Lately I have been documenting the Lincoln Marsh natural area through the seasons. Lincoln Marsh is a natural area nestled along the Illinois Prairie Path between Wheaton and Winfield. It is maintained by the Wheaton Park District, and they do a really great job with it. I got there this week shortly after a controlled burn.
This method has always fascinated me, because it feels like a gap-filling process in which humans mimic nature. We’ve filled up nature so much that we have to invent ways to re-insert Here’s some great info from the Park District on their burn program:
Fire and Habitat Health
In the Chicago region, fire is a natural and essential ingredient of healthy native ecosystems. Throughout history, lightning sparked natural fires, performing a “house cleaning” function for nature. Oak woodlands and prairies are adapted to fire and depend on it to maintain their unique character.Fire helps local habitats thrive by:
- Releasing nutrients from burned plant materials.
- Helping seeds to grow.
- Opening the woodland floor to sunlight so that native wildflowers and plants can flourish.
I don’t know when they did this burn, but when I got there on Thursday early evening you could still smell the char. I got some fun tilt-shift shots:
I don’t know exactly how they stop the fires, but I like how the char only extends halfway up the reeds here:
The browns and greens at this time of year are fun. This shot of a kid in green jacket made that even more noticeable:
Lastly, all this thought about controlled burns— and the skill one needs to do them— made me think about taxes. It’s popular in some quarters (including collar counties like DuPage, with Wheaton as its county seat) to rail against big government and evil taxes. Here’s a snip from the Daily Herald about controlled burns:
The fires are set by specially trained DuPage Forest Preserve crews in order to restore native prairies, wetlands and woodlands. The burns also help remove invasive plants, break down organic plant materials and clear any plant debris buildup.
The burns can’t be scheduled in advance, as safety depends on factors such as weather conditions and staff availability to monitor each burn, said Bonnie Olszewski, a public affairs specialist for the district. However, on the day of a prescription burn, the forest preserve district posts signs and notifies people who live near the affected preserves.
All hail those who live off of taxes, and help tame the succor of nature.