This spring, the Friends of Hullett were granted funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) for the establishment of a Prescribed Burn Program at the Hullett Marsh.
The Native Tallgrass Prairie habitat on the property requires fire as part of its ongoing management regime. A prescribed burn was conducted on these native grasses in the spring of 2007, which was carried out in collaboration with the Rural Lambton Stewardship Network out of the Sarnia area. The funding provided by the Ontario Trillium Foundation will be used to facilitate the development of a local prescribed burn program within the Hullett Marsh and the surrounding community. The appropriate training, equipment and resources will be acquired in partnership with local stakeholders and volunteers, to effectively manage the tallgrass habitat within the Marsh; in addition, the intent of the program is to extend the benefits of prescribed burning to local landowners through various habitat and agricultural applications. As the expertise and proficiency of this program increases over the two-year period of funding, the Friends of Hullett and their partners will promote a collaborative approach in addressing the ecological and agricultural needs of the community through effective land management techniques.
The Role of Fire and Prescribed Burning in the Management of our Natural Resources
What is a ‘Prescribed Burn’ and what is its purpose?The process of prescribed burning consists of the intentional use of controlled fire to promote and sustain healthy vegetation communities or ecosystems that benefit in some way from the impacts of fire on the landscape. Prescribed burns are becoming more widely recognized as an effective management technique with a wide array of practical applications. Depending on the location, timing, frequency and intensity of the fire, the purpose of a prescribed burn can include:
One of the most predominant uses of prescribed burns is in the management of rare habitats such as native tallgrass prairies and savannas. The Hullett Provincial Wildlife Area is home to approximately 11 hectares (27 acres) of native tallgrass prairie habitat. Tallgrass prairie is one of the most endangered ecosystems in Canada, with only 1% of the original North American tallgrass remaining. This globally imperiled and unique habitat consists of native warm season grasses such as Big bluestem, Little bluestem, Indian grass and Switchgrass. The prevalence of these and other tallgrass species has been reduced dramatically over time, due to such factors as habitat destruction and degradation, alteration of ecological processes and the invasion of exotic species.
How does prescribed fire benefit warm season grasses and promote vegetation growth and productivity?
The use of prescribed burns in grassland management provides a dynamic process of renewal for those prairie species that thrive in this particular environment. Exposing the landscape to controlled episodes of fire eliminates the cool season grasses and woody vegetation that invade tallgrass prairie habitats. The growth tissues of cool season grasses are located above the ground and are easily destroyed by fire. Conversely, fire stimulates the growth of fire-tolerant warm season grasses and other prairie forbs, which have growth points below ground that are thus protected from damage. Dead accumulated vegetative matter is burned off in a prescribed burn, which in turn reduces nitrogen levels and increases light exposure to the ground. The ash left behind from a prescribed burn warms and nourishes the soil, and makes available the nutrients previously stored in the burned plant materials. All of these factors contribute to create ideal environmental growing conditions for tallgrass species.
What are the ideal conditions for conducting a prescribed burn for management purposes?
The time of year at which a prescribed burn is carried out can influence the intended outcome.
In general, the most ideal time for conducting burns in southwestern Ontario is in the spring, approximately mid-March to late April. This time frame targets the growth of the cool-season grasses, and precedes the beginning of the nesting season for the majority of bird species. However, the effects of prescribed fire have been documented at other times of the year as well. Spring burns tend to burn off less fuel material and are therefore less intense than summer or fall burns. A summer burn will burn more slowly and eliminate more of the vegetative duff layer, and decrease prairie grasses and shrubs while promoting the growth of wildflowers and other forbs. A winter burn, conducted during the dormant season, will retain more roots than a late spring or summer prescribed fire.
The incidence of fire increases the productivity and photosynthetic efficiency of fire-tolerant species, and promotes the growth of flowering plants. Less frequent episodes of fire result in a larger proportion of woody vegetation over time, with an eventual predominance of shrubs and trees in the absence of fire. An uneven or “patchy” burn coverage is beneficial for maintaining sheltered areas for wildlife including insects, and can occur either naturally or through a managed partial/rotational burn plan.
Instances in which conditions may not be favourable for conducting a prescribed burn include:
While the Prescribed Burn Program at the Hullett Provincial Wildlife Area is in its initial development stages, potential applications of prescribed burns can be investigated with agencies and landowners to determine whether prescribed burning is a suitable management option for the intended uses of a particular property.
For more information, please contact the Friends of Hullett. We would love to hear from you if you have an interest in learning more about prescribed burns as a management technique, and the progress of Hullett’s Prescribed Burn Program. With local knowledge and ability, it is anticipated that the surrounding areas in Huron, Perth, Grey and Bruce counties will be able to incorporate the important role of prescribed burns into responsible landscape management objectives.