introduction to grassland management - michigan department of … · 2000-06-13 · southwest lower...

The nearly 7,000 kinds ofgrasses make up the mostwidespread plant family in the

world. Grasslands in Michiganrange from mowed lawns to idlefields to grainfields. Before set-tlement, grasslands of severaltypes were scattered throughoutMichigan, such as wet meadows,oak and pine barrens, dry sandprairies, and tall grass prairies.One grassland that most peoplethink of is the tallgrass prairie,which was primarily a Midwestecosystem that extended intosouthwest Lower Michigan. Theseprairies were unlike anything thesettlers had ever seen, and theysupported more than 300 speciesof wildflowers and grasses, some ofwhich grew to a height of nine feet.

Many experts consider NorthAmerican grasslands to be a fairlyrecent development in geologic

time. Thousands of years ago,huge glaciers covered much ofMichigan. About 14,000 years ago,the climate became warmer andthe glaciers began to melt andretreat. Prairies, barrens, and wetmeadows began to establish them-selves on landscapes that werelevel or gently rolling on sandy orloamy soils. After the glaciers weregone, the climate cooled and theconifer forests of northernMichigan, including the UpperPeninsula, appeared. Vegetationchanged over the next severalthousand years with warmer, drierperiods favoring grasslands insandy and loamy channels, rollinghills, and flat lakeplains, and thespread of oak and hickory intosouthern Michigan.

Perhaps as important as cli-mate is the element of fire toestablish and maintain Michigan'sgrasslands. Whether caused bylightning or set purposely by NativeAmericans, fire helped prairies togrow by stimulating grass and wild-flowers to reproduce, reducingcompetition from weeds, and dis-couraging the encroachment ofshrubs and trees. No one knowsexactly how many prairies existedin Michigan before settlement, butresearchers have identified 39known prairie areas, mostly in thesouthern Lower Peninsula. Theseprairies ranged in size from lessthan 100 acres to 25 square milesand may have totaled approximate-ly 2.3 million acres.

Value to WildlifeGrasslands support a variety of

wildlife species. In fact, some kindsof birds cannot live in any otherecosystem. Northern harriers,sharp-tailed grouse, upland sand-pipers, bobolinks, and savannahand Henslow's sparrows thrive bestin grassland habitats of at least 100acres. Grasslands smaller than 50acres will attract bobwhite quail,bluebirds, red-winged blackbirds,American goldfinches, dickcissels,common yellowthroats, and vesper,field, and song sparrows. Otherspecies, such as the Eastern mead-owlark, grasshopper sparrow, andsedge wren, can prosper in grass-lands from 10 to 20 acres.Mammals also find grasslands valu-able, such as the meadow andprairie vole, 13-lined ground squir-rel, and badger.

Because grasslands providenesting, brood rearing, and roost-ing cover, they are important toquail, pheasants, and wild turkeys.Pheasants in particular also findnative grasses such as switchgrass,Indiangrass, and the bluestemssuitable for winter shelter becausethe grasses stand up to snow.

INTRODUCTION TO

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

PART V: Grassland Management

upland sandpiper

least shrew

Deer use grasslands for food atbirth to their fawns there. Rabbitsraise their young and find food andsecurity in grassland edges. Theyare also home to mice, shrews,voles, some kinds of snakes, and ahost of avian and ground predatorsincluding hawks, owls, raccoons,skunks, opossums, foxes, and coy-otes.

Taking InventoryWhen you evaluated your land,

as explained in the HabitatPlanning section of this manual,what grasslands, if any, did youfind? If you own a native grass-land, consider yourself lucky. Youmay be able to restore the grass-land to full productivity by eliminat-ing as much competition as possi-ble and then interseeding desirableplant species. Or you may own anold field that was once in crop pro-duction and is now left idle. Fieldborders, old fencerows, farm lanesand other corridors, and odd areasthat can not be plowed or diskedoffer further opportunities forgrassland establishment. Youractive hayfields are a type of grass-land, too. They can be managed forlivestock forage and wildlife. Thecurrent quality of your grasslandswill depend on soil and water con-ditions, and plant composition.Each combination may attract dif-ferent wildlife species.

This Grassland Managementsection has chapters on warmseason and cool season grasses,grass planting, converting old fieldsto grasslands, restoring a prairie,and prescribed burning. What fol-lows is an overview of each.

Warm Season GrassesThere are two basic kinds of

grasses--warm season and cool

season. Wildlife thrive in both.Warm season grasses are usuallyreferred to as prairie grasses andinclude Indiangrass, big bluestem,

little bluestem,switchgrass, andprairie cordgrass.Native to Mich-igan, they growbest under theheat of a summersun followed bywarm nights.You can see themmixed with color-ful native wild-flowers at public

and private prairie areas and some-times along roadsides and railroadrights-of-way. Besides their valueto wildlife, warm season grassescan provide forage for livestock andadd beauty to the landscape.

They are four reasons whywildlife biologists usually preferwarm season grasses for wildlifecover: (1) they hold up to the ele-ments, (2) they are native toMichigan, (3) they can be plantedalong with wildflowers, and (4)they live a long time. Often calledbunch grasses because they growin clumps, these plants do notbreak down easily under heavywinds or deep snow. Their disad-vantages are that they are initiallymore costly to plant than othertypes of grass and typically take upto three years to establish. Patie-nce is the key to success. Oncenative grasses take hold, however,they need little attention and willlive many years through propermaintenance. Maintaining themthrough prescribed burning everyfew years will keep them healthyand productive for wildlife. Othermanagement options include lightgrazing by livestock, periodic mow-ing, or the spot application of aselective herbicide .

