PRESCRIBED FIRE

We all appreciate the importance of rainfall, sunshine, and soil for growing plants. But did you know that in the temperate zone where grasslands, longleaf pine savannahs, and marshes abound that all of these also depend on periodic fire to maintain ecosystem health? Here in the Southeastern U.S. where annual rainfall amounts are high and winter freezes are rare, plants grow very quickly.

Historically, periodic natural fires – mostly from lightening strikes–– would burn through these grasslands and forests every 3-5 years or so. Because they were so frequent, these were relatively cool fires since the fuel load hadn’t had time to build up. The fire mostly kept to the underbrush and did not kill the mature canopy trees like the oaks and pines. Fire nourished the soil, helped some trees to germinate – like the longleaf pine – and kept landscapes open for abundant wildlife. For more information on prescribed fire, please visit www.fws.gov/story/2024-03

Today, most of us fear fire and the damage it could do to our homes. As we’ve settled this continent, we’ve suppressed these periodic and necessary fires. Now, many of the animal species that live in fire-dependent plant communities are in trouble. Perhaps more importantly, without regular fire, fuel loads in forests have built up so that when accidental fires start, the results can be catastrophic.

Some land managers employ prescribed fire, which are low-fuel fires intentionally set and carefully monitored. Fires provide an essential puzzle piece to help Mother Nature maintain healthy native grasses and open pine savannahs.. These are places where the sweet whistle of the Northern Bobwhite would have been heard.

Next time you see a prescribed fire or come across the black-charred trunks of pine trees, know that these might be some of the last holdouts for species like Northern Bobwhite, Wild Turkey, Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Bachman’s and Henslow’s sparrows, Louisiana Pine Snake, pitcher plants, rare orchids, and many more kinds of plants and animals. Know that they’re doing it for the owls and other birds!Order your Owl Shack HERE.