Heads up everyone, there are two prescribed burns planned for William H. Houlton Conservation Area (WHHCA) this week, depending on weather. Tomorrow, (Tuesday, April 20) Minnesota Native Landscapes will burn 55 acres of restored prairies, and on Wednesday, (April 21) Prairie Restorations Inc. plans to burn 40 acres of woodland on floodplain island in the southwest corner of WHHCA.
Fire is one of the most effective ways to remove invasive/non-native vegetation, while also accelerating the regeneration of wildflowers which in turn benefits the habitat and pollinators in the area. These prescribed burns are just one of the ways city partner, Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR), works to restore and enhance habitats like WHHCA to thriving and diverse river-adjacent ecosystems.