Birds Georgia Restores Grassland Habitat at Wilburn Farm

Birds Georgia has completed months of hands-on habitat restoration at the historic Wilburn Farm in the Davidson–Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve, breathing new life into 19 acres of open grassland in the South River watershed. Supported by the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation’s Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program, this project marks Birds Georgia’s seventh award from the program and its third focal site in the South River watershed.

Before invasive plant removal began, Birds Georgia partnered with the Georgia Native Plant Society Stone Mountain Propagation Program for a seed collection workday. Those seeds were grown into native plants and later installed on-site, jumpstarting biodiversity and restoring a resilient ecosystem.

Over the course of the project, staff and volunteers removed invasive trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, including:

• Bradford pear
• Chinese privet
• Autumn olive
• Johnson grass
• Brazilian verbena

​They then planted more than 1,000 native plants, creating high-quality habitat for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife. This included native grasses such as broomsedge and splitbeard bluestem, as well as native forbs including blazingstar, coreopsis, and butterfly milkweed. Bird species such as the Eastern Meadowlark, Field Sparrow, and Savannah Sparrow have already been observed making use of the improved space.

"For years, the ecological value of Wilburn Farm was limited by non-native grasses that blocked native plants from thriving, reducing habitat for wildlife and affecting watershed health," said Gabe Andrle, Director of Conservation. "With this restoration, we're bringing back the critical native grassland habitat that has been disappearing rapidly across the Southeast. We hope Wilburn Farm becomes a sanctuary for birds and a place where the community can enjoy and connect with this revitalized landscape."

Wilburn Farm dates back to the late 1800s. After being abandoned during the Great Depression, the property was purchased in 1953 by Ross Wilburn, who repaired the house, built a pond, and constructed a horse barn. DeKalb County acquired the property in 2000, adding it to the Davidson–Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve.

The South River watershed, where Wilburn Farm is located, is a vital yet often overlooked resource in metro Atlanta. Spanning roughly 544 square miles, the South River provides critical habitat for migratory and breeding birds and is one of only two rivers in Georgia with an urban origin. Nearly 40% of the watershed lies in southern DeKalb County.

This project, along with Birds Georgia's other efforts within the watershed, serve as a model of bird-friendly habitat and protect South River-adjacent communities from flash flooding and other effects from climate change that are disproportionately impacting communities of color. Wilburn Farm is the fifth grant that Birds Georgia has received to complete habitat improvement work in the South River Watershed, including three grants for work at different areas within Panola Mountain State Park, at Lyon Farm, and now at Wilburn Farm.

This is the seventh award that Birds Georgia has received from The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program, which seeks to develop nation-wide community stewardship of local natural resources, preserving these resources for future generations and enhancing habitat for local wildlife. Grants seek to address water quality issues in priority watersheds, such as erosion due to unstable streambanks, pollution from stormwater runoff, and degraded shorelines caused by development.

The Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration grant program is sponsored by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) with major funding provided by U.S Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, FedEx, Southern Company, and SalesForce.