Rangeland burning increases growth of favorable grasses

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN BY MARY LOU PETER – KSU
It?s almost upon us?that time of year when we top the hill and come across fires across the prairies, sometimes as far as the eye can see.



To some it?s an alarming sight, but to farmers and ranchers familiar with managing native grass rangeland, prescribed burning is an effective method of improving grazing conditions and decreasing erosion and runoff, a Kansas State University range and pasture specialist said.



?Grasses that have been burned are more palatable to livestock,? said Paul Ohlenbusch, K-State Research and Extension agronomist. ?If underutilized areas are burned, it will attract animals to grasses in those areas.?



If the timing is right, prescribed burning also helps control weeds and brush.



Burning might seem to create more erosion problems than it prevents because when vegetation is burned away, it can open up the ground to water erosion.



?It won?t,? Ohlenbusch said. ?A properly conducted burn can reduce the potential for erosion and runoff by controlling weeds and brush, improving grazing distribution, and improving overall vegetation quality.?



Timing is key when burning to control weeds and brush, Ohlenbusch said.



?Burning at the weakest point in a plant?s growth stage will control or reduce undesirable plants,? he said. ?In order to actually damage a particular plant, burning would have to occur when the plant is actively growing or has buds above the soil surface.?



Burning rangeland to favor desired native grasses be done when grasses are beginning to green up. The soil should have sufficient moisture?indicated by a damp surface?to ensure adequate regrowth.



?Grasses, particularly big bluestem and Indiangrass in eastern Kansas, should have one-half inch to two inches of average new growth, which usually occurs in mid to late spring,? Ohlenbusch said. ?At this stage, plants are able to regrow quickly.?



If rangeland is burned too early in the spring, grasses cannot recover with vigorous new growth as quickly as if burned later in the spring, Ohlenbusch said. So soil moisture in early-burned areas can evaporate at rates as high as one-half inch per week. Also, rainfall may puddle or cause erosion problems on early-burned areas.



Properly timed burns, however, result in little change in soil moisture, soil structure, or soil erosion due to runoff.



Recommended burning dates for rangeland vary from late March in southeast Kansas to early May in northwest Kansas, the specialist said.

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