Prescribed burning plan for public lands in southern Wisconsin

DATE:	March 14, 2012
CONTACT:	Mike Foy (608) 273-6275; Matt Zine (608) 273-6943
SUBJECT:	Prescribed burning plan for public lands in southern Wisconsin

 

MADISON – The Department of Natural Resources will be conducting prescribed burns on public lands this spring throughout Wisconsin. Most prescribed burns will take place between the months of March and May.

Parcels are typically burned every one to five years and vary in size from 10 to 2,500 acres or more. Prescribed burns are used to improve wildlife habitat, control invasive plant species, restore and maintain native plant communities and reduce wildfire potential.

Some specific benefits of prescribed burns include:

• stimulating prairie grass growth and improve habitat for upland game and waterfowl;
• creating pockets of open water for waterfowl amidst cattails proliferating in low areas;
• improving cover type for upland nesting birds such as pheasants and spur native vegetative growth for songbirds;
• help preserve grassland, savanna and many forest plant communities sustained by natural fires prior to intensive European settlement

 

Why is fire used?

The vast, sweeping wildfires of 150 years ago have been all but eliminated in Wisconsin. Those fires, set primarily by Native Americans, were once as much a part of the pre-settlement Wisconsin environment as rain, drought and the passing of the seasons.

“Because frequent fire played a significant role in the development of much of Wisconsin’s native plant communities for thousands of years, many plant and animal species now depend on fire for their continued existence,” said conservation biologist Matt Zine. “For example, prairie grasses and flowers develop deep roots and buds beneath the soil enabling them to withstand the heat of a fire while shallow rooted invasive brush succumbs.

“Oak ecosystems rely on fire to remove accumulated leaf litter, dead trees and invading brush, maintaining the open character of oak savannas and in general keeping oak on the landscape. Without management, including the use of prescribed burning, we stand to lose many of our native grassland, wetland and woodland plant communities.”

Prescribed burning typically occurs during the early spring (March through May) and late fall (November), but can occur beyond these periods if conditions allow. These are the periods when conditions allow for safe burning and generally when desirable plant and animal species are less active. In the spring this typically means the time between snow melt and significant green-up. In the fall, this is typically after some good hard frosts and before winter precipitation.  

What about safety?

Before any burn is conducted, experienced and trained personnel assess the area to determine the wind direction and speed, relative humidity, grass moisture content and safety requirements. Each burn site is studied carefully and a burn plan is developed to maximize control over fire behavior. Specialized equipment is also on site to assist in controlling fire behavior. If conditions are not right, the “burn boss” can cancel the burn.

Smoke control is an important aspect of any prescribed burn plan. The burn plan includes evaluation of the proximity of houses, roads, and other smoke sensitive areas. This information is then incorporated into the plan and the prescribed burn occurs when favorable conditions (e.g., wind) minimize the amount of smoke reaching these areas.

Weather plays a big role in whether or not a season’s prescribed burning schedule can be completed. When conditions are good crews may conduct multiple burns in a single day or a single burn may take an entire day.

The 2012 proposed burn list for public lands in the southern Wisconsin counties of Crawford, Columbia, Dane, Grant, Green, Iowa, Lafayette, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Walworth and Waukesha with property name and planned burn acreage is as follows:

 

Crawford County

Morrison in Marietta Unit - Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, 40 acres

Columbia County

Rocky Run - E Woods, 40 acres

French Creek Wildlife Area, 245 acres

Grassy Lake Wildlife Area, 66 acres

Mud Lake Wildlife Area, 120 acres

Paradise Marsh Wildlife Area, 117 acres

Pine Island Wildlife Area, 664 acres

Peter Helland Wildlife Area, 168 acres

Dane County

Mazomanie Unit - Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, 160 acres

Empire Prairie – Westport, 10 acres

Empire Prairie – Zauner, 46 acres

Empire Prairie – Ziegler, 10 acres

Mazomanie Oak Barrens, 144 acres

Olson Oak Woods, 180 acres

Sugar River Wetlands, 115 acres

Waubesa Wetlands, 444 acres

Brooklyn Wildlife Area, 1200 acres

Nevin Fish & Wildlife Area, 9 acres

Lodi Wildlife Area, 843 acres

Badfish Creek Wildlife Area, 501 acres

Goose Lake Wildlife Area, 260 acres

Hook Lake and Grass Lake Wildlife Area, 483 acres

Gadwall EWHA, 59 acres

Deansville Wildlife Area, 239 acres

Patrick Marsh EWHA, 50 acres

Governor Nelson State Park, 310 Acres

Grant County

Millville field 7 in Millville Unit, Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, 15 acres

Bridle Trail top in Millville Unit, Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, 37 acres

Munz Lane East in Millville Unit, Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, 12 acres

Prairie du Bay in Boscobel Unit, Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, 27 acres

Pine Road in Muscoda Unit, Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, 22 acres

Dingman Mounds in Muscoda Unit, Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, 21 acres

Blue River Bluffs – Chezik, 120 acres

Cassville, 60 acres

Dewey Heights Prairie, 40 acres

Gasner Hollow, 285 acres

Snow Bottom, 325 acres

Green County

Browntown, 70 acres

Albany   Wildlife Area, 210 acres

Liberty Creek Wildlife Area, 320 acres

Lewis Extensive Wetland Habitat Protection Area, 150 acres

Brooklyn Wildlife Area, 158 acres

Fischer Extensive Wetland Habitat Protection Area,, 80 acres

Iowa County

Blackhawk Lake Wildlife Area, 36 acres

Lower Wisconsin State Riverway-Helena Unit, 45 acres

Lower Wisconsin State Riverway-Otter Creek Unit, 80 acres

Avoca Prairie, 2400 acres

Pecatonica River Woods, 20 acres

Governor Dodge State Park, 134 acres

Jefferson County

Waterloo Wildlife Area, 1609 acres

Lake Mills Wildlife Area, 1653 acres

Jefferson Marsh Wildlife Area, 772 acres

Rome Pond Wildlife Area, 300 acres

Prince’s Point Wildlife Area, 101 acres

Arkin Extensive Wetland Habitat Protection Area, 119 acres

Taylor Extensive Wetland Habitat Protection Area, 12 acres

Woodside Extensive Wetland Habitat Protection Area, 30 acres                

Lafayette County

Yellowstone Wildlife Area, 400 acres

Weir White Oaks State Natural Area, 50acres

Richland County

Willow Creek Fisheries Area, 314 acres

Wanek in Richwood Unit, Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, 122 acres

Stone Farm bottoms in Richwood Unit, Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, 45 acres

Lone Rock Unit - Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, 41 acres

Smith Slough/Cruzin Slough Lower Wisconsin State Riverway, 494 acres

Rock County

Avon Bottoms Wildlife Area, 448 acres

Avon Store Extensive Wetland Habitat Protection Area, East, 62 acres

Evansville Wildlife Area, 320 acres

Murphy Extensive Wetland Habitat Protection Area, 40 acres

Dabbs Extensive Wetland Habitat Protection Area, 40 acres

Newark Extensive Wetland Habitat Protection Area, 40 acres

Johnson Extensive Wetland Habitat Protection Area, 65 acres

Storrs Lake, 30 acres

Lima Marsh Wildlife Area, 80 acres

Sauk County

Dell Creek Wildlife Area, 65 acres

Bakkens Pond, 40 acres

Mirror Lake PO Woods, 55 acres

Walworth

Bluff Creek - East unit, 454 acres

KMOO core, 125 acres

Lulu Lake - E Unit, 300 acres

Lulu Lake - Nature Rd, 90 acres

Whitewater Oak Opening, 200 acres

Young Prairie, 682 acres

Waukesha

Eagle Oak Opening – core, 350 acres

 

 

 

 

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