Rapids Lake Education and Visitor Center
Phone: 952-854-5900 |
 Photo Credit - FWS |
With the passing of free-ranging bison and the need to control wildfire in an urban setting, the prairie and oak savanna communities on the Refuge no longer have these naturally occurring tools to maintain its diversity and productivity. Woody species transform the landscape to brushland and eventually woodland; dead plant material prevents new growth from receiving sunlight; and exotic species gain a foothold.
American Indians recognized the positive response that prairies have to fire and were the first to practice prescribed burning. Every spring Refuge staff take to the fields with firefighting equipment and burn units scattered all along the Minnesota River and on Waterfowl Production Areas. Each burn starts with a detailed plan that prescribes how, when and why the burn in being conducted. All conditions need to be met before the first "driptorch" (canister of diesel and gasoline) drops a flame to the ground. A crew of up to 15 people then encompass the unit with fire, taking care to keep it where it belongs. When done in this manner, prescribed fire becomes one of the most beneficial and cost-effective resource management tools that we have.
In a typical year, Minnesota Valley burns up to 2,000 acres of grassland and savanna. Weather is the biggest factor that determines how much can be accomplished. Wet Springs with high winds or winds out of the wrong direction can limit efforts, while dry conditions (but not too dry) can make it a banner year for burning and the prairie plants that depend on it.
