*****************UPDATE*****************
Prescribed burn was successfully completed at the Spring Lake Wetland from 1pm-4:30pm on April 5th.
Find the Prior Lake American news article 4/5/17 here, along with a cool video of the burn here put together by their reporter, Hannah Jones.
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The Prior Lake-Spring Lake Watershed District is working with restoration specialists at AES to complete a prescribed burn at the Spring Lake Wetland (a.k.a. 12/17 Wetland) at the southeast corner of the intersection of CR-12 & CR-17, across the road from Sailer’s Greenhouse. The prescribed burn will take place TODAY, Wednesday, April 5th, if the weather conditions remain favorable.
Prescribed burns are one of the management tools that are being used at the Spring Lake Wetland to maintain the native plantings. Fire is an important aspect of vegetation management because it helps suppress non-native, undesirable plants, and is needed by many native plants that require fire for ideal growth. The prescribed burn is being used in combination with mowing, herbicide application, biological control and native planting/seeding to successfully restore the site.
As a relatively young restoration site, the prescribed burn at the Spring Lake Wetland is anticipated to be a lower fire with a spotty patchwork of burned areas. Unlike mature prairie burns that can run hot and high, this burn will be less intense, helping to control the cool season, non-native species and encouraging native plant growth.
Specific weather and environmental conditions must be met to implement a prescribed burn including: the optimal prevailing wind direction, humidity levels and cloud cover conditions. Although the Watershed District is hoping to complete the prescribed burn today, it may get delayed if the weather does not cooperate.
