Two friends transformed a 225-acre overgrazed Texas ranch, bringing back quail and wildlife

The two friends, who were hunting partners, decided to change how the land was managed. 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. The restoration also connected wildlife habitat across neighbouring properties.Rebuilding the habitatThe first steps were not simple. Willis and Webb removed cattle from the property for a period so the existing non-native grass could grow. They then ...