Fire is an essential part of many wild ecosystems. However, to protect humans and property fires are most often extinguished as soon as they begin, often to the detriment of the wild ecosystem. Fires can be very beneficial to wildlife and the habitat where they live. Fire reduces plant residue build-up so as to prevent catastrophic fires that could happen in the future and can be vital for the regeneration of many plant species. Fires generate a period of resurrection and vigor in their wake. They remove dead plant residue and release nutrients back to the environment that were locked up in mature plants and organic litter.
VIDEO: Chickasaw Burn. The GameKeepers help Cuz perform a controlled burn.
In most areas of our country a permit is required to do one of these burns. If you’ve never done a burn you absolutely want help from a qualified burn manager. You want the proper conditions so the fire doesn’t burn too hot or get out of control and there are many formulas and equations in calculating fuel levels, wind and thermal and dozens of other factors. The fire should regenerate growth, not totally kill everything. Land managers most often use a drip torch to ignite these fires. Typically a mixture of kerosene and diesel fuel is used but sometimes heavier oils can be added to help it stick to the vegetation and increase heat and burn time.
FERTILIZE TREES FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT
Spring is the perfect time to plant new trees, but it’s also the ideal time to release existing mast and fruit trees. It’s amazing how much extra food your native plants can produce if coaxed properly. Take away all competition to beyond the tree’s drip-line and fertilize using these simple to use Tree-Paks.
