A bit of info on the need for controlled burns in the forest from the VA DWR
The recent string of controlled burns in the National forests in Botetourt and Craig Counties have filled the area with smoke and ash. May have paniced to see the skies suddenly fill with smoke.
The Virginia Dept of Forestry and The Division of Wildlife Resources presents why controlled burns are beneficial.
Takes a few minutes to hear this interesting explanation of the controlled burn.
t seems like an oxymoron that fire in an area can improve habitat for wildlife, but that’s precisely what prescribed fire does when applied to specific habitat types with planning and forethought. Just after the application of #GoodFire to a site, the landscape is charred and bare, but new grass, wildflower, and tree growth begin again immediately, with green shoots poking up through the blackened earth.
DWR’s Big Woods Wildlife Management Area is a stellar example of how prescribed fire can dramatically improve habitat for wildlife, including the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.
There’s a long history of wildfire as part of the ecology in Virginia from the Appalachian Mountains to the pine forests of the coastal plain. There’s also ample evidence that Native Americans and colonial settlers alike conducted controlled burns of certain areas for many reasons—from attracting wildlife to an area to clearing land for crops or establishment of home sites.
DWR isn’t going it alone in their prescribed fire program. There’s an extensive network of partnerships with other government agencies and environmental organizations.
— From THE DWR website
