On the Prairie
Chat transcript, Dave Rider
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Moderator: Thanks for joining us, everyone! A special thanks to Brian Winter. Join us tommorrow for a chat with Dave Rider about insects of the prairie! 3pm CENTRAL. So long everyone!
Brian Winter: Fires always affect the air quality. However, our prescribed burns are small enough that basically only the immediate vicinty is affected. They do not create the same affects as a large forest fire. We try to burn or tallgrass prairies on a four year rotation.
Brian Winter: Sorry, we lost or server. I'll try to answer again.
Moderator: Is the burning big enough to affect air quality? How often are burns done? Diablo View Mid - Sci 8
Brian Winter: I have a Masters of Science degree from Iowa State University in Ames, IA. I received a Bachelors of Science degree from South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD and I started with an Associate Science degree (2 year program) from the University of Minnesota Crookston. All totaled I went to college for 7 years.
Moderator: This is the last question folks, How much schooling do you have? John from: Pennsylvania,
Brian Winter: The prairie in MN varies tremendously from very hilly steep terrain to large flat expanses of grass. The vegetation itself, depending generally on soil moisture, can be over 6 feet tall in the wetter areas to only 1 foot tall on the drier ridges. The species diversity varies greatly depending on site conditions. For example, here on Bluestem Prairie which is a diverse site, over 300 species of plants can be found. Prairies in MN are wonderful because there is a continuous display of flowers from early April through October with different species blooming though that period. Many prairies are treeless, others are shrubby and considered shrub prairies. Still others contain scattered oak trees or trembling aspen clones creating a parkland or savanna like appearance. It's hard to describe in words since the prairies of Minnesota vary widely in their character. If you'd like to see some photos of prairie, you could visit The Nature Conservancy's website at www.tnc.org.
Moderator: Kimberly from Indiana wonders,"What is the prairie like in Minnesota?"
Brian Winter: Fires do occasionally kill animals. However, prairie animals have adapted to fire and most escape uninjured. Whether that be through running, flying or burrowing, we seldom see animal mortality in the burns that we do. I most frequently find slower moving reptiles and amphibians that perish in our flames. It is important to remember that for these species to survive, we have to maintain the habitat longterm and fire is critical in the maintenance of many ecosystems. In addition, because we typically burn in the fall or early spring, many of the species have migrated or are in hibernation so we seldom see mortality as a result of our fires.
Moderator: Paul from Indiana asks, "Does fire kill animals on the prairie?"
Brian Winter: The fact that I can make a difference by assisting with the protection of many species of plants and animals that make up the biodiversity of tallgrass prairie and other ecosystems. By working outside, I get to see many natural wonders as a part of my daily work that other would drive many miles for the opportunity to see. I also love to watch the prairie come alive the growing season following a prescribed burn.
Moderator: What do you like most about your job? Cindy From: LeSueur,
Brian Winter: For safety gear, the crew has fire retardant coveralls made out of a material called Nomex; leather boots, hard hats, goggles and leather gloves. Clothing under the coveralls must be "natural" fibers like cotton. To ignite the fire, we use a "drip torch" which contains a mixture of gas and diesel fuel which drips out of a nozzle and can set a line of fire quickly. For control, we use backpack "pumpcans" full of water, ATV's with water sprayers and "swatters" which are basically a thick piece of rubber on a broom handle and are used to smother the flames. For communications, we all have two-way radios and on standby we have a pickup truck with a large pumper engine (similar to a fire truck) that we use should the fire escape our control. In addition, we have an on-site weather kit where we can take wind speed and direction, temperature and relative humidity readings. We also have a variety of other hand tools that we use for mop-up such as pulaskis (a combination axe/hoe) chainsaws and rakes.
Moderator: Cindy from LeSueur, MN asks, What tools do you use when you burn?
Brian Winter: I haven't followed this very closely, so I don't have an very informed opinion. I will say, however, that the blow down is a natural disturbance as is fire. Blow downs and fire have always interacted within forested systems. So, it is reasonable to let natural processes like lightening, fires or controlled burns to restore the habitat.
Moderator: This is a little off the subject, but kdmayer wants to know: What's your opinion regarding the clean-up of the damage to the boundary waters area?
Brian Winter: Whenever you are using fire as a management tool, it can be dangerous and most prescribed burns are one mis-step away from being out of controll and potentially extremely dangerous. We have lots of training, specialized safety gear, specialized equipment and a clearly written prescribed burn plan that outlines acceptable conditions within which we can burn, objectives for fire, required safety gear and equipment, minimum crew size and contingency plans should the fire escape our control. We identify safety zones before starting the burn and should the fire become out of control, we know what our plan is to attempt to regain control. Should that fail, we know where to go to avoid injury. One of the safest areas for the crew to go to are areas that have already burned. Grass fuels burn very quickly and consequently creat safe zones just as quickly. There is always danger when working with fire, but I have never felt that my life in threatened in the hundreds of prescribed burns that I have led.
Moderator: Mrs-Mc from Andover also asks, Have you ever been in danger during a burn?
Brian Winter: When it's not a controlled burn and we do not want the entire habitat to burn. Because our remaining prairie tracts today are small remnants, it is important to burn only a portion of each tract. By doing this, we leave habitat for birds, small mammals and insects to live in. So, it is important to recognize that fire is good for the prairie, but needs to be done in a controlled fashion with specific goals, burn units and burn frequencies. Moderator: Mrs-Mc asks,When would we want to stop a fire in the prairie? Brian Winter: We burn the prairie because fire was a natural process in the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Without fire, our prairies, particularly here in Minnesota, would become invaded by tree species and other woody plants. Fires help kill the woody plants and keep the prairie open. There are many other specific objectives within our burn program such as stimulate seed production, enhance non-native weed control and recycle nutrients tied up in the dead plant material.
Moderator: Mick from St. Paul asks, Why would you want to burn the prairie?
Brian Winter: I have worked for The Nature Conservancy for 15 years. I started with TNC when I finished graduate school. I always like the Conservancy as an organization and it's biodiversity protection mission.
Moderator: Susanna from St. Paul asks, How did you start working for the Nature Conservancy?
Moderator: Hello Bell LIVE! participants. We will begin our chat with Brian Winter at 12:00 p.m. CENTRAL TIME. Brian works for The Nature Conservancy and is the Bell LIVE! prescribed burn specialist.
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