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SOIL HEALTH IN PRACTICE - REAL SOLUTIONS FROM REAL FARMERS

Regenerative Wildlife Ecology for wildlife to reproduce and fend off disease, parasites, and
predation. When free range animals are presented with
The principles of soil health have positive, compounding diverse species blends to complement native plants, they
effects on all wildlife species. The time-tested, synergistic appear to possess the ability to self-medicate and manage
relationships between soil, plants, and herbivores are par- parasite loads by optimizing their diets with nutritional
amount to a functional ecosystem because everything in wisdom. For optimal nutrient utilization in growth and re-
nature is interconnected and inter-related. production, deer demand a broad selection of plants that
Modern food plotting began in the 1930’s and was primarily are readily available. This foraging option affords deer the
dominated by monoculture stands of clover. Sadly, from the opportunity to balance potential toxicities in their diets, ul-
herbivore’s perspective, the commercial side of food plot- timately leading to higher reproductive rates, larger antlers
ting really hasn’t evolved in the last 90 years. The commer- at maturity and healthier populations, overall. Unfortunate-
cialization of food plot products has resulted in a narrowly ly, we’re not making these options available when using sys-
focused race for “improved” varieties while sacrificing plant tems that lack diversity and result in low productivity and
species diversity and nutrient density. The shift from na- disease. Cover crops complementing native plants can add
ture’s high species diversity to large scale monocultures and the diversity needed in wildlife food plots and clearly offer
low diversity food plot systems has resulted in plant land- beneficial synergies.
scapes that lack a broad selection of primary and secondary The momentous paradigm shift in recent years surround-
compounds. Like modern agriculture, modern food plot- ing soil health, food production, and agriculture has offered
ting relies too heavily on soil disturbance, heavy herbicide a promising outlook for all wildlife species; from honey
and synthetic fertilizer use, and monoculture cropping sys- bees to white-tailed deer. All terrestrial and aquatic wild-
tems with simple rotations. Deer and other wildlife thrive life, from sub-aquatic micro-organisms to large, free range
on diversity, yet we’ve eliminated it from their habitats. herbivores, proliferate in the wake of farming in nature’s
image. Diverse plantscapes resulting from the establish-
ment of cocktail blends no longer force animals to disperse
in search of needed concentrations of vitamins, minerals,
energy, and protein as well as primary and secondary plant
compounds. After two decades of private wildlife consult-
ing, I have never been as excited about an advancement as I
Photos courtesy of Jason Snavely
am about regenerative wildlife agriculture (RWA).

Crimping and planting in a single pass give both weed control and fertility to the
food plot of forage soybeans that will grow here.
Many food plot products consist of fewer than 7 different
species/plant types and are developed in the absence of a
calculated approach. The answer lies in planting diverse
cocktail mixes in well-thought-out blends that seek species
complementariness and offer maximum soil and animal
health. Diverse cocktails should include the right species
and proportions of legumes, grasses, forbs, and brassicas Drop-Tine Perennial Reload is a diverse and nutritious buffet!
that tighten in-field nutrient cycles and allow “food plot-
ters” to rely less on the heavy use of synthetic fertilizers. Jason R. Snavely • Bloomsburg, PA
CWB Certified Wildlife Biologist
This diversity of plant compounds offers wildlife a complex Drop-Tine Seed Co.
nutritional profile with nutritive, antioxidant, and medici- To learn more about these principles or about Drop-Tine
nal values. Biochemically diverse foodscapes are necessary Seed, please visit Jason at www.droptineseed.com.

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