Fire used to be a regular and frequent component of our landscape here in
the Midwest. Many of our native ecosystems such as prairies, oak-hickory
woodlands, and certain wetlands burned frequently. Historically, these fires
were started by Native Americans or lightning. The fire stimulated many of
the plant species to grow more vigorously, and discouraged others that
were not adapted to fire’s heat.
Prescribed fire improves the quality of:
- Remnant or planted prairies
- Oak-hickory woodlands
- Wetlands
- Native landscaping
- Wildlife habitat
- Wildlife food plots
- Farmland in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
Restoring nature…
Today, many non-native, invasive plant species have invaded our natural
fire-adapted ecosystems, decreasing the diversity of native plants and
animals. By returning fire to a site, we begin to give the competitive
advantage back to the native species and restore the site to its former
ecological health.
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