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Dover —
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Division of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Agriculture’s Delaware Forest Service are joining forces to conduct a prescribed fire for ecological restoration on 24.2 acres in a remote area of Cape Henlopen State Park, according to a press release.
The burn will probably happen sometime between now and late March. State officials will base their decision when to burn on weather conditions.
“For the last 100 years we’ve done everything to suppress fires,” said Rob Line, Environmental Stewardship program manager with DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation. “But the result is that some habitats have become rare, being smothered by overhead trees that prevent light from reaching the ground. This forest canopy needs to be opened up so that we can ensure the preservation of native species of rare plants, grasses and herbs along with the trees," Line said.
Unlike wildfires, prescribed fires are intentionally ignited blazes within limited and carefully defined weather conditions identified in a prescribed burn plan that factors in fuel type, wind speed and direction, and air temperatures as critical factors.
The focus is to reduce risk by burning fine fuels such as pine needles, dead twigs and small dead branches leaving larger woody debris unburned.
Reducing the overgrown shrub layer to open the canopy to support state rare shade-intolerant herbs and grasses, and to consume dead phragmites canes (tall grasses that grow in marshy areas), where they had been sprayed the previous fall in order to enhance piping plover foraging habitat for young plovers are among the other goals of the prescribed burn.
The Delaware Forest Service will coordinate the burn, provide key staff and conduct the burn.
The burn will probably happen sometime between now and late March. State officials will base their decision when to burn on weather conditions.
“For the last 100 years we’ve done everything to suppress fires,” said Rob Line, Environmental Stewardship program manager with DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation. “But the result is that some habitats have become rare, being smothered by overhead trees that prevent light from reaching the ground. This forest canopy needs to be opened up so that we can ensure the preservation of native species of rare plants, grasses and herbs along with the trees," Line said.
Unlike wildfires, prescribed fires are intentionally ignited blazes within limited and carefully defined weather conditions identified in a prescribed burn plan that factors in fuel type, wind speed and direction, and air temperatures as critical factors.
The focus is to reduce risk by burning fine fuels such as pine needles, dead twigs and small dead branches leaving larger woody debris unburned.
Reducing the overgrown shrub layer to open the canopy to support state rare shade-intolerant herbs and grasses, and to consume dead phragmites canes (tall grasses that grow in marshy areas), where they had been sprayed the previous fall in order to enhance piping plover foraging habitat for young plovers are among the other goals of the prescribed burn.
The Delaware Forest Service will coordinate the burn, provide key staff and conduct the burn.
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s Division of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Agriculture’s Delaware Forest Service are joining forces to conduct a prescribed fire for ecological restoration on 24.2 acres in a remote area of Cape Henlopen State Park, according to a press release.
The burn will probably happen sometime between now and late March. State officials will base their decision when to burn on weather conditions.
“For the last 100 years we’ve done everything to suppress fires,” said Rob Line, Environmental Stewardship program manager with DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation. “But the result is that some habitats have become rare, being smothered by overhead trees that prevent light from reaching the ground. This forest canopy needs to be opened up so that we can ensure the preservation of native species of rare plants, grasses and herbs along with the trees," Line said.
Unlike wildfires, prescribed fires are intentionally ignited blazes within limited and carefully defined weather conditions identified in a prescribed burn plan that factors in fuel type, wind speed and direction, and air temperatures as critical factors.
The focus is to reduce risk by burning fine fuels such as pine needles, dead twigs and small dead branches leaving larger woody debris unburned.
Reducing the overgrown shrub layer to open the canopy to support state rare shade-intolerant herbs and grasses, and to consume dead phragmites canes (tall grasses that grow in marshy areas), where they had been sprayed the previous fall in order to enhance piping plover foraging habitat for young plovers are among the other goals of the prescribed burn.
The Delaware Forest Service will coordinate the burn, provide key staff and conduct the burn.
The burn will probably happen sometime between now and late March. State officials will base their decision when to burn on weather conditions.
“For the last 100 years we’ve done everything to suppress fires,” said Rob Line, Environmental Stewardship program manager with DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation. “But the result is that some habitats have become rare, being smothered by overhead trees that prevent light from reaching the ground. This forest canopy needs to be opened up so that we can ensure the preservation of native species of rare plants, grasses and herbs along with the trees," Line said.
Unlike wildfires, prescribed fires are intentionally ignited blazes within limited and carefully defined weather conditions identified in a prescribed burn plan that factors in fuel type, wind speed and direction, and air temperatures as critical factors.
The focus is to reduce risk by burning fine fuels such as pine needles, dead twigs and small dead branches leaving larger woody debris unburned.
Reducing the overgrown shrub layer to open the canopy to support state rare shade-intolerant herbs and grasses, and to consume dead phragmites canes (tall grasses that grow in marshy areas), where they had been sprayed the previous fall in order to enhance piping plover foraging habitat for young plovers are among the other goals of the prescribed burn.
The Delaware Forest Service will coordinate the burn, provide key staff and conduct the burn.
