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Re: burning wetland prairie?

Linda and others-our area for Pedicularis is perennially wet, but does not have standing water, it is a hillside seep and consists of hummocks of sedges and other wetland species. We always burn in late March or early April.

With regard to Round-up application, When the temperature reaches 80 degrees F. there may be some vaporization and damage to adjacent vegetation. It is more severe when the herbicide is concentrated and the temperature is higher than 80 F. Note that you may not see the effect for some time after application.

Carl Kurtz-Central Iowa


On Mar 5, 2005, at 6:55 AM, Linda Mann wrote:

I have some experience with burning prairie here. In my area, the
Tennessee Division of Forestry will conduct a controlled burn on private
land, charging a nominal fee per acre. For the past several years, they
have been helping me burn about 3 acres of mostly well-drained
bottomland that contains a relict population of Indian grass. This
year, they decided I could do it without them - the field is surrounded
by water on all sides except for a small area adjacent to closely grazed
cool season grass.

We've been burning in March, getting the woody stuff and blackberries
under control. I've been having it cut for hay once in July, trying to
"harvest" some of the nutrients to help knock back the remaining
fescue. Plans are to burn and harvest one more season, then leave it
for several years. About 1/3 of the field is now a dense stand of
Indian grass, the rest is mostly forbs, mostly native composites, with
scattered clumps of Indian and other native grasses, plus some remaining
fescue.

I talked to the Regional Forester before posting my question. He says
they will help me burn the site, even if we need to do it during the
time of year (i.e., dry late summer weather) when they normally avoid
burning.

So, my question is really more about how does one go about burning a
field that has standing water a good bit of the year? The swamp
lousewort wetland is adjacent to the bottomland we've been burning, on
the other side of a small limestone fed spring fed stream. The site is
entirely saturated during winter, with slight lateral flow of water
towards the stream. In summer, in a dry year, it is completely dry. In
wet years, there is standing water in a few places year round.

I'm planning to either stem inject or cut and paint stumps with Roundup,
but at the rate I seem to get things done, it may take a decade or so to
completely clear the site.

Carl - thanks for the tip about high temperatures and Roundup. What
temperature do you consider too high?

I first contacted the state Heritage program about the site around 30
yrs ago, and intermittently since then. Nobody has come to look at it
yet - they are as slow as I am. <g> Much higher priority on other areas
of concern in the state. Now that I'm getting serious about doing some
management, I will try again. I also plan to try again to get some
management help through our local NRCS office.

Don & Carl, you both mentioned having Swamp Lousewort that you manage.
Do your sites have standing water most of the year? What season (s) do
you burn?

Following the burns in the Indian grass bottomland, I've noticed a few
plants invading the edges of that field. So know that it tolerates the
annual burning so far - not as sure about the annual hay harvest.

Thanks for your help.

Linda Mann
Roane County
Tennessee

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