Here in the Northeast, common invasive plants include purple loosestrife, Japanese knotweed, common reed (aka Phragmites), and honeysuckle. No matter where you live, chances are there is some type of invasive plant in your neighborhood. Non-native invasive plants are plants that have been introduced from another part of the world, and have "taken over" their new habitat. The endangered Delmarva fox squirrel and red-cockaded woodpecker rely on fire to maintain their pine forest habitats.įire also helps control non-native invasive plant species. Mammals such as moose, deer, and rabbits rely on the new growth produced after a fire for food.įire also benefits several plant species such as the endangered sandplain gerardia and wood lily, both which need fire to reproduce and grow. Birds such as bobolinks and eastern meadowlarks require open grasslands for feeding and resting. Several animal species use these open areas for food and shelter. In fact, it's not uncommon to see new growth within a few days of a fire!įire also opens up dense areas and helps maintain meadow habitats. Fire returns nutrients to the soil quickly, versus the years it takes for grass clippings, dead leaves, and logs to decompose and provide nutrients. First and foremost, a fire is a natural process, unlike mowing or logging. Wildfire and Animals - What's the real storyįire offers many benefits to wildlife and plant species. Sites such as the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia are home to pine pocosins, which for millennia have been maintained by and adapted to lightning-caused wildfires. Pine pocosins are a type of bog characterized by evergreen shrubs. Fire stimulates new sprouts in shagbark hickory. Oaks are resistant to fire and benefit from nutrients returned quickly to the soil during a burn.
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January 2023
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