By Rachel Holt, Regional Communications Specialist - WLFW Northern Bobwhite, Grasslands and Savannas Framework

Riding side-by-side to the edge of the pine savanna on Danny Tomlin's property, the soft chorus of songbirds could be heard from above. Then, cutting through the stillness, came the sharp, unmistakable whistle of a northern bobwhite. Not once but several times--boldly announcing its presence in the sanctuary it had found amid Virginia's dense woodlands.

That call was no coincidence. It was the result of clear, intentional choices made by Danny and his son, Curtis, who set out to restore 77 acres of pine savanna for quail habitat nearly a decade ago.

Located near Tidewater, Virginia, the Tomlin's property lies within a priority area for northern bobwhite quail and grassland conservation--one of several regions identified by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service's (NRCS) Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) initiative. WLFW helps private landowners increase productivity while improving wildlife habitat on working lands.

For the Tomlins, restoring quail habitat on their land meant more than just implementing conservation practices. It was a way to reconnect with their roots. Curtis's grandfather was born and raised on the very same property. Crumbling remnants of his childhood home remain there to this day.

"I grew up hunting in this area, so truthfully, it was family heritage that inspired me to restore it for quail habitat," Danny said. "Quail populations are not what they were years ago, and I started to think to myself--well, maybe we can have a small impact."

Bobwhite populations have declined across the Southeast for more than a century, with habitat loss as a leading factor. The Tomlins' land was no exception. When they first purchased the property, not a single bobwhite call could be heard on what was a dense, shaded forest stand with little value for upland wildlife.

But the Tomlins saw an opportunity to reclaim something that had been lost for both their family and the landscape itself. With help from WLFW, they set out to restore the pine savanna that once defined this region.

The Tomlins enrolled in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), an NRCS conservation program that helps participants integrate conservation into their working lands. With EQIP providing technical and cost-share assistance, they implemented forest stand improvement, an NRCS conservation practice where select trees or understory plants are removed to achieve desired forest conditions. The Tomlins thinned their pine stand to significantly reduce tree density, allowing sunlight to reach the forest floor and spark understory growth of native grasses, forbs and shrubs that quail depend on.

They also installed firebreaks and conducted prescribed burns--essential steps in mimicking the natural disturbance regimes that maintain healthy pine savannas and keep invasive vegetation in check.

"I underappreciated what sun and fire can do to diversify your habitat," Curtis said, "You can really see a difference."

In addition, the Tomlins have planted regenerative food plots across their property to improve soil health, support diverse plant life, and provide sustainable, year-round food sources for animals like quail and deer. Together, these practices reshaped the property to meet the Tomlins' goals, transforming an overgrown forest into a diverse, productive landscape where bobwhites can thrive.

The Tomlins are currently active volunteers in the ongoing WLFW bobwhite outcomes assessments-- science-based evaluations used to measure how habitat restoration efforts under WLFW are impacting quail populations in priority areas. Audio Recording Units were installed on their pine savanna to detect and record not only bobwhite whistles, but also the songs and calls of other grassland bird species.

Their restoration efforts have attracted far more than quail. Songbirds, black bear, deer, turkey and even woodcock have returned to the property, creating a thriving mosaic of wildlife on land that now supports a range of outdoor activities for the family.

For Curtis, one of the most rewarding outcomes of being enrolled in WLFW has been the improvement of recreational access across the property. The restored habitat not only benefits wildlife but also provides a meaningful place for his family to connect with the outdoors.

"I hope that as the kids get older, they have opportunities to encounter quail, woodcock, and turkeys here and continue to improve recreational access," Curtis said. "We're very lucky to have a legacy property where we can do things like [create] the pine savanna, because it's been in our family for so long. When we talk about our goals for the next 10 years, I hope that legacy is just carrying on to the next."

Danny shares that vision of leaving a legacy. He said bringing his children, and now his grandchildren, out on the land is his way of instilling a strong sense of stewardship from an early age. By teaching them the value of caring for the land and the wildlife that depends on it, he hopes to pass on a deep-rooted respect for conservation to the next generation.

"This property gives my grandchildren a place to go. It's a retreat," Danny said. "What they learn about nature is great, but just to be able to have a spot to go to in nature is important. For me, that's what I want from this property. A legacy for that."

Get started by learning more about WLFW, here. More information about EQIP and other conservation programs available to landowners through WLFW can be found here.