Nature
Conservancy Plans Controlled Burn at Flat Ranch Preserve
Burning
Will Improve Rangelands for Cattle, Elk, and Other Animals
Island
Park – Today (September 25, 2019) The Nature Conservancy will burn
approximately 220 acres of pasture at its Flat Ranch Preserve, located east of Henry’s Lake. The burn is largely designed to improve plant diversity
and grazing for cattle, but it will also benefit elk, moose, pronghorn and
other wildlife species.
Fire
is a natural part of this grassland ecosystem and helps maintain its health and
vigor. It warms up the soil and reduces the leaf litter that accumulates each
year, allowing sunlight to penetrate. Warming the soil increases microbial
activity, which releases nutrients from decaying plant material that new
grasses and flowers need to grow. After a fire, grazing animals are attracted
to the lush re-growth of grass and concentrate their grazing in that burned area.
Fire
can also be used to increase wildflower diversity in grasslands, which benefits
butterflies, moths and other pollinators, providing a variety of food sources
throughout the growing season. Diverse grasslands also provide the different
types of vegetation and structure that pollinators need during different times
in their life-cycles.
Controlled
burns are only lit when weather conditions are favorable for the burn to remain
at low intensity. Those conditions look favorable for today – September 25th.
All burns require extensive planning. Safety of participants and nearby human
communities are the number one concern in all controlled burns.
In
addition to The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, and the Island Park Fire Department will participate in the
burn.
