The month of March went by a lot quicker than expected! We are already a few weeks into spring and that’s wild to think about sometimes. Although, if you live in a northern state, winter is fighting for revenge. The weather has gone from clear and sunny with slightly warmer weather to gray with an odd mix of snow and then rain. The weather could not decide on what to do. Work-wise it has been a lot of planning in March. More and more field trips are being added to our calendars as well as events with partners! Once about mid-April hits, the activities at the refuge will spike. 

One plan was a large highlight for me. I was able to witness a prescribed/controlled burn on the Refuge on April 4th. A controlled/ prescribed burn is an intentionally set fire used for habitat restoration or management. (To clarify, prescribed and controlled can be used interchangeably for this type of process.) Restoration or management could include helping to remove invasive species, setting back succession for wildlife, or even helping native plants to grow better! 

Fire on a large scale is often seen as threatening and dangerous, but that is not always the case. Fire if left to roam can become very dangerous and cause death, destruction, and displacement. When used for the habitat it can prove a very crucial tool. Fire at first looks ugly on the land but this gives opportunity for a fresh start. In some ecosystems, it is imperative to have a fire go through the area to help with seed dispersal of plants, kill insects that damage trees, kill blights and disease, and fertilize the soil! When used for the right purposes and managed correctly, it is quite a spectacle to observe.