Invasive species can be a nuisance to natural ecosystems. Luckily, a controlled burn in Milwaukee's Lakeshore State Park will allow for the area's native plants to flourish.
WISN 12 News released videos of the prescribed burn, which occurred in early April, showing up-close and overhead shots of the fire and aftermath.
Controlled burns are low-intensity fires that are intentionally set and used to manage forest life, including invasive species, as well as prevent uncontrollable wildfires by burning dead leaves and other fire-prone debris.
The burn in Milwaukee covered around nine and a half acres and took about one day to complete. Since the park opened in 2007, it has not had a prescribed fire until now.
According to WISN, Lakeshore State Park is home to over 100 invasive plants, many of which are weeds, which make it harder for native plants, such as a variety of prairie plants, to thrive.
While the invasive species will diminish with the fire, native plants will survive. "The native species are going to be resistant to the fire," Angela Vickio from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources told WISN. "They all have a deep root system."
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Invasive plants are often brought in by humans, such as through ornamental plants. These plants outcompete native species, soaking up nutrients including sunlight and water, and are even harmful to native animals. To prevent the growth and spread of invasive plants, rewilding your garden — or just adding more native plants to your yard — is a great way to start.
Though the videos of the park make the burned area seem desolate, these conditions are temporary. According to the DNR, per WISN, "By June, when all the prairie greens are in full bloom, you won't even realize that there was a prescribed burn."
Soon enough, those native plants will pop to the surface again, thriving once more.
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