Prairie Burn Pictures
Ross Bauman
Prairie BurnAs part of compliance with the 10 year CRP-SAFE prairie chicken program it is required to burn the prairie two times and also graze it one time.
Friends of Homestead are carrying out these practices because this is what would have occurred 300 years ago. Prairie fires were started by lightning and sometimes by Native Americans. These fires were good for prairies as it eliminated invasive plants and also allowed small prairie forbs to flourish. The grazing requirement is to mimic the trampling of the prairie by bison.
View the slideshow of the April 2012 Prairie Burn.