Ecological burn planned at Mt. Pisgah September 16

Lane County Parks, in cooperation with the Friends of Buford Park & Mt. Pisgah, as well as Rivers to Ridges partners, will be conducting an ecological - or prescribed - burn at the Howard Buford Recreation Area (HBRA) tomorrow, weather permitting.

Ahead of each burn, weather, humidity, and wind conditions are closely monitored to meet safety standards, including air quality.

HBRA represents one of the largest blocks of remaining prairie and oak savanna habitat left in the Willamette Valley. This ecological burn will occur in the North Bottomlands area of the park and will restore native grasses and wildflowers in a former hay field that was dominated by non-native species for many years. It will also help reduce the risk of wildfire by reducing the available fuels in the burn area. A total of 25 acres will be burned. Ecological burning is funded by a combination of grant funding from the Bureau of Land Management for fuels reduction and the Lane County Parks levy.

Closures

• Small portions of the trails located in the North Bottomlands, particularly on the west side of that area, will be closed. Visitors are asked to check in with trail sentinels and be flexible with their routes.

Lane County Parks and partners have conducted more than a dozen prescribed burns in HBRA since 1999. Executing ecological burns is always dependent on weather and ensuring atmospheric conditions will disperse smoke upward and away from densely populated areas.

Signs will be posted at the park notifying visitors of the trail closures. A trail map is available online.

Visitors to the park should be aware of localized smoky conditions and the presence of fire crews within the park during the burn.

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Why the County conducts ecological burning:

Ecological burns are an essential management tool to sustain and expand native plant communities in these rare Willamette Valley habitats. The Willamette Valley was once dominated by savannas and prairies rich with diverse grass and wildflower species. These now-rare ecosystems require regular disturbance, such as fire, to maintain native species and to prevent conversion of open prairie to a closed woodland or forest. Historically, disturbance was provided through regular intentional burning by Native people or ignition by lightning. Many of our native prairie wildflowers, such as camas and Bradshaw's lomatium, have evolved with fire for thousands of years and flourish after a site is burned.

Ecological burns in the park's prairies accomplish several biological and fire safety goals including improved seed germination, removal of built-up thatch, and short-term soil fertilization. All these factors help native, grassland species thrive, including the declining Western Meadowlark (Oregon's state bird), which nests in prairies and other open grassland habitats. In addition, prescribed burns protect the open prairie structure, as well as reduce the future risk of high intensity wildfires through the removal of standing, dead vegetation.