Wildlife Habitat Improvement Initiative Series:

Richard Wall Farm, Edgefield County

Richard Wall was raised on a beef cattle farm on the northern part of Edgefield County, S.C. With over one-third of the county dedicated to the Sumter National Forest, much of these remaining rolling hills contain excellent opportunities for producing wildlife-friendly farms. With Wall’s family farm containing 800 acres, their land-management activities for cattle steadily provided habitat for deer and other wildlife. Wall and several other members hunt his farm each year for a wide variety of wildlife species.

But, not all of their land is littered with cow patties and barbed wire fences either. In fact, only 200 acres of their farm is dedicated for cattle grazing, the rest is forested, except for 20 acres dedicated to food plots. Wall insures his farm is steadily providing beneficial habitat in the form of food and cover throughout the year by using prescribed fire and regular timber harvesting.

“We have been clear-cutting timber stands and replanting since 2005. So, we have different age pine thickets weaving around hardwood ridges and bottoms.”