Barb Haley, Watershed Watch Chair
My Observations
Date: April 11, 2024 @09:00 am
Area: Somewhere above the Fur Brigade trail….
Temperature: 10C
Weather: High overcast and sun
Visibility: Excellent
Conditions: dry, dry, dry
Observations: Like a little seed blowing in the wind, I just end up wherever I end up. Most days I don’t really have a plan on where to go explore, I’m just there,
Today we had a quick hike above the Fur Brigade trail, near the end of Thorne Road. I noticed that there had been some fuel mitigation in the area, with some still smoldering fires. I am amazed at how beautiful the forest looks after this treatment! The resiliency is amazing!
Rating: Excellent
When controlled burns are done correctly and at the right time, the surface fuels (debris, leaves, dead grasses, branches etc) are burnt off. This returns nutrients to the soil, destroys invasive plants, controls tree diseases and pests, prevents overcrowding of trees and underbrush, and helps prevent destructive wildfires. Some plant species require fire to release their seeds from their cones!
Fires are a natural part of forest ecology and have been used by indigenous peoples all over the world for millennia.
We have been doing such a great job at stopping forest fires, that we got behind in managing the amazing forests, allowing for significant build up of forest fuels, trees taking over important grasslands, and overcrowding our forests.
It’s time to bring back the age-old practises of cultural burning and share the stewardship of prescribed fires/controlled burns, and learn to co-exist with fire.
We need to protect our forests and watersheds!