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Joe Budd WMA-- Explore by: Location : Activity : Name -- What are WMAs? -- Publications -- Additional Resources -- | ||||||||||||||
Natural Communities
Within Joe Budd is a wide diversity of forest community types. Most exemplary are a stand of old-growth longleaf pine on the Budd tract and slope forests along Little River. Throughout the wildlife management area, the land slopes down to creeks, rivers, or lakes. The diversity of forests on Joe Budd provide varied food for deer and other wildlife. Much of the upland acreage, probably a longleaf pine-wiregrass community at one time, was timbered by previous owners and farmed or reforested with fast-growing slash pines. Logging decks and agricultural fields established by previous owners are maintained as mowed openings and planted food plots to benefit wildlife. See rare plants found on or near Joe Budd.
The management philosophy at Joe Budd is maximum diversity results in more wildlife. In the past, natural fires, elevation changes, and hydrologic differences precluded dense stands of any single community type. Today slash pine planted by previous owners is allowed to mature to marketable size and harvested. The land is then reforested with longleaf pine. Longleaf is planted randomly without the ground disturbance associated with bedding. The understory is then restored, and burn compartments and perimeter and internal firelines established.
Wildlife Desert This planted stand of pine is a biological desert. Sunlight cannot penetrate to the forest floor and any seedlings that happen to sprout are smothered beneath the carpet of pine needles.
Invasive Exotics This feathery green foliage may look attractive, but it belongs to the invasive Japanese climbing fern. On Joe Budd are numerous invasive exotics, many of which were introduced to the area in the 1800s as landscape plantings. Considerable efforts are being expended to control the spread of these plants.
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Our mission: Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people.
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