Habitat & Conservation  |  07/19/2022

Smoke Love is in the Air


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The Tatum Farm (Navarro Co.) was treated to its very own set of prescribed fires.

Story and Photo by Thomas S. Janke – Texas Quail Forever Coordinating Wildlife Biologist and Prescribed Fire Coordinator

Flowers, chocolates, and romance are commonly associated with Valentine’s Day. For a small group of dedicated landowners, conservationists, and volunteers, they had their own ‘sweet gestures’ in mind for beautifying our Texas landscape.

On February 14, 2022, the Tatum Farm (Navarro Co.) was treated to its very own set of prescribed fires. This property has been in Cheryl (Green) Tatum’s family for over 70 years. For the last 13+ years, the property has been enrolled in Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD’s) Voluntary Public Access-Habitat Incentive Program (VPA-HIP), allowing public hunting opportunities for small game and waterfowl alike.

Taylor Garrison (local TPWD biologist) has been working with the family, providing technical guidance for habitat management, for multiple years. Taylor was noticing decreased forb availability and increased woody encroachment in expired Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) fields that had been planted back to grassland habitat years before.

From a wildlife perspective, the years of deferred vegetation growth were not offering much more than an overgrown refuge for local feral pigs. Though bobwhite quail have not been heard or seen on the property for several years, Taylor has documented them nearby, and feels the Tatum Farm ties into a few ‘islands’ of local habitat for the bobwhite quail and other grassland-obligate species.

When Taylor approached the landowners about treating various parts of the property with prescribed fire, the Tatums were open to the idea, but needed both financial and technical assistance. Taylor was able to guide them through the Oaks and Prairie Joint Venture’s (OPJV) Grassland Restoration Incentive Program (GRIP) for a project to implement both firebreaks and prescribed fire.

Beginning in the fall 2021, Taylor reached out to Quail Forever team members to see if they would be willing and able to assist the Tatums with the prescribed fire. After months of careful planning, and patiently waiting for the stars to align (fire break implementation, county allowances for prescribed burns, suitable weather, and schedule availability) the Tatums and prescribed fire crew members (including multiple neighboring landowners) were able to send up a Valentine’s Day plume like no other!

Years of deferred, rank vegetation turned to a clean slate of ash and wildlife opportunities in a matter of hours! What was once a limited resource for local wildlife and public hunters will now become an enticing habitat for a suite of species— pollinators, birds, small and large mammals, and outdoor enthusiasts alike. Even as crew members dispersed following our successful day of prescribed burning, and as if on cue to concludingly grace our Valentine’s Day events, local mourning doves were gathering around to check out their new habitat.

This particular prescribed burn was special to Mrs. Cheryl, the landowner, because she said, “it would have been her Daddy’s 102nd birthday tomorrow (15 Feb), and she was sure he would approve of what we were doing on their land.”

From a partnership and collaboration standpoint, this prescribed burn was a special project for many reasons: 1) it was a great use of small game program funds (GRIP) for our overall goal of grassland bird habitat improvement; 2) we were able to use the local TPWD prescribed burn trailer thanks to Taylor Garrison’s help; 3) multiple local landowners (some first-time prescribed burners) were actively involved with the implementation process (again, thanks to Taylor’s coordination); and most importantly 4) we — partnering conservationists and organizations — were able to work together with the landowners on improving their VPA-HIP lease property so the wildlife AND public could all benefit!

Only time will tell what all wildlife, including the local bobwhite quail, and people, will find and enjoy the fruits of our Valentine’s Day efforts.


Thomas S. Janke is a Quail Forever Coordinating Wildlife Biologist and Prescribed Fire Coordinator in Texas.

This story originally appeared in the 2022 Summer Issue of the Quail Forever Journal. If you enjoyed it and would like to be the first to read more great upland content like this, become a member today!