Cool Season GrassesMost of the grasses you see in

Michigan are cool season grassesnot native to the state. Theseinclude brome grass, timothy, andorchardgrass. Native cool seasonspecies include Canada wildrye,redtop, and June grass. Alfalfa andclover are cool season legumes thatare planted with cool season grass-es because the legumes fix nitro-gen for them-selves andother plants,provide foodfor manykinds ofinsects, andoffer habitatdiversity forwildlife. Coolseason grassesand legumesgrow bestwhen thedaytime tem-peratures onspring and falldays reach 65 to 75 degreesFahrenheit followed by cool nights.

Cool season stands are valu-able to wildlife because they pro-vide nesting and cover in springand summer and sometimes roost-ing cover in summer and fall. Mostlandowners are familiar with thesegrasses. Advice on planting andequipment are easy to come by,and the stands are easy and moreaffordable than warmseason grass-es to establish. Annual mowing willkeep them productive although thestands lose vigor over time andmay need to be replanted. Theyalso tend to break down underwind and snow.

switchgrass

redtop

What to Plant and Where

What should you plant, andwhere should you plant it? Consultyour overall Management Planbefore deciding to plant cool sea-son or warm season grasses. Manylandowners whose goal is to pro-vide year-round habitat for pheas-ants, quail, and grassland song-birds plant both types side by side,along with a nearby food plot con-taining corn, buckwheat, millet,and sunflowers or a similar mixtureof preferred wildlife foods.However, warm season grassesshould be planted before cool sea-son grasses to ensure full standdevelopment. If your property issmall and you are able to provideonly one component of habitat,consider working with neighborswho might be willing to furnishother needs.

Planting more than one kind ofgrass will provide the variety ofgrass heights and density for goodnesting habitat, especially forwaterfowl, pheasants, and song-birds. Mixing in legumes in coolseason plantings and wildflowers inwarm season stands will encourageinsects, which in turn provide foodfor wildlife. Stiff-stemmed legumesand wildflowers provide perchingsites for meadowlarks, sparrows,and other birds. The wildflowersoffer a source of nectar for hum-mingbirds and bee species.

What species of grasses,legumes, and wildflowers youestablish depend on soil type,depth, texture, and fertility. Cer-tain grasses and legumes grow bet-ter on dry sites, and other typesthrive on wet sites. Warm seasongrasses, for example, tend to growwell on sandy, droughty, or exces-sively drained sites. Most cool sea-son grasses perform better on well-drained soils of sandy loam.

Besides soil considerations,other site conditions includedrainage and erosion concerns andpotential weed problems. Checkwith your Conservation Districtoffice for a Soil Survey map, whichwill identify erosion potential aswell as soil types on your property.Identify plants already growing onthe site you are considering forgrass planting. Also learn what youcan about the history of croppingor other land use. This informationwill help you to know what to plantand how much effort will be need-ed to maintain the grassland onceit is established.

To increase the value of grass-lands to wildlife, especially smallersites of five to 20 acres place themnext to or near other suitablegrassland habitat. Examples arehayfields, pastures, and wetlands.Your grassland will help wildlife themost if the landscape around yourproperty is also in grasslands orassociated habitats. The bestdefense against predation is toplant a large grassland area ratherthan a small one. Ten acres is bet-ter than five acres, and 20 acres isbetter than 10 acres. If a largerplanting is not possible or practical,you can help protect nesting birdsfrom predation by edge-loving rac-coons, hawks, opossums, andskunks, and parasitism by brown-

headed cowbirds by placing thegrassland at least 50 yards fromhedgerows, woodlots, and deadtrees. The buffer between thesehabitat types can be planted toshrubs. The shape of the grasslandplanting is also important, especial-ly small grasslands. To reduce pre-dation, plant in circles or squaresrather than in linear strips.

Old FieldsIdled farm fields, borders and

corridors can often be converted tograsslands if the site and soil con-ditions are favorable. After thosedeterminations are made, you willneed to identify what stage of nat-ural succession the field is in. Whatis currently growing there? Are theplants annuals or perennials? Haveshrubby plants like dogwood,blackberry, and sumac alreadybegun to invade? Are there anytrees? If so, what kind? Beforeconverting an old farm field to agrassland, you must eliminate theexisting vegetation. Burning, mow-ing, disking and the application ofselective herbicides are all methodsused to return an old field to bare-soil conditions. Old fields may notbe as beneficial to some grasslandspecies as planted prairies; howev-er, they, too, provide food, shelter,and security for many species.

INTRODUCTION

bobwhite quail

Prairie RestorationsPure prairies are ecosystems

that are relatively free from theinvasion of shrubs and trees. Theyoccur where sites are too wet ortoo dry for woody vegetation togrow, or where plant successionhas been checked through fire. Ifyou have a prairie on your proper-ty, chances are it will be a prairieremnant that is degraded, but thatmight be restored. Doing somedetective work at the local libraryand the county ConservationDistrict office may turn up cluessuch as historical photos. Talkingto neighbors and former ownersmay yield more information.Armed with a good identificationguide of native grasses and wild-flowers, you might be able to iden-tify remnant prairie plants. Or per-haps a local expert will walk yourproperty with you and help withidentification.

If you have a former prairie andwant to restore it, you may need toremove shrubs and trees, by mow-ing, burning or herbicide use. Insome cases you may be able tointerseed the site, preferably withseed from native plants from theimmediate area or begin a newplanting altogether.

Excessive weed growth is thebiggest hurdle to establishing alush grassland that has maximumbenefit to wildlife. Native grassplantings in particular may takethree to five years to dominate thesite, especially if weeds were notcontrolled during the first year after

planting. During that first year oflife, native grasses grow mostlybelow the ground as their root sys-tems develop. Because littlegrowth appears above groundwhere weeds are likely rampant,many landowners become need-lessly discouraged. Once the standis established, though, periodicburning will keep it healthy. Othermethods to maintaining grasslandsinclude strip mowing in alternatingyears, light grazing by livestock,and spot treatment of problemweeds or invading shrubs with aselective herbicide.

Prescribed Burning

A prescribed burn is a fire pur-posely set to achieve a predeter-mined objective. Prescribed burnsare often used today to kill or setback the growth of undesirablevegetation such as woody plants ornoxious weeds and to promote theregrowth of warm season plantssuch as switchgrass. Most burnstake place in the spring, howeverdepending on what you hope toaccomplish a fall burn may be inorder.

These fires need to be conduct-ed by individuals who are trainedand experienced in fire manage-ment. Before prescribed burns takeplace a burn plan has to be devel-oped and burning permits securedfrom the local fire authorities.Safety from pesonnel injury anddamage to property is always thefirst concern when planning a fire.

In summary, grasslands inMichigan are important ecosystemsfor many species of birds andmammals. Whether you restoreformer grasslands, convert oldfields, or create new grasslands,patience is one key to success.Another key is regular mainte-nance, to control natural succes-sion. The benefits, however,include providing valuable wildlifehabitat, livestock forage, and land-scape diversity that is pleasing tobehold.

Private Land Partnerships: This partnership was formed between both privateand public organizations in order to address private lands wildlife issues. Individuals shareresources, information, and expertise. This landowner’s guide has been a combined effortbetween these groups working towards one goal: Natural Resources Education. We hope thismanual provides you with the knowledge and the motivation to make positive changes for ourenvironment.

FOR ADDITIONALCHAPTERS CONTACT:Michigan UnitedConservation ClubsPO Box 30235Lansing, MI 48909517/371-1041

INTRODUCTION

FOR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE: CONTACT YOUR LOCAL CONSERVATION DISTRICT

Grasslands are areas oftenreferred to as prairies ormeadows, consisting primar-

ily of grasses with associated wild-flowers. These areas provideessential habitat for many speciesof wildlife. Presently, Michigan hasonly small remnant prairies scat-tered across the state. At the timeof Michigan's settlement, therewere approximately 2.35 millionacres of grasslands. Historicallyranging from several to thousandsof acres, grasslands have drastical-ly declined because they have beencoverted to agricultural fields orlost because of fire suppression.

Although we have lost almostall of our native prairies, Michiganstill has some grassland areas.Non-native cool season grasseshave been planted along roadsides,as hayfields and pastures, andoften establish themselves in thefields retired from farming. Thesefields can provide important wildlifefood and cover.

Within grasslands, a variety ofwildlife such as pheasants, wildturkeys, songbirds, foxes, hawks,raccoons, and sandhill cranes eatabundant insects, seeds, and smallrodents that grasslands produce.Also, mice, voles, shrews, wood-chucks, and many kinds of ground-nesting birds raise their youngthere. The size of the grasslandplays a significant role in attractingcertain species of wildlife. Smallgrasslands one to five acres in sizeare activity zones for deer and rab-

bits. Other wildlife species, such asbobolinks and meadowlarks, mayrequire 20 or more acres of grass-land to survive.

There are two types of grassesto consider planting: cool seasonand warm season. For more infor-

mation aboutwarm seasongrasses, pleaserefer to thechapter onWarm SeasonGrasses. Coolseason grassesdevelop mostrapidly duringspring andearly summer

when cool nights follow warm days.They begin to grow again in latesummer and early fall when thesesame conditions apply. Growingbest in tempera-tures of 55 to 75degrees Fahrenheit,cool season grassesgo dormant whentemperatures reach90 to 95. Thesegrasses includetimothy, orchardgrass, and bromegrass--all intro-duced species--and native Canadawildrye, redtop, and June grass,which is also called blue grass.Legumes such as alfalfa and theclovers--ladino, sweet, white, red,and others--are often included inplantings of cool season grasses.

Most wildlife managers in Michiganprefer that warm season grasses andcool season grasses be incorporated intowildlife plans that contain grassesbecause they provide excellentwildlife habitat. However, for thenovice, cool season grasses areeasier and less expensive to estab-lish. Normally, cool season grassesare established in one growing sea-son, whereas warm season grassestake three to five years. However,warm and cool season grassesplanted in separate side by sidestands will provide more diversityand are extremely valuable forwildlife.

Stand CompositionSoil type will determine what

kinds of cool season grasses toplant. The Natural ResourceConservation Service can supply,free of charge, a soil survey of yourproperty, which identifies the typeof soils you have and where theyare located. For a small fee youcan purchase a soil test kit fromyour county Michigan StateUniversity Extension office. Thetest determines if lime or fertilizersneed to be applied to the soil forthe particular grass that youchoose to plant.

Canada wildrye is a nativetall erect bunch grass that does notgrow into dense stands. Foundmost often in sandy or marshyshores, it may also grow withinsand dunes, and in forests along.Usually reaches a height of two tosix feet. A palatable grain, it also

COOL SEASON GRASSES


Canada wildrye

redtop

provides good nesting and roostingcover.

Redtop, also native, grows tofour feet tall, has delicate leavesand stems, and also provides goodnesting and roosting cover, eveninto winter if snowfalls are scarce.

June grass is a short, nearlyprostrate variety that is usuallymixed with common white clover oralsike clover, and planted in largemeadows for browse. The mixtureis tolerant of partial shade and willgrow well on the north edge of awoodland.

Timothy and orchard grassare both about 30 inches high,ideal for nesting and brood-rearingcover. Timothy grass grows well onsandy loam soils that are fairly welldrained, and orchard grass doesbetter on mostly loam soils.Orchard grass is a clump grass,which permits pheasant chicks toeasily walk through it. A large vari-ety of protein-rich insects eat itssoft, succulent leaves, but it pro-duces poor-quality hay. The stiff,erect stems of timothy create goodfall roosts for pheasants as well asgood nesting cover for some song-birds. Mixed with ladino clover andred clover, timothy produces anexcellent hay crop in early July.When the legumes die back afterfive or six years, timothy will form auseful pure stand.

Although hated by farmers andgardeners, quack grass has highvalue to wildlife, mostly because itsseed head provides food. You maywish to avoid planting fescue andbrome grass for wildlife. Thesesod-forming grasses tend tobecome too thick to allow easymovement by some wildlife andprovide little food value.

Clover, alfalfa, and the otherlegumes remove nitrogen from theair and add it to the soil where itbecomes available as fertilizer forother plants. Grasslands do notneed to be fertilized as long aslegumes are actively growing.Adding legumes to cool seasongrasses improves the variety of thestand by increasing the mix ofstructure and palatability of plantsto plant eaters from insects to deer.

Common white clover is ashort creeping clover, very persis-tent and well suited to wet soilswith poor drainage. It also growswell in partial shade and is oftenselected for woodland trails, forestopenings, and logging roads whereruffed grouse, wild turkeys, deer,and rabbits eat it. Medium redclover lives three to six years,reaches a height of 12 to 16 inch-es, and grows on soils ranging frompoorly drained to dry, sandy types.It does best, though, on well-drained sandy loams and clay loamsoils. Mixed with orchard grass ortimothy, it helps provide cover andfood, called browse.

Alsike clover lives only twoor three years but is well suited towet, poorly drained sites. An excel-lent companion to birdsfoot trefoil,orchard grass, and redtop, alsikeprovides browse and brood habitatin wet meadows.

Ladino clover lives six to tenyears and thrives on soils that arewell drained or fairly well drained.Planted with orchard grass and tim-othy, ladino attracts deer, turkeys,grouse, and rabbits in spring andsummer.

Both white and yellow blossomsweet clovers make high-qualityspring browse, excellent fall seed,

orchard grass

red clover alsike clover

smooth brome - A sod-forminggrass that tends to become too

thick for wildlife to movethrough.

quack grass

timothy

birdsfoot trefoil

and good winter roosting cover forpheasants, quail, and rabbits. Thewhite blossom variety is taller (tosix feet), better tolerates droughtysoils, and stands more erect duringthe winter to provide better coverthan yellow.

Birdsfoot trefoil looks muchlike alfalfa but will tolerate moresoil types than does alfalfa.Although it grows on a variety ofsoils from well-drained loams towet clays and mucks, birdsfoot tre-foil is harder to establish thanclovers. In addition, birdsfoot tre-foil is extremely aggressive after itbecomes established and is notalways highly recommended.

Alfalfa tolerates only well-drained sites and requires the high-est pH soil of all the legumes. Itwill last six or seven years whenannually mowed.

Planting RatesThe kind of habitat you wish to

establish will also determine whatkind of cool season grasses andlegumes you should plant and howmuch of each. For example, if yourgoal is to provide one acre ofmeadow for nesting pheasants, acommonly used mixture is 7 lbs. ofmedium red clover, 2 lbs. of alfalfa,3 lbs. of timothy grass, and 3 lbs. ofredtop grass.

Cool season grasses are popularwith farmers because they estab-

lish quickly and respond to heavyfertilization, which can be reducedwhen mixed with legumes. Theydo better in high pH soils (5.8-7.0),which are maintained through theuse of agricultural lime. The grass-es typically outlive the legumes.Legumes should be inoculated withthe proper bacteria before plantingto increase germination. Seedthree or more varieties ofgrass/legume mixtures at the rateof 8 to 12 lbs. per acre. For bestresults and highest benefit towildlife, legumes should comprise50 to 60 percent of the mix. Sowwith conventional tillage(plow/disc/drag/plant), conserva-tion (no-till) methods, or frostseed. More information is availablein the Grass Planting chapter.

Stand SizePheasants, bobolinks, and

meadowlarks are among manywildlife species that do best in habi-tats where the predominant land-scape type is grass. Township-sized areas containing 25 percentgrassland have the highest benefitto these species. Grasslands largerthan 40 acres are usually morebeneficial to wildlife than are small-er fields because they make it moredifficult for predators to find nest-ing birds and other prey. One con-sideration, however, is that if yourplan calls for making a large fieldfrom several smaller fields, theremoval of fencerows may destroytravel corridors and food/shelterhabitats for other kinds of wildlife.Also, cool season fields larger than80 acres begin to have less favor-able impact on edge-loving speciessuch as deer.

Stand ManagementThe quality of cool season

grasses usually peaks at two tofour years after establishment.Subsequently, they become filled

with matted grasses and dead veg-etation, reducing their vigor andoffering less variety. In time,woody plants (shrubs, brush andsmall trees) move in and dominate.The grassland then becomes abrushland and habitat for otherwildlife species.

To keep the stand in high-qual-ity grasses and legumes, manage-ment tools such as burning, mow-ing, discing, fertilizing, and grazingmay be needed. The controlleduse of selective herbicides is anoth-er consideration. These tools stim-ulate regrowth and reduce thecompetition from dogwood, sumac,aspen, and other woody plants;increase stand vigor; and providequality grassland habitat.

A prescribed burn is aplanned fire, burning with a specif-ic purpose. It is best done on a daywith little or no wind, in earlyspring or late fall when vegetationis dry. Discuss your plans with localauthorities, obtain the necessaryburning permit, and observe allrestrictions and safety procedures.

eastern meadowlark

eastern cottontail rabbit

COOL SEASON GRASSES

For more information see thePrescribed Burning chapter inthis section.

If you plan on a mechanicaltreatment, you could--depending on your goals--mow or disc aboutone-third of the grassland eachyear. Mow in strips of 30 to 60 feetwide and leave undisturbed areasfrom 60 to 100 feet wide betweenthe mowed areas. Mow betweenJuly 15 and August 31 to avoiddestroying nest sites and give thegrassland enough time forregrowth before winter. Mowingheight should be four to six inches.Light discing has the added advan-tage of bringing back annualweeds, legume seeds, and grasses,

whose seeds have been lying dor-mant. However, these annuals maynot be the preferred types. Likethe mowing treatment, disc instrips 30 to 60 feet wide, but leaveat least twice that width of undis-turbed cover between strips.

Grazing will also help to setback succession but must be donecarefully because overgrazed grassloses productivity. Do not grazeduring the wildlife nesting season,and do not reduce plant heightbelow eight inches.

Chemical treatment is alsoan effective means of controllingwoody invaders. However, correctapplication is critical. Carefully fol-

low label directions and take carenot to excessively damage non-tar-geted vegetation.

In summary, cool season grass-es provide a variety of benefits towildlife. They are easy to establishand less costly than other grassoptions. However, read the addi-tional chapters within this sectionto determine if cool season grassesare the right choice for you.



COOL SEASON GRASSES

alfalfa

alfalfa forest

cropland

cropland

hayland

hayland

W

pasture

CSG & clovers

CSGExisting features

Road

House

Stream

Wet land

Habitat projects

Cool season grasses

Fencerow removal

Hayland mowed after July 15

Idle grass mowed in 1/3 st ripsone per year.

W

CSG


This map is an example that demonstrates the many management options discussedthroughout this chapter. The option(s) you choose should depend not only on your goals,but the location, condition, and present use of your land.

40 Acres

Grasslands are areas oftenreferred to as prairies ormeadows, consisting primar-

ily of grasses with associated wild-flowers. These areas provideessential habitat for many speciesof wildlife. Presently, Michigan hasonly small remnant prairies scat-tered across the state. At the timeof Michigan's settlement, therewere approximately 2.35 millionacres of prairies either occurring astall grass prairies in southernMichigan, or as dry sand prairies inboth the central northern LowerMichigan and parts of the UpperPeninsula. Historically rangingfrom several to thousands of acres,prairies have drastically declinedbecause they have been convertedto agricultural lands or lost becauseof fire suppression.

Within grasslands, a variety ofwildlife such as pheasants, wildturkeys, songbirds, foxes, hawks,skunks, and sandhill cranes eatabundant insects, seeds, and smallrodents that grasslands produce.Also, mice, voles, shrews, andwoodchucks, and many kinds ofground-nesting birds raise theiryoung there. The size of the grass-land plays a role in attracting cer-tain species of wildlife. Grasslandsone to five acres in size are activity

zones for deer and rabbits. Otherwildlife species, such as bobolinksand meadowlarks, may require 20or more acres of grassland to sur-vive.

There are two types of grasses:cool season and warm season. Formore information about cool sea-son grasses, please refer to thechapter on Cool Season Grasses,Warm season grasses are "bunchgrasses" (grow in clumps) thatdevelop most rapidly during sum-mer when warm nights follow hotdays. They include the nativeprairie species such as big blue-stem, little bluestem, Indiangrass,and switchgrass. To increase diver-sity and provide additional food andcover, many warm season grassesare mixed with native wildflowerssuch as bergernot, leadplant, core-opsis, aster, blazing star, black-eyedsusan, and other coneflowers.

Most wildlife managers inMichigan prefer that warm seasongrasses and cool season grasses beincorporated into most wildlifeplans that have grasslands becausethey provide excellent wildlife habi-tat. In fact, Michigan landownershave planted a portion of theirland that is set-aside in the federalConservation Reserve Program(CRP) to warm season grasses.These grasses have stiffer stemsthat stand up to snow and providemore substantial winter cover thancool season grasses. Also, bunchgrasses allow young wildlife tomove easily through vegetation,

are drought tolerant, native toMichigan, and have a longer lifethan cool season types. Further-more, bunch grasses, which pos-sess deep root systems, promotebetter soil infiltration of water thatthen percolates into groundwatersupplies. Besides making betteruse of water, they are efficient atremoving nutrients--nitrogen,phosphorus and potassium--fromthe soil. Thus, warm season grass-es are useful as buffer stripsaround wetlands as well as in areaswhere erosion is a problem.Unfortunately, warm season grassseed is usually more expensive.Also, they normally take three tofive years to establish compared toone year for cool season types, andmay require more maintenanceduring the early years of establish-ment, which would include mowingand burning.

Stand CompositionSoil type will determine what

kinds of warm season grasses toplant. The Natural ResourceConservation Service office cansupply, free of charge, a soil surveyof your property. The survey willidentify what types of soil you have

WARM SEASON GRASSES


dickcissel

and where it might be located. The soilmay be wet, moist, or dry; and com-posed of sandy, loam, or clay.Before planting, yur soil should betested for pH and fertility. The testshould determine if lime or fertiliz-ers need to be applied to the soilfor the particular type of grass youchoose to plant. Nitrogen shouldnot be applied to warm seasongrass plantings. Soil test boxes areavailable from your countyMichigan State UniversityExtension office . A small fee willbe charged for this service.

The kind of habitat you wish toestablish will also determine whatkind of warm season grasses andforbs you should plant. For exam-ple, if your goal is to provide oneacre of grasses for nesting water-fowl, a commonly used mixture is 2lbs. of big bluestem, 1 lb. of littlebluestem, 2 lbs. of Indian grass,0.5 to 1 lb. of switchgrass and 0.5lb. of wildflowers. Use nativeMichigan seed whenever possible.For more information on soil test-ing, soil surveys, and seed mix-tures, see the chapter onGrassland Plantings in this sec-tion.

Big bluestem isa three to six foot tallperennial whose seedmatures in Septemberor October when thenormally blue-greengrass turns straw colorwith darker purple tones.Palat-able to livestockwhen pastured duringthe growing season, bigblue is often referredto as the "prairie king"

because of its importance in nativegrasslands. Big bluestem respondsbest on well-drained upland sitescontaining loamy sands, sandy

loams, and loams but will also growon poorly drained soils and wetareas

Indiangrass is a three to fivefoot tall native grass with similarsoil requirements as big bluestem,especially inlowland prairieswhere the twogrow together.It is also com-mon along riversand sandy hillareas. Its blue-green leavesare similar incolor to cabbageleaves, and thesix to 10-inchlong flower heads are yellow or brightbronze. Fully bloomed--usually inSeptember--the plump heads addbeauty to the prairie and are easilyidentified. It produces excellentquality hay when harvested earlyand is relished by livestock.

At four to eight feet tall,switchgrass is one of the tallestof all native prairie grasses andstands up better to snow than theothers. It is also the best adaptedto a wide range of soil conditions

on both uplandsand lowlandsand has strongtolerance to pre-emergent herbi-cides such asattrazine. Thusit can be plantedwith corn or inthe year follow-ing corn withoutherbicide carry-

over fears. It grows well in valleysand swales where it receives runoffwater. Triangular in outline withone seed at the end of eachbranch, switchgrass seedheads

mature in Sept-ember when theentire plant turns a yellow-orangecolor. Its smooth hard seed andstrong seeding vigor make it easierto plant and establish than theother warm season grasses.However, unless you include it as aminor addition to a mix of warmseason types, it will easily dominatethe stand. Sometimes pure standsof switchgrass two to 10 acres insize are planted to promote out-standing winter cover for wildlife.It produces abundant good-qualityhay and pasture.

Little blue-stem grows fromtwo to three feet tall and is red-brown color in fall with white-tuftedseed heads. Widely tolerant todrought, little blue is a reliable pro-ducer of native hay and forage aswell as an outstanding checkagainst erosion onsteep slopes. Onmeadows and well-managed pastures,it often forms purestands that maintainthemselves againstinvasion by otherspecies. On driersites such as gravelslopes and well-drained overflowareas, it occurs in clumps.

Stand SizeGrasslands from less than an

acre in size to fields of a 1,000acres in size will be used to oneextent or another by many wildlifespecies, from insects to deer.Some wildlife species need a largegrassland for their survival whileother wildlife need small areas ormay use only a portion of thegrassland for their habitat require-ments. Pheasants, bobolinks, andmeadowlarks are among manywildlife species that do best in habi-

tats where the predominant land-scape type is grass. Township-sized areas containing 25 percentgrassland have the highest benefitto these species. Grasslands from20 to 40 acres are usually morebeneficial to nesting wildlife thanare smaller fields because theymake it more difficult for predatorsto locate nests. One consideration,however, is that if your plan callsfor making a large field from sever-al smaller fields, the removal offencerows may destroy travel corri-dors and habitats for other kinds ofwildlife. Also, warm season grassfields larger than 150 acres beginto have less favorable impact onmany species because of the lossof edge. On the other hand, dick-cissels and vesper, grasshopper,and henslow's sparrows respondbest to large grasslands, up to1,000 acres in size.

Stand PlantingWarm season grasses take

about three to five years to reachmaximum height, and so landown-ers should not judge their effortstoo early. Seedbed preparation iscritically important. Because theseeds of warm season grasses aretiny and fluffy (except for switch-grass), they are difficult to runthrough typical planters and broad-casters. Planting alternativesinclude no-till grain drills specifical-ly designed to plant the fluffynative grass seed, hand seeding, orpurchasing more expensivedebearded grass seed (seed thathas had the fluffy material

removed) which then can be plant-ed more easily with a conventionalplanter. Plant at the total rate of 4to 6 lbs./acre of pure live seed(PLS) for a mixture of two or threegrasses. PLS takes into accountthat a quanity of seed will containseed hulls, inert materials, andseed that will not germinate. A 10lb. bag of seed may contain only 7lbs. of PLS. Add wildflowers at therate of 0.5 lbs. to 1 lb. per acre.

Stand ManagementThe quality of a warm season

grass stand usually peaks at five toseven years after establishment.Subsequently, they become domi-nated with matted grasses anddead vegetation, which reducetheir vigor and offer less variety. Intime, woody plants (trees andshrubs) become established. Thegrassland then becomes a brush-land and becomes habitat for otherwildlife species such as deer, rab-bits, and songbirds who preferbrushy habitats.

Watch your native grass standsfor signs of deterioration, such aspoor reproduction. To keep thestand productive for years, man-agement tools such as burning,mowing, and grazing may be need-ed. The careful use of selectiveherbicides is another consideration.These tools stimulate regrowth andreduce the competition from woodyplants, increase stand vigor, andpromote quality grassland habitat.

A prescribed burn is aplanned fire, burning with a specif-ic purpose. It is best done on a daywith light wind, relatively lowhumidity, in early spring when veg-etation is dry. Discuss your planswith local authorities, obtain thenecessary burning permit, andobserve all restrictions and safety

procedures. Trained individualsusing appropriate equipmentshould conduct burns. For moreinformation see the PrescribedBurning chapter.

Mowing or grazing in a threeto five year rotation will slowencroachment of woody plants.Depending on your goals, and thesize of your grassland, you maywish to divide the field into threeto five segments of equal size andtreat one segment each year. Mowin strips 30 to 60 feet wide andleave unmowed areas of 60 to 100feet wide between them, or mowblocks of grass on a three to fiveyear rotation. Mowing, haying, orgrazing the grass stands shouldoccur between July 15 and August31. This will give nesting birds anopportunity to hatch their eggs. Donot mow or graze warm seasongrasses below eight inches inheight, damage to the plant couldoccur if cut below this level. Whenhaying or grazing, fertilizers shouldbe added every three to five yearsto return nutrients back to the soil.

Chemical treatment will alsocontrol woody plants, but correctapplication is critical. If you ignorelabel instructions, you may destroynon-target vegetation, which couldhave a negative impact on wildlife.

In summary, warm seasongrasslands were originally foundthroughout much of Michigan.They are an extremely importantcomponent of many wildlife specieshabitat needs. Efforts must contin-ue to protect and enhance thegrasslands that remain in Michiganand landowners can play a majorrole towards that objective.

WARM SEASON GRASSES

pheasant chicks



WARM SEASON GRASSES

forest

cropland

cropland

cropland

WSG

WSG

WSG & wildflowers

WSG & wildflowers

cropland

W

pasture

Existing features

Road

House

Stream

Wetland

Habitat projects

Warm Season grasses: Big Bluest em,Lit t le Bluest em, andIndian grass

Switchgrass

W

WSG

Grasses burned (or mowed) every

3 years on a 1/3 rotation. Follow

prescribed burn guidelines and

contact local authorities.


This map is an example that demonstrates the many management options discussed through-out this chapter. The option(s) you choose should depend not only on your goals, but thelocation, condition, and present use of your land.

40 Acres

Old fields are those which contain annual plants,perennial broadleaf plants,

or a mixture of the two, as well asperennial grasses. Old fields,which include crop stubblefieldsallowed to lie fallow, are fairlyabundant in Michigan, especiallywhere agriculture has been prac-ticed. These land types occurwhen land goes out of cultivationfor a period of time. Some peoplequit farming, others let fields lie fal-low for a year or two, and still oth-ers enroll idle acres in federal con-servation programs. Old fields mayappear to be wastelands but theyactually are capable of supportingmany kinds of birds and smallmammals. For example, foxes,coyotes, hawks, and owls hunt inold fields, pheasants and songbirdslive in them, and deer bed there.

Federal conservation programspay landowners not to producecrops on those acres but to estab-lish permanent vegetative cover toprotect the soil from erosion;reduce water, air, and land pollu-tion; and provide wildlife habitat.If your land qualifies, you can applyfor cost-sharing programs that mayhelp pay for seedbed preparation,

fencing, liming materials, fertilizer,seed, and seeding operation, andpesticides. For more information,contact your county ConservationDistrict.

Land managers should decidewhether to keep fields idle or con-vert them to grassland. This chap-ter explains the benefits to wildlifethat occur when fields are left idleand natural succession is managed.

The Role ofSuccession — A LandAging Process

Old fields left idle are one ofthe early stages in the five steps ofthe natural cycle of succession that,over time, turns bare ground into aforest. Bare soil is the startingpoint. The first plants to establishthemselves in bare soil are annualplants which live one growing sea-son and then die, such as ragweed,pigweed, smartweed, lambsquar-

ter, foxtail, pokeweed, barnyardgrass (wild millet), and mare's tail.These plants provide seasonalnesting and brood-rearing habitatfor pheasants, quail, bluebirds, andother songbirds, and insects forfood.

The next successional stageis biennials and perennials.Perennials are those non-woodyplants that grow back year afteryear. These include goldenrod,asters, milkweed, daisy fleabane,other forbs, and many kinds ofgrasses and clovers bush, ladino,common white, alsike, and others.Biennials are those plants thatgrow one year and produce seedthe next year. They include sweetclover, mullein, curly dock, wildmustard (yellow rocket), shep-herd's purse, black mustard, fox-glove, and the thistles. Smallmammals such as mice, rabbits,and skunks now begin to use thehabitat, along with foxes, hawks,and owls, an abundance of butter-flies, meadowlarks, bobo-links,Savannah sparrows, and othersongbirds.

OLD FIELDS


After a fewyears, sumac, dog-wood, blackberry,autumn olive, buck-thorn, and othershrubby plantsbegin to invade thehabitat. It nowbecomes moreattractive to rac-coons, opossums,

deer, and songbirds such as cardi-nals, gray catbirds, and juncos.

As succession continues, redmaple, cottonwood, birch, aspen,and chokecherry are tree speciesmost likely to invade. During theearly stage of this forest develop-ment, young seedlings providebrowse for rabbits and deer. Theincreasing amount of vertical struc-ture attracts thrushes, woodpeck-ers, blue jays, and orioles. As theforest grows over time, moreshade-tolerant trees like sugarmaple and beech invade. Squirrels,wild turkeys, deer, and wood ducksare examples of wildlife that eatthe nuts produced by these trees,which also furnish den cavities forscreech owls, squirrels, raccoons,woodpeckers, nuthatches, andchickadees.

Managing SuccessionYou can manage your land for

any stage of succession, or you cancreate as much diversity as possi-ble by managing for several stagesat once. How you manage your oldfield depends on three items:

(1) the goals of your overall plan

2) the size, shape, and other conditions of your property

(3) what "tools" you choose.

There are at least three “tools” tomaintain idle fields.

Prescribed burning is thewell-planned and controlled use offire to speed up or set back naturalsuccession. In forests, a very hotfire will set back succession, but acool fire in a young forest can actu-ally advance succession. To fullyunderstand the results of burninghabitat on your land, consult with awildlife biologist or other profes-sional. Also, be sure to check withthe local fire department to seewhat regulations apply. Rememberthat prescribed burning can bedangerous and should be done withthe help of a trained professional.

For more information see thePrescribed Burning chapterwithin this section.

Chemicals such as herbicidesand fertilizers are often used tomaintain openings in forests, tocontrol the invasion of woodyplants in the early stages of suc-cession, or to promote the growthof desirable plant species by elimi-nating their competition. The useof herbicides, if applied properly,changes habitat but generally doesnot have a toxic effect on wildlife.The use of fertilizers tends toincrease plant growth and nutri-tion.

barnyard grass

ragweed pigweed

opposum

lambsquarter

Chemica lssuch as 2-4-Dwill eliminatebroadleaves fora season andreduce diversityin the stand.Herbicides suchas glyph-osate(Round-Up) willkill all plants. Ifyou disk thefield without

using an herbicide, quack grass willquickly spread eliminating valuableannuals. Using a herbicide willreduce quack grass and allow thefavored annuals to come back.Seeds of annual plants are largerthan those of perennials and aremore preferred by wild-life.Important ones are giant and com-mon ragweed, smartweed, barn-yard grass, lambsquarter, pigweed,and foxtail. Wildlife use this foodyear around, but it becomes mostimportant in winter and earlyspring. Indiscriminate use of herbi-cides or fertilizers, however, canhave more negative than positiveeffects. Seek the advice of a con-servation professional before apply-ing chemicals.

Mechanical alterations,which include mowing, manual cut-ting, discing, and plowing, areother methods for maintainingearly successional stages and forremoving unwanted vegetation.Soil type, depth, potential erosion,and the size and density of the tar-get vegetation are all factors toconsider. Also, the mowing ofsome woody species causes themto grow faster and spread morerapidly.

Fields left alone for eight to10 years will produce primarilygoldenrod and asters, which have

limited value to wildlife. Discing aportion of the idle field each yearon a three- to five-year rotation willrestore root vigor by reducing theeffects of crowded root systems.Discing will also scatter the seed tobetter establish valuable annuals.For example, if your idle field is 25acres, disc five acres (five one-acreblocks or strips) each year to getthe complete range of early succes-sional annuals, biennials, andperennials.

Site Preparation andStand Maintenance

Field preparation should cre-ate a bare-soil condition throughplowing or repeated discing.Eliminate quack grass with Round-Up or a similar herbicide. After thelast field tillage, the seeds of dor-mant annual plants will grow intothe prepared site and provide firstyear food and cover. Augment, ifyou wish, with a cover crop of smallgrain. The best soil pH for weedgrowth and crop growth is 6.0 to6.5. If soil pH is above 5.5, thedormant seeds of various clovers(which you can rotate with periodicdiscing) will naturally sprout andprovide two or three years of foodand cover. If pH is below 5.5, addlime.

Second-year growth will showmore annuals, plus biennials andseedling perennials. Each succes-sive year will show a greater per-centage of perennial forbs andgrasses. A once-over deep discingduring the spring of the fourth year

will again create a mixed annual-perennial crop. A heavy discingtwo or three times over will setback the site even further. Continueto disc on a rotational basis or recy-cle the field by plowing if grassesand perennial forbs cover morethan 70 percent of the ground sur-face.

Planting OptionsBecause plantings assist the

advancement of succession, theyare usually done in combinationwith one or more of the other tools.The timing of discing or other treat-ments determines which annualweed varieties will dominate in anidled field. Fields treated from April15 to June 1 will usually explodewith lambsquarter, pigweed, andragweed. The earlier the treat-ment, the more ragweed willappear in the stand. Stands pre-pared later in the summer will favorannual grasses and the establish-ment of biennials.

You can helpprovide additionalwildlife food byplanting a crop in theold field and not har-vesting it. A fieldprepared inSeptember and light-ly seeded to winterwheat (one bushelper acre) will providewheat seed, abun-dant insect life and a

late crop of ragweed seed. Themixture of unharvested wheat andragweed will furnish a food sourceand summer/fall roosting cover forpheasants, quail, and rabbits.Some of the wheat will provide asecond-year crop through volun-teer seeding. Likewise, a field plantedin early spring (before May 1) to oats(one bushel per acre) will create a

quack grass

redtop

OLD FIELDS

grasshoppers are abundant in old fields.

similar food/cover situation for oneyear. Not being winter hardy, theoats will offer a food source for onlyone year.

If you plan to manage idlefields for grassland habitat, consid-

er planting cool sea-son and warm sea-son grasses. Coolseason grasses arethose species whichgrow most rapidlyduring spring andearly summer andagain at the end ofsummer and earlyfall when cool

nights follow warm days. Theseinclude grasses such as orchardgrass, timothy grass, June grass,and redtop, which are usuallymixed with many kinds of clovers(white and red). Warm-seasongrasses grow most rapidly duringthe peak of summer when warmnights follow hot days. Growthslows in fall when soil temperaturesdrop. Native grasses to Michiganinclude Indiangrass, switchgrass,big bluestem, and little bluestem.Whenever possible, plant nativespecies and follow natural patternsas dictated by the terrain and soilconditions of your property.Questions about suitable plants,

sources of planting stock, andground preparation are bestanswered by your ConservationDistrict wildlife biologist, localextension agent, or NRCS staff.For more information, see thechapters on Cool Season andWarm Season Grasses in thissection.

In summary, old fields pro-vide not only a variety of benefitsto wildlife but also help protect soilfrom erosion and reduce water, air,and land pollution. There are manymanagement options that canassist you in maintaining your oldfield. Choose one that will helpmeet your wildlife goals.



OLD FIELDS

NWSG

B

B

M

M B

woods

woods

cropland

cropland

cropland

hayland

hayland

CSG

BM

Existing features

Road

House

Stream

Fence

Habitat projects

Native warm