Prescribed burning improves habitat

The Coastal Delaware National Wildlife Refuge Complex (Bombay Hook and Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuges), in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Zone Fire Staff, local fire departments, and the Delaware Forest Service, continued its prescribed burning program at the refuge. The areas burned are approximately 90 acres of successional fields adjacent to each Refuge headquarters. The burns will took place on one week day at each refuge March 20 & 21, 2024. The purposes for this year’s burns was to set back succession to early stages to benefit grassland dwelling birds, counteract against undesired non-native plant species and remove accumulated wildland hazardous fuels. The use of prescribed fire is an effective and cost-efficient method to accomplish these objectives. Trained prescribed burning specialists will conduct the burns. Due to the locations of the burns, the refuge headquarters were closed to the public on the days that burning activities will occurred. Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge is located just off Route 9 near the Town of Leipsic at 2591 Whitehall Neck Rd, Smyrna, DE. Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge is located just off Route 16 near Broadkill Beach at 11978 Turkle Pond Road, Milton, DE. For more information, please call (302) 653-9345 or visit the Coastal Delaware National Wildlife Refuge Complex Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/bombayhookwildliferefuge.