SP704-A-Potential Impacts on Wildlife of Switchgrass Grown for Biofuels

Switchgrass is currently receiving attention from many agricultural producers and investors who are interested in participating in the rapidly developing biofuels industry. As research continues to drive cellulosic ethanol production towards becoming an economically feasible reality, some producers are considering switchgrass cultivation to feed these newgeneration ethanol manufacturing plants. At the same time, switchgrass and other native warm-season grasses have been promoted to enhance habitat for wildlife dependent upon early-successional plant communities. Indeed, native grasses are an important habitat component for many species of wildlife that typically use fields because of the structure and cover these grasses provide. The structure and cover within a field is determined by two things: plant composition and management. This publication addresses how plant composition influences wildlife habitat and how switchgrass grown for biofuels can be managed to benefit wildlife.