We’ve just completed a round of control burns here at the Nature Center, with the help of some dedicated docents & the awesome team from The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas. Under the right conditions, carefully monitored burns help replenish and diversify a woodland habitat. This has been an exciting part of our forest management plan! Here are a few snapshots of our activities at the Nature Center at the end of January.

The Nature Conservancy team carefully assessed conditions before initiating a control burn contained in a 6-acre area, divided into 2 sections. The burn process takes nature’s cue and accelerates the decomposition process, finishing dead wood and branches to become part of the forest floor, and prevents quickly growing younger tree species from overwhelming the understory.

The team monitored the perimeter of the burn closely, assisted by our docents in cleaning the smoldering, ashy debris, and seeing the last of the burn to its smoky conclusion.

Stay tuned for more glimpses into our Woodland Management Programs at South Fork!