The Newsleaders
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Sartell – St. Stephen
    • St. Joseph
    • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Column
    • Editorial
    • Letter to the Editor
  • Community
    • Calendar
    • Citizen Spotlight
    • Criers
    • People
  • Notices
    • Funerals/Visitations
    • Obituary
    • Police Blotter
    • Public Notices
    • Support Groups
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Submissions
  • Archives
    • Sartell-St. Stephen Archive
    • St. Joseph Archive
  • Advertise With Us
    • Print Advertising
    • Digital Advertising
    • 2021 Promotions
    • Pay Invoice
The Newsleaders
No Result
View All Result

PineCone Pet Hospital MillerCarlin Serving all of central Minnesota locations!

Albany: 320-845-2035
Holdingford: 320-746-9994
St. Cloud: 320-252-7004
Upsala: 320-573-6234
Toll-free: 1-800-644-4058
Collegeville Stearns Bank
Home News

Students learn about the environment during prescribed burn

July 23, 2012
in News, St. Joseph
0
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

by TaLeiza Calloway
news@thenewsleaders.com

Students at Kennedy Community School can tell you why prescribed burns occur.

When the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service burned about 46 acres surrounding the school recently, they weren’t worried by the orange flames spreading before them. They had learned of its necessity in advance.

It’s not the first time 10-year-old Rhiannon Theis witnessed the environmental process. The St. Joseph resident said she has seen a similar burn at a nearby park in her neighborhood. The fourth-grader was still surprised at how safe the burning is for the crew administering it.

“I’m surprised that no one gets hurt from it,” Theis said. “We learned it helps make a new environment. Ashes are good for the ground.”

Fourth-grader Mitch Hieserich had seen fire before but not a prairie burn. The speed of the fire is what stood out to him.

“I’m surprised at how fast everything burns,” Hieserich said. “It feels like we were just over there and now we’re all the way over here.”

Both Theis and Hieserich were right in their observations of safety and speed. All are part of the planning process for prescribed burns.

Sheldon Myerchin, state coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Minnesota Private Lands Office, said preparation for the burn started months ago. Specific criteria like wind speed, humidity and wind direction are included in the prescription for the burn. All conditions must be met, and communication with local fire departments is needed to make it happen smoothly.

“It’s a very coordinated effort,” Myerchin said.

Dick Birger, fire information officer for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said the prescribed burn is important for several reasons. One reason is it reduces the hazardous fuel so if a fire should start by lightning
or by someone tossing a cigarette butt where there’s no control of the conditions, it makes it harder to spread. There is also the environmental motive.

“We’re also re-introducing fire to a prairie ecosystem which developed over thousands of generations of plants to be adapted to fire. Many of the plants we’re getting rid of were not native, were not adapted to fire,” Birger said. “We’re doing three things: reducing hazardous fuel, encouraging native plants and discouraging non-native plants.”

Normally, on average, a prescribed burn is done in three- to five-year intervals. Some batches of prairie might burn every year for a few years while other burnings occur every 25 years. There is no set schedule. It all depends on how things react to the burn.

“When dealing with nature it’s not precise,” Birger said.

A crew of 17, including several members from national wildlife and refuge services, was on hand to assist with the prairie burn at Kennedy Community School. Birger said prairie burns are an inexpensive way to maintain the grounds by having their cover remain with native plants. The proximity of the prairie to the school also provides a good learning lesson for students.

“It’s a pretty neat opportunity for them to see outside their school door,” Birger said. “We kind of like to say we’re turning the clock backwards right in front of their eyes.”

Previous Post

St. Joseph City Council to demolish former Credit Union Building – Why?

Next Post

Attention parents of seniors

Next Post

Attention parents of seniors

Please login to join discussion

CMCU Twitter Follow us on
Twitter
for the latest news!
Facebook Follow us on Facebook
for the latest news!
calendar Click here
to view our
calendar
of events!

Go Fund Me # 1 Thank You
Newsleader
Supporters!
Elizabeth Brunsvold
Cultural Connections
Jim Berg & Mary Kruger
Mary & John Davis
Sandy Denne
Bobbi & David Gouker
James & marry Graeve
Juliana Howard
Julia Joplin
Linda Kmitch
M. Molus
Sheila Nahan
Go Fund Me # 2 Thank You
Newsleader
Supporters!

Peggy & Michael Roske
Judy Scheuerell
Geraldine Schwab
James Stotko
James Towler
Anna Trobec
Kaye Wenker
Ellen Wahlstrom
Leona Wieland
Jeanie Wilkens
GAGEN & VASUGI RAMANATHAN
Go Fund Me # 3 Thank You
Newsleader
Supporters!
Nicole Borg
Erica Karger-Gatzow
Dane & Lori Listug-Lunde
Nadine Martin
Doris Minnerath
Merry Mund
Marilyn Peitso
Stephen Schwanke
Dianne Tuff
Dale Zacher
Private Donors

Search

No Result
View All Result

Categories

Recent Posts

  • Funeral for Marilyn ‘Lynn’ P. Borgert, 86 & Eugene ‘Gene’ J. Borgert, 89
  • 6 candidates selected for Sartell-St. Stephen superintendent
  • Kluesner appointed to St. Joseph City Council
  • Wood sentenced for killing two children
  • A list of school superintendent finalists expected March 1

City Links

Sartell
St. Joseph
St. Stephen

School District Links

Sartell-St. Stephen school district
St. Cloud school district

Chamber Links

Sartell Chamber
St. Joseph Chamber

Community

Calendar

Citizen Spotlight

Criers

People

Notices

Funerals/Visitions

Obituary

Police Blotter

Public Notices

Support Groups

About Us

Contact Us

News Tips

Submissions

Advertise With Us

Print Advertising

Digital Advertising

2021 Promotions

Local Advertising Rates

National Advertising Rates

© 2021 Newleaders

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Sartell – St. Stephen
    • St. Joseph
    • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Column
    • Editorial
    • Letter to the Editor
  • Community
    • Calendar
    • Citizen Spotlight
    • Criers
    • People
  • Notices
    • Funerals/Visitations
    • Obituary
    • Police Blotter
    • Public Notices
    • Support Groups
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Submissions
  • Archives
    • Sartell-St. Stephen Archive
    • St. Joseph Archive
  • Advertise With Us
    • Print Advertising
    • Digital Advertising
    • 2021 Promotions
    • Pay Invoice

© 2021 Newleaders

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In