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Land Managers Have Mediocre Burn Year

In 2007, the fall burn season got off to a late start. Crews were geared up in October, but Chicago Wilderness was still green and wet until November. “The fall burn window is always narrow,” says Brad Woodson, restoration ecologist for the McHenry County Conservation District. “The vegetation has to die back and turn brown before it gets too cold and damp.” Throughout the region those variables only came together for about one week. Woodson’s team burned 165 acres, from November 7 to 14. The Lake County Forest Preserves burned 602 acres.

Spring 2008 conditions were unusual, yet not unlike the year before. Many sites were flooded and it snowed again in April. When crews finally went to work, the burns were mediocre. “The second week we kicked into high gear,” says Chuck Myers, assistant superintendent of natural resource operations at the Lake County Forest Preserves. “Three crews went out every day to as many sites as possible.” They burned 1,661 acres in 14 days.

Most districts reported that the spring burn season went better than expected. Some sites remained wet, but conditions were right at many priority sites and crews achieved some high quality burns. “The last two weeks of the season were much more productive as we completed 18 additional prescribed burns for a total of 1,961 acres,” Woodson said. “As things green up and begin to flower, we are already starting to see the positive impacts of prescribed burning.”

— Alison Carney Brown