Land-cover evolves over time. The ability of vegetation to meet functional requirements such as water quality protection, aesthetic or visual buffers and wildlife habitat also changes as changes in the size, density, maturity and fruiting capability evolve. Depending on the objectives of the owners, regular management of the land-cover is necessary to maintain a vegetation condition that more suitably meets functional requirements. Over time, a grassland community will evolve to a scrub/shrub and ultimately, a forest condition. The management of many grassland bird species including game birds such as quail, turkey and pheasant may require prescribed burning (controlled burning) on a 3-5 year rotation in order to maintain a grassland community. Many sites have noxious and invasive weeds present, which requires periodic treatment to allow the development of natural vegetation communities. The maintenance of scenic vistas or vegetative screening typically requires periodic thinning and pruning to satisfy these design attributes.

The horizontal and vertical arrangement of various vegetative types can greatly enhance the capacity of the land to meet landowner's objectives. Since 1981, we have performed prescribed burning, invasive plant species treatments, thinning and timber stand improvements on more than 26,000 acres to create and/or maintain functional values associated with grasslands, shrub and forested habitats.

The management of warm season grasses requires periodic control of shrub encroachment. Prescribed fires at 3 -5 year intervals is an effective maintenance tool.

                                

Selective timber harvest can be used to remove hardwood trees that may be undesirable to many types of wildlife, while favoring trees that produce hard mast (oaks/hickories) and soft mast (black gums and persimmon), which are more favorable to many game and wildlife species.