The ecological burns in Ann Arbor parks this spring are'’t just about getting rid of dry, dead vegetation or keeping overgrowth in check. It's also about fighting off invasive species.
"Most of the areas we're doing it is to keep the invasive species at bay," says Jason Frenzel, volunteer and outreach coordinator for Ann Arbor's Natural Areas Preservation Program. "It helps return the environment to a balance."
The burns are targeting invasive species like honeysuckle, buckthorn and privet – all plants brought to North America by European settlers to create hedge rows. These invasive plans often bloom first and bigger than native species, crowding them out. However, the native species are adept to ecological burns and recover much quicker than the invasive species.
"The controlled fire is a tool," Frenzel says. "It's something the Native Americans used. We're just refining it."
Wildfires have been part of the Midwest ecological system for centuries. First it was a product of natural events, such as lighting strikes. It was later used in 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. The city has been using ecological burns since 1995.
"It's our most economic and historically accurate tool," Frenzel says.
Source: Jason Frenzel, volunteer and outreach coordinator for Ann Arbor's Natural Areas Preservation Program
Writer: Jon Zemke
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