Loess Hills Restoration Newsletter

further served by prescribed fire as persistent shade-loving species are suppressed.

With all of the benefits of prescribed fire, now is the time to begin burning! The Loess Hills evolved with fire and now require prescribed burns to restore their integrity. A cache of prescribed fire equipment is available in every county in the Loess Hills to help private landowners conduct burns. For more information, call the Mills County Conservation Board at 712-527-9685 or the Pottawattamie County Conservation Board at 712-545-3283.

Text Box: Prescribed burning may be the most vital component of a prairie or oak savanna restoration project. Burning is often the most cost-effective management tool as it singularly controls invasive species, prevents the invasion of trees and brush, and stimulates native seed germination. Burning also eliminates the build-up of previous years’ dead thatch, which improves access to insects, brood success and mobility of grassland birds, such as Bobwhite Quail. Burning is also beneficial for livestock, increasing the digestibility and protein content of forage. Native perennials will have greater seed production, germination and establishment success following a burn. Depending on the invasive species present, the burn prescription can be altered to most negatively impact certain species. The burn can be timed in early or late spring, summer or fall. Weather parameters can be set for a burn prescription of a slow-moving, cool burn or a quick, high-intensity burn. Spring burn season begins once the grasses or oak litter is dry enough to carry a fire. In Iowa, this is usually between mid-March and early May. Spring burning will reduce weed competition during the year, especially on a new restoration project. A late-spring burn is the best timing to reduce brome and negatively impact trees and brush. Desirable trees, such as oaks and hickories have a high fire-tolerance. They are