Hale County is one of 19 counties eligible for a new $17.5 million initiative to restore native Black Belt prairie lands.
The Alabama Soil and Water Conservation Committee (ALSWCC) launched the Alabama Blackbelt Prairie Initiative last fall. This five-year restoration project is funded by a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Regional Conservation Partnership Program grant, with additional support from the Alabama Legislature.
Project Goals and Methods
Over the next five years, the ALSWCC will work with landowners and producers to restore 8,000 acres of prairie through:
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Cost-share assistance
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Technical guidance
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Conservation planning
The program offers 29 conservation practices and helps landowners offset installation costs through a rebate system. Specific practices designed to restore soil health and biodiversity include:
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Prescribed burning
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Removal of invasive species
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Planting native warm-season grasses
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Rotational grazing techniques
The Importance of Restoration
“Today’s launch represents more than just funding — it marks the beginning of real, on-the-ground restoration work that will strengthen both Alabama’s natural landscapes and the communities that depend on them,” said Ashley Henderson, assistant executive director of ALSWCC.
According to the Southeastern Grasslands Institute, more than 90 percent of Alabama’s native grasslands have been lost since European settlement, making prairie ecosystems among the most threatened habitats in the state.
Tim Gothard, executive director of the Alabama Wildlife Federation, a key partner in the initiative, stated the organization looks forward to continuing its work with Black Belt landowners on prairie restoration.
Get Involved: Interested landowners can learn more at alabamasoilandwater.gov/blackbelt.
