Prescribed burn in Prospect Heights aims at prairie health
The Prospect Heights Natural Resources Commission successfully conducted its second prescribed burn at the Prospect Heights Hillcrest Lake and slough area last month.
Volunteer burn teams started near the intersection of Elmhurst Road and Hillside Avenue, then burned north on both sides of the south slough simultaneously.
A prescribed burn is the single most effective tool for removal of invasive buckthorn, other woody vegetation, and fire intolerant species. Burning saves countless hours of volunteer labor, while promoting strong, new growth of fire-tolerant native plants.
Burning is necessary to achieve a healthy, biodiverse habitat.
"Native prairies really need periodic fires because they kill encroaching woody vegetation, especially buckthorn seedlings," said Agnes Wojnarski, PHNRC chairwoman.
"Contained fires not only destroy the invasive woody plants, they encourage native plants to thrive in their absence."
A prescribed burn also provides excellent nutrients for the plants and the black ash provides much needed warmth from the sun. Also, burns may activate the long dormant native seed bank that is believed to be present at the slough.
The PHNRC also is planting native seeds harvested last year and transplanting several local plum trees into the burned area.
"We are now anxiously awaiting to see what plants appear in the next several weeks," said Commissioner Dana Sievertson. "There are some native plants that actually need a burn to germinate, and many varieties can lay dormant for decades just waiting for a fire to occur.
"We are hopeful that some rare native plants could be resurrected through this procedure."
For those unfamiliar with prescribed burns, the sight of fire and smoke could be alarming. Burns are carefully planned to be safe, and the Prospect Heights Police and Fire Departments were present during the burn.
Additional information is at www.phnrc.com on the burns, native prairies, volunteer activity days and other topics.