Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge; Zone Fire Management Officer Steve Nurse conducts a pre-burn briefing. - FWS photo by Edward De Vries

Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge; Zone Law Enforcement Officer Kevin Shinn ignites Leach Marsh. - FWS photo by Edward De Vries

Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge; Deputy Refuge Manager Edward De Vries contains Houlihan Grassland fire. - FWS photo by Steven Kahl

Several U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service programs and stations contributed to reduce hazardous fuels and improve wildlife habitat using prescribed fire at Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge this spring. 

The Zone Fire Management Officer, staff from the Michigan Private Lands Office, the Law Enforcement Zone Officer, and staff from Seney and Shiawassee Refuges collaborated to burn the 53 acre Houlihan Grassland and 79 acre Leach Marsh.

The grassland burn helped to invigorate prairie grasses and forbs that were planted in the field in 2004.  This site was previously an agricultural field of soybeans and corn.  Refuge staff completed the planting with funding assistance from a North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant.

The wetland fire helped suppress woody vegetation and invasive reed-canary grass.  Timing of the burn was optimal for reed canary-grass control because the plants were well into the growing season. 

Further, an accumulation of thatch from previous years enabled the fire to carry throughout the marsh and damage the plants.  Consequently, reed canary-grass in the Leach Marsh is shorter and sparser than in adjacent unburned areas and native plants should be in a better position to compete.