Black Belt Prairie Ecological Assessment
By Al Schotz, Botanist and Ecologist, Alabama Natural Heritage Program
The Black Belt region of Alabama is defined by a crescent-shaped pattern that extends across the central part of the state from near the Georgia state line westward to Mississippi, covering approximately 4,000 square miles.
Boosting Alabama’s remarkable natural heritage, the region is a geologically and biologically distinct area among physiographic provinces of the state, which contains a scattering of naturally occurring grasslands that harbor some of the state’s rarest and most cherished plant and animal life. Commonly referred to as Black Belt prairies, this association represents one of the least understood and most imperiled ecological systems in the Southeast, having been reduced to a mere remnant of their original glory due to land use alterations.
An ecological assessment study spearheaded by Al Schotz, of the Alabama Natural Heritage Program (ALNHP) and sponsored by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (ADCNR), is dedicated to fostering a greater awareness and appreciation of the state’s Black Belt prairies in an effort to promote long-term conservation. The study has focused on mapping and classifying all prairies based on their ecological integrity, documenting vertebrate species of greatest conservation need as identified by Alabama’s State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP), developing metrics to guide landowners and land practitioners in assessing the quality of their prairies, and identifying the highest quality prairies for protection and conservation purposes.
The study complements an earlier project undertaken by the Heritage Program in 2008 which was instrumental in defining and directing conservation strategies of the state’s prairie systems. The current study is anticipated to end in late 2025.
