Before discussing prescribed burns, cedar removal, or conservation funding, Jessica and Hunter Vick began our conversation with a burst of excitement—they had just read hopeful news about butterflies.
The husband-and-wife team behind Land Revival LLC had just seen a report showing the eastern monarch butterfly population increased by 64 percent this year, a piece of news that felt particularly meaningful for two people who spend their days helping landowners restore Alabama’s native grasslands. While monarchs may not be the first thing that comes to mind when people think about the Black Belt, the Vicks see the increase as evidence that conservation efforts matter and that restoring habitat, even one property at a time, can create impacts that stretch far beyond a single fence line.
From their home base in Fosters, just outside Tuscaloosa, the couple works with landowners across Alabama to restore prairie remnants, remove cedar encroachment, conduct prescribed burns, and improve wildlife habitat. Yet despite the technical nature of the work, Hunter says their mission has always been grounded in something much deeper than land management.
“What you own is not just about you,” he said. “Land ownership is not just a number on a map. It’s your responsibility to take care of it.”…