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RE: burns: fire lanes

You probably won't like my comments -- I would recommend NOT establishing permanent fire lines.  I think they are going to invite introduction and establishment of non-natives over the long run because those areas will continually be disturbed -- just like trails or paths but on a larger scale.  I would certainly never consider it in a high quality natural area.

Buning should never be "automatic".  Each time a prescribed burn is done it should be because of explicit reasons and expectations of the effect.  To me, this means fire lanes should be transient -- you establish them according to the specific goals of the burn.  And you establish them with a miminum of disturbance.   Often with careful planning and the right wind conditions, only a minimal burn line is needed.  Burning segments that change shape, size and location every time a burn is implemented adds to the diversity of your management, which is critical on our  remnants.  

Thomas Rosburg
Dept. of Biology
Drake University
2507 University Ave.
Des Moines, Iowa  50311-4505

515-271-2920
thomas.rosburg@drake.edu


On 05/04/00, prairie wrote:
>  I second that!  White dutch clover would be an >excellent
>firebreak species.  It is cheap, easy to grow given >reasonable
>soil pH and fertility levels.  It grows very low to >the ground
>and therefore won't produce much fuel.  The biomass >produced
>is very succulent.  It is a cool season perennial >so it will
>remain green in the winter.  It is also good green >browse for
>wildlife. Although it is non native, it would not >be
>aggressive and thus jeopardize the native >plantings.  It would
>actually be my first choice of a firebreak species.  >I also
>don't agree with using tall fescue for this >purpose.  Putting
>the philosophical issues surrounding this species >aside, it
>just isn't a good firebreak species unless it was >kept mowed. >If not mowed it will produce quite a bit of fuel; >not my idea
>of a good firebreak.
>
>Brett Roberts
>
>Robert Wernerehl wrote:
>> >> THis is a useful topic and I hope others chime >in. I have wondered about
>> this myself. One plant that might work as a >benign non-native might be
>> white dutch clover, Trifolium repens. I haven't >seen it get invasive. It is
>> common in lawns up here in Wisconsin and greens >up very early.
>> Bob Wernerehl
>> Iowa County, Wisconsin
>> >> At 10:02 PM 05/03/2000 CDT, you wrote:
>> >Does anyone have suggestions for native plants >to use in the establishment
>> >of permanent fire breaks?  Grasses such as the >wild ryes seem to be too
>> >transient to do the trick.  I'm looking for >something that would be green in
>> >winter (Missouri), and could be planted in lanes >to separate different areas
>> >for easy rotational burning.  The NRCS suggested >fescue, which is out of the
>> >question.  Other recommendations have included >benign non-natives.  Any
>> >experiences or thoughts?
>> >
>> >,,Scott Lenharth
>> >
>> >
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> From: Brett Roberts <Brett.Roberts@il.usda.gov>
> Subject: Re: burns: fire lanes
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