Bringing Out the Big Guns - What is a Controlled Burn

              On our second and third outings to the nature center, I have been able to become familiar with the beast that is Chinese Privet. My personal vendetta against this invasive species formed quickly into working to manually remove it from the trees in the grasslands and mesa areas on the Nature Center’s property. The whole purpose of our class working to remove this frankly annoying plant was so the Nature Center could have more land cleared for them to conduct the controlled burns they need in order to eliminate the Chinese Privet and other invasive species in these ecosystems. Being able to work on previously scorched Earth, I was able to observe the way a controlled burn impacts the natural and invasive flora in the environment. Controlled burns are also referred to as prescribed burns. This language makes me think of it as a medical treatment for a sick ecosystem, similar to chemotherapy’s effect on cancer in the body. The main goal is to kill everything, healthy and mutated, but then let the healthy stuff grow back. National Geographic reports that controlled burns can “destroy invasive plants… can be rejuvenating. It returns nutrients to the soil in the ashes of vegetation ... And after a fire, the additional sunlight and open space in a forest can help young trees and other plants start to grow.” These controlled burns are vital for habitat restoration, but they require extensive planning, approval, and support from staff and volunteers. I think the controlled burns are an important and entertaining aspect of the Nature Center’s work towards habitat restoration and could be used to spark community interest and engagement. I think moving forward it would be awesome to record the burn and then create updates to share with the public what the healing process looks like. I would love to be able to attend one of the Nature Center's prescribed burns in the future!