Development News

Ann Arbor sets parks on fire with ecological burns

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

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Ann Arbor

Most people think of Ann Arbor's numerous parks as quiet, serene places locals go to escape. Many of those people don�t associate fire with them, but they might start to do so soon.

The city's Natural Areas Preservation Program is starting to use ecological burns to curb runaway vegetation and help the greenways renew themselves more naturally. So far the city has performed these burns in the Dolph Nature Area, Lakewood Park, Hansen Park, Leslie Park Golf Course, Leslie Park Nature and Science Center, Barton Nature Area and Black Pond Woods.

Wildfires have been part of the Midwest ecological system for centuries. First as products of natural events like lighting strikes and later on as controlled burns by indigenous peoples. The practice largely ended after Europeans arrived, but now some city officials see it as a way to let vegetation and wildlife flourish.

"A vast majority of the Midwest environment is adapted to work with wildfire," says Jason Frenzel, volunteer and outreach coordinator for Ann Arbor's Natural Areas Preservation Program. "We're basically introducing a historically accurate process."

The burns have targeted things like dead oak leaves in forests and dry grasses and hedges in fields and marshes. Eliminating this weaker competition allows the rest of the surrounding vegetation to grow more vigorously because there is more food and room.

Source: Jason Frenzel, volunteer and outreach coordinator for Ann Arbor's Natural Areas Preservation Program
Writer: Jon Zemke