Prescribed Burn Workshop is April 14 in Northfield

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Prescribed Burn Workshop is April 14 in Northfield
(Released March 15, 2012)

Private landowners and others interested in using fire as a grassland management tool are invited to attend a Prescribed Burn Workshop on Saturday, April 14, in Northfield.
The workshop will run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Cowling Arboretum Office, located on the Carleton College Campus in Northfield. It is sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Carleton College. The fee to attend is $10 per person.

Prescribed burning is the planned and intentional burning of habitat to remove dead plant material and rejuvenate growth of desirable grasses and forbs. Properly implemented and timed, prescribed burning can be one of the most effective and economical ways to improve grassland habitat.

Students will spend the morning of the workshop in the classroom, learning the importance of prescribed fire for grasslands and wildlife. Experienced instructors will cover the basics of prescribed fire, from planning to ignition to mopping up. After lunch, students will apply some methods in the field and obtain hands-on experience with a prescribed burn, weather permitting.

Participants must wear appropriate clothing to participate in the prescribed burn, including leather boots, leather gloves and 100 percent cotton or wool clothing. No synthetic or blended fabrics will be allowed. Participants also must sign a waiver of liability to participate in the burn.

Class size is limited to 25 students who are 18 years of age or older. Preregistration is required by April 6. The $10 fee includes materials and coffee breaks, but participants should bring their own lunch or plan to purchase lunch in town.

Register at the Carleton College website by clicking here: https://apps.carleton.edu/campus/arb/programs/workshops/fire_workshop/

To learn more about prescribed burning, click here: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/firewise/prescribed.html