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September 10, 2024
CENTRAL POINT, Ore. – ODFW is giving away free wildlife forage seed to Southwest Oregon area landowners on Friday, Sept. 20. The seed is free to the public because of donations from the Rogue Valley Oregon Hunters Association (RVOHA) matched with federal funds granted to ODFW through the Pittman-Robertson Act’s Wildlife Restoration Program.
Interested landowners are eligible for two 15-pound bags of seed which can cover one acre of habitat. Seed can be picked up from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Denman Wildlife Area ODFW Office, 1495 E Gregory Road, Central Point. Bags are first-come, first-serve and are often gone before the end of the day.
The forage mix is not suitable for healthy habitats such as woodlands and grasslands dominated by native species; these areas already provide suitable forage for wildlife.
The mix is a blend of species that attract watchable wildlife, game birds, and mammals. It includes non-native grasses and herbaceous species that provide critical food sources for animals during fall and winter in areas where native forage is lacking or has deteriorated.
These seeds can grow without irrigation and should be planted soon so they are ready to sprout with fall rains.
ODFW says the pasture-adapted forage species can help out-compete other invasive non-native plants such as yellow star-thistle which provides very little forage value for wildlife. Understory plants also help stabilize soils and provide ground cover to control dust and reduce erosion.
Productive wildlife habitat on private lands is an essential piece of the puzzle when it comes to ODFW’s mission of protecting and enhancing Oregon’s native wildlife populations.
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