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Burning the Arboretum Meadows

Arboretum meadow burn - March 22, 2005

After the burn - 2004

Fire is a natural process that maintains habitat for many species of plants and animals. It serves as an excellent tool for managing native meadows. It kills woody plants back and burns off debris from the winter, favoring grasses and wildflowers. The ash left after the fire serves to fertilize the soil.

Fires also tend to burn in a patchwork fashion with some areas burning hotter than others and some not burning at all. This creates a diversity of habitat for animals and plants the next year. The growth of some plants can actually be stimulated by fire, making them bushier and able to produce more seeds following a fire.

Adkins Arboretum burns or mows one-third of each meadow each year. Mowing also helps to control woody plant growth, but it doesn’t have the added benefits of replenishing the soil or creating a more diverse habitat.

At left, Ned Gerber of Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage manages the controlled burn on March 22, 2005 .