Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ecological Restoration topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parks board authorizes 1.7-acre prescribed burn at Howell Wetlands Prairie
Summary
The board approved a controlled burn on roughly 1.7 acres of Howell Wetlands Prairie this fall, to control woody encroachment and invasive species; EcoLogic will prepare the burn plan and staff coordinated with fire and health departments.
The Evansville City Board of Parks Commissioners approved staff’s request on Sept. 4 to conduct a prescribed burn on about 1.7 acres of Howell Wetlands Prairie this fall.
Derek Walsh, the department’s natural-resources director for Wesselman operations, told the board that periodic fire is necessary for prairie health to remove woody vegetation and promote wildflower and seedling growth. "Prairies rely on fire for the health of the prairie ... to get rid of invasive species," Walsh said, and said the department plans to burn only half the prairie this season so the other half remains available habitat for nesting turtles and insects.
Walsh said EcoLogic, a Bloomington-based environmental consulting firm, will develop a detailed burn plan covering timing, smoke management and emergency contacts, and that the department had already notified the fire and health departments. The plan restricts burns to favorable weather—wind speeds under 10 miles per hour—and to the official burn season (late October to early November, subject to agency schedules). The board approved the requested prescribed burn after staff confirmed permitting and interagency coordination.
Staff said they will alert the health and fire departments again when the burn date is solidified and that they will follow EcoLogic’s burn plan and safety protocols.
