overgrazed Texas ranch; wildlife returned
Two friends successfully restored a 225-acre overgrazed ranch in Texas by replacing non-native grasses with native species and managing cattle grazing. Their efforts transformed the land into a thriving habitat for native wildlife, particularly the bobwhite quail.
Why it matters
It demonstrates the effectiveness of regenerative land management practices in reversing ecological degradation and restoring biodiversity.
When Jim Willis and John Webb bought a 225-acre ranch near the San Bernard River in Texas in 2000, the land had little wildlife left. Years of overgrazing had left the property in poor condition, and the pasture could support little beyond cattle.According to Houstan Chronicle, the two friends, who were hunting partners, decided to change how the land was managed and bring back native plants and create better habitat for bobwhite quail and other wildlife.The ranch, known as WW Ranch, had been dominated by grasses that were commonly planted for cattle but did not provide the habitat needed by many native species. Willis and Webb began replacing these grasses with native varieties, including little bluestem and switchgrass.Their work eventually changed the ranch from a 'wildlife desert' into a place where quail and other grassland species could live.
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