Controlled park burns start mid-March

Naperville Park District crews will be conducting prescribed ground-level burns in natural areas of parks throughout the community to improve the habitat for native plants.

"Controlled burns accomplish what prairie fires did for years in the Midwest, which is to control weeds and allow native vegetation to thrive," said Kevin Finnegan, director of parks.

Controlled burns may be conducted in spring and fall. Timing of spring burns depends on ground temperature after the snow melts, with only a small window of time when conditions are right. The ground needs to be sufficiently warm, but the grass must remain dormant for the burn to be successful.

"Our staff is ready to conduct a burn in selected parks with short notice," Finnegan said.

Additionally, weather conditions and wind velocity and direction permit only a few sites to be burned each year. Trained crews supervise this process, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Naperville Fire Department issue an annual permit to the park district.

Residents near the selected sites will be notified via postcards that the Naperville Park District's controlled burn program will be conducted in their area in the near future. For more information about controlled burns in your area, call (630) 848-5035 or visit www.napervilleparks.org.

The following parks have native plant areas that are targeted for burns in 2016; however, not all of the parks listed will receive burn treatment this spring.

North parks: Arrowhead, Century Farms, Country Lakes, Nike Sports Complex, Riverwalk Park - Sindt Woods, Seager Park and Wil-O-Way Commons.

Central parks: Brighton Ridge, Carol Acres, Hobson West Ponds, May Watts, University Heights and Wildflower Park.

South parks: Brook Crossings, Clow Creek Greenway, Commissioners Park, DuPage River Park, DuPage River Sports Complex, Frontier Sports Complex, Knoch Knolls, Naperbrook Golf Course, Springbrook Crossings, Springbrook Golf Course and Springbrook Parkway.