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Personnel with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spent a day last week improving native grasses at the Touch the Sky Prairie (pictured) through a May 10 controlled burn. The fire management helps rejuvenate about 400 acres of natural prairie grass and rid the northern tallgrass prairie of invasive plants and brush. Prescribed burn specialist Eric Earhart said weather conditions were ideal for the annual burn that also included nearby private lands. The burn especially targets thistles. “It makes our thistle control way easier,” he said. “We really try to limit our herbicide applications.”
On May 12, the ideal weather conditions also allowed the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to complete the annual burn at Blue Mounds State Park. According to park manager Chris Ingebretsen, 330 acres (including a portion of the bison range) were burned. He said while some wildlife nests were destroyed in the fire, the birds generally are able to re-establish a nest in a new area. “Long term it doesn’t really impact them unless it rains too much this spring. The area will be a better place (for nesting) with the fire.”