Of course, if the world continues to warm like it has for the past 10,000 years it might warm-up enough for these shallow, rock-strewn, clay soils to support the prairie plant species of south and west of here. I likely won't live long enough in geologic time to see this happen but I have a head start. Besides, it's cool.
I thought it would be useful to post some photos covering how things are growing following a controlled burn performed on May 3rd of this year. In only three short months things are doing exceedingly well with a thick, lush flush of new growth following the burn.
Man’s use of controlled burns is recognized as a suitable surrogate for the forces of Ma Nature's naturally-occurring wildfires that throughout millennia have maintained nature's balance. Native Americans used fire to both sustain and manipulate their ancestral hunting grounds. Fire acts to reduce the intrusion of trees and shrubs that shade-out warm-season grasses and forbs.
Following a burn the blackened earth is a nutrient-rich stockpile of charred plant remains that quickly absorb the spring sunlight. These warming soils are receptive to the germination of dormant seeds and the growth of established native plants with root networks deep underground.
The girls and I checked it out the other day and we are happy to report that this formerly scorched earth provides both food and cover for everything from birds, to the deer to the pollinators and everyone else - right down to the predators. The 2017 crop of butterflies is going to be memorable. Check these out...
Gray-headed Coneflower
Watching it all come together
click on an image for a better look
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