Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arlington, VA. Fire management and invasive plants: a handbook. These vines such as Asian bittersweet, Japanese honeysuckle and wintercreeper can act as ladder fuels, carrying fire into the tree canopy, potentially leading to a dangerous canopy fire (Fryer 2011). Thick barked species, such as mature Amur cork tree, may also be exceptionally resistant to fire damage.Įxtreme caution must be used if mature vines are growing into the canopy of trees on a proposed burn site. Similarly, stem densities of Asian bittersweet can increase dramatically following prescribed burning due to vegetative regrowth (Pavlovic et al. Black locust is an example of a woody invasive species that often invades fire-dependent ecosystems and responds to prescribed fire by suckering from the roots and with increased seedling germination (Stone 2009). In certain species, damage to the main stem of mature plants triggers an especially aggressive root response where plants regrow both from the damaged stem and from the entire root system. Most woody invasive species, particularly shrubs, will be able to regrow from the root system following a prescribed burn. While none of the woody invasive species considered by WIGL are fire dependent, many of them exhibit adaptations that allow them to survive fire. Examples of these ecosystems include savannas, barrens, and xeric (dry) upland forests. Unsurprisingly, these fire dependent species tend to occur in dry ecosystems where fires would be frequent if not suppressed by humans. Exposure to very high temperature is necessary to open these cones and release seed. For example, pitch pine and jack pine, both native to parts of the Great Lakes basin, produce cones that are tightly bound shut with sap (pitch). On the extreme end of the spectrum, certain woody species depend on fire to complete their life cycles. Woody species vary considerably in their tolerance of fire. This may include the above-ground growth of woody invasive plants. Once ignited, fire spreads over the intended burn area, consuming dry fuel. How it worksįire is ignited and managed according to a burn plan for the site and corresponding burn permits.
While a single instance of prescribed burning does not provide long-term control, it can be effective for improving access to dense infestations for follow-up treatment. Frequent repeated application of prescribed fire can be used to suppress woody invasive species, especially in ecosystems that are suited to frequent fire. However, it will not kill root systems and regrowth should be expected. Depending on fire intensity and species susceptibility, prescribed fire may also kill or girdle the above ground portions of mature invasive woody plants. Prescribed burning is often effective at controlling invasive woody species seedlings, though it can also trigger germination of invasive plant seeds in the soil.
Prescribed burning impacts all fire-susceptible species within the burn area and therefore is generally only practiced in the management of fire-adapted ecosystems such as prairies, grasslands, savannas and barrens, and certain forest types. Control of woody invasive species may be one of the objectives of a prescribed fire program. Prescribed burning is a practice where fire is intentionally applied to a site under specific conditions to accomplish specific restoration objectives. Introduction to Physical Control – Prescribed Burning
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