Fire is good for restoring
pastures impacted by invasive species and it avoids the costs and chemical
toxins of herbicide. It is most functional with plants that are incapable of
resprouting after the top is removed or dies. Coinciding prescribed burns with
the systems natural fire interval is a positive strategy. It is also an important
component to plan the prescribed fire during the appropriate season,
considering the vegetation to be burned, temperatures, and moisture content of
the vegetation. One also has to consider what part of the life form of the
plant will be impacted by the fire.
On example is the use of fire
to burn piles of dried Russian thistle to impact and kill the seed. Fire is
also beneficial against broadleaf invasive like yellow star thistle, barbed
goat grass, and brome grasses. A bulb or corm plant’s life form is under the
ground so it is protected by fire as is a rhizomatous plant depending on the
percentage of litter and the smoldering combustion. Phragmites is a common wetland invasive species that fire
can also be used on but it must be done when you can get the plant to burn when
it is drying. It too is rhizomatous and if the burning occurs when the lower
stalk is still green the rhizomes will most likely live.
No comments:
Post a Comment