Private landowners and others interested in using fire as a grassland management tool are invited to attend a Prescribed Burn Workshop on Saturday, April 12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Carleton College Cowling Arboretum in Northfield. Sponsored by Carleton with assistance from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, there is a $20 fee per person to participate.
Class size is limited to 24 participants ages 18 years of age or older. Pre-registration is required by April 7. The $20 fee includes materials and coffee breaks, but participants should bring their own lunch or plan to purchase lunch in town. Register at the Carleton College website: https://apps.carleton.edu/campus/arb/programs/workshops/fire_workshop.
Prescribed burning is the planned and intentional burning of habitat to remove dead plant material and rejuvenate growth of desirable grasses and forbs. Properly implemented and timed, prescribed burning can be one of the most effective and economical ways to improve grassland habitat.
Participants will spend the morning of the workshop in the classroom, learning the importance of prescribed fire for grasslands and wildlife. Experienced instructors will cover the basics of prescribed fire, from planning to putting the fire completely out. In the afternoon students will apply some methods in the field and obtain hands-on experience with a prescribed burn, weather permitting.
Participants must wear appropriate clothing to participate in the prescribed burn, including leather boots, leather gloves and 100 percent cotton or wool clothing. No synthetic or blended fabrics will be allowed. Participants also must sign a waiver of liability to participate in the burn.
To learn more about prescribed burning, visit http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/firewise/prescribed.html.