LINCOLN, Neb. – Prescribed burns are planned in the upcoming months on some Nebraska Game and Parks Commission wildlife management areas if weather conditions allow.
Burns during the summer and fall can help set back undesirable plants that invade native prairies and other grasslands. Eastern redcedar trees and undesirable deciduous shrubs have higher mortality during summer burns because of higher air temperatures and because they’ve expended much of their energy flowering and producing fruit. Green vegetation in summer and early fall also slow the rate of a planned burn and allows it to be more predictable.
Summer and fall burns, if used in conjunction with grazing, can set back smooth brome and other invasive plant species, increase diversity in grasslands and improve habitat for wildlife. Fewer acres are burned during summer and fall burns to be sure plenty of habitat is available going into the winter in these immediate areas.
Burns are planned for the following wildlife management areas:
Northeast District – Antelope County: Grove Lake; Cedar County: Wiseman; Dakota County: Basswood; Madison County: Yellow Banks; Nance County: Council Creek; Platte County: Wilkinson; Stanton County: Red Fox, Wood Duck
Northwest District – Dawes County: Chadron Creek Ranch; Sioux County: Peterson
Southeast District – Gage County: Arrowhead; Jefferson County: Alexandria, Alexandria SW, Flathead, Rose Creek West; Johnson County: Hickory Ridge, Osage, Twin Oaks; Lancaster County: Branched Oak, Olive Creek, Wagon Train, Wildwood, Yankee Hill; Pawnee County: Bowwood, Prairie Knoll, Table Rock; Richardson County: Kinter’s Ford; Seward County: Twin Lakes; Thayer County: Little Blue; York County: Marsh Duck
Southwest District – Custer County: Pressey; Frontier County: Medicine Creek, Red Willow; Hall County: Cornhusker; Hitchcock County: Swanson; Howard County: Harold Anderson, Leonard A. Koziol, Marsh Wren; Keith County: Clear Creek; Phelps County: Sacramento-Wilcox; Sherman County: Sherman Reservoir
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