Amanda_Kraus
Spring Valley Prescribed Burns Photo 1
This photo displays prescribed burning administered by the Schaumburg Park District at the Spring Valley Nature Center in Schaumburg, Il. The burning occurred early March and is conducted every fall or spring. A controlled burn is a planned wildfire done on vegetation in wetlands, prairies, and woodlands. The burning requires large-scale training, planning, and specialists. Planning for a controlled burn usually occurs at least six months prior to the operation. A permit must be obtained from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and local fire chiefs and forest preserve officials must be notified the day of the burning. All personnel have received training in ignition of the landscape, termination of the fire, as well as overall behavior of the flame. A written plan is also created stating the possible hazards, safety protocols, and management of the burn. Professionals must also contemplate the weather conditions before preforming a burn. The atmospheric temperature, humidity, precipitation chances, wind speed and direction are only a few of the factor’s wildfire coordinators must consider. One may not know that fire plays an important role in sustaining certain environments. It is a safe way to remove excess non-native shrubs and promote growth of new native plants. Controlled burning can be used to create an empty landscape to prepare for the seeding and planting of other species. Burning helps the seeds connect with the soil better and allows for productive germination. Many of the invasive plants compete with the native vegetation for space and sunlight. Burning helps minimize that competition. Fires can also help control shrub growth along the bank of a flood control reservoir where deep roots can ultimately affect the structure of the bank. Native Americans commonly used fires to progress their visibility when hunting for food, making it easier for them to travel through tall prairies. Since wildfires were common in the Midwest many centuries ago, native plants have adapted to fire and easily germinate after the fire is complete. Prairie plants have roots that grow deep underground and are not affected by these fires, allowing them to germinate once a fire is diminished. Native trees such as hickories and oaks have evolved thick bark that protects them from fire. Certain species of evergreen trees cannot grow until their cones are visible to heat. Non-native plants that do not belong in the prairie have short root systems and will not survive the fire. Another advantage to prescribed burning is that it helps in restoring nutrients needed for further native plant growth in the future. Many species such as muskrats, white-tailed deer and red-winged blackbirds depend on fire to maintain their habitat. Although trained professionals have learned to conduct burns in a fashion that results in as few injuries as possible, occasionally a field mouse or snake may be injured. It is more common that these animals will dash through the fire unharmed to a safe area. When a controlled burn is completed, one can expect to see a blackened landscape. Don’t be alarmed the next time you see a burned field because now you know that it is beneficial in maintaining our ecosystems.
Spring Valley Prescribed Burns Photo 1
This photo displays prescribed burning administered by the Schaumburg Park District at the Spring Valley Nature Center in Schaumburg, Il. The burning occurred early March and is conducted every fall or spring. A controlled burn is a planned wildfire done on vegetation in wetlands, prairies, and woodlands. The burning requires large-scale training, planning, and specialists. Planning for a controlled burn usually occurs at least six months prior to the operation. A permit must be obtained from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and local fire chiefs and forest preserve officials must be notified the day of the burning. All personnel have received training in ignition of the landscape, termination of the fire, as well as overall behavior of the flame. A written plan is also created stating the possible hazards, safety protocols, and management of the burn. Professionals must also contemplate the weather conditions before preforming a burn. The atmospheric temperature, humidity, precipitation chances, wind speed and direction are only a few of the factor’s wildfire coordinators must consider. One may not know that fire plays an important role in sustaining certain environments. It is a safe way to remove excess non-native shrubs and promote growth of new native plants. Controlled burning can be used to create an empty landscape to prepare for the seeding and planting of other species. Burning helps the seeds connect with the soil better and allows for productive germination. Many of the invasive plants compete with the native vegetation for space and sunlight. Burning helps minimize that competition. Fires can also help control shrub growth along the bank of a flood control reservoir where deep roots can ultimately affect the structure of the bank. Native Americans commonly used fires to progress their visibility when hunting for food, making it easier for them to travel through tall prairies. Since wildfires were common in the Midwest many centuries ago, native plants have adapted to fire and easily germinate after the fire is complete. Prairie plants have roots that grow deep underground and are not affected by these fires, allowing them to germinate once a fire is diminished. Native trees such as hickories and oaks have evolved thick bark that protects them from fire. Certain species of evergreen trees cannot grow until their cones are visible to heat. Non-native plants that do not belong in the prairie have short root systems and will not survive the fire. Another advantage to prescribed burning is that it helps in restoring nutrients needed for further native plant growth in the future. Many species such as muskrats, white-tailed deer and red-winged blackbirds depend on fire to maintain their habitat. Although trained professionals have learned to conduct burns in a fashion that results in as few injuries as possible, occasionally a field mouse or snake may be injured. It is more common that these animals will dash through the fire unharmed to a safe area. When a controlled burn is completed, one can expect to see a blackened landscape. Don’t be alarmed the next time you see a burned field because now you know that it is beneficial in maintaining our ecosystems.