Prairie Fire
Photo used with permission of Kevin Klein © 2005
For about a month in the spring, and a couple weeks in the fall, a prescribed prairie burn may take place on the ‘managed’ prairie or on land that is being restored to prairie.
In prairies of our past, periodic burning (often by lightning strikes) was a natural phenomenon. Before man controlled fire, this was nature’s way of maintaining prairie land and stimulating the diverse number of prairie plants. A burn also inhibited growth of plants, such as woody plants and thick underbrush. These can crowd out and eventually eradicate prairie land. Native prairie plantings have deep root systems, and are naturally protected from fire, returning bounty to the prairie the next year.
When nature’s own housekeeping is disturbed, the tall grass prairies eventually evolve into savannahs. The prairie niche, a connection in the ecological chain, could become extinct. Nature has her own ways to take care of her prairie - through intermittent fire. Though this appears contrary to man’s attempts to care for the earth, fire prevention prohibits instead of preserving prairie land.
In our prairies, preserved or restored, man prescriptively burns prairie land in imitation of nature. The tall grass prairies that remains in the US need an assist from man to continue their existence. (Only 2% of Wisconsin’s original prairie land remains untouched by plow or cow.)
Man must be a willing substitute for Mother Nature.
barbara © 2007
I wish I knew as much about the ecology and plants of the prairies as you do, Bo. I learn so much from reading your blog.
Prior to management, the prairie was, I believe, one of the natural wonders of the world. What would it have been like, I wonder, to stand there and see the immensity of it from horizon to horizon and beyond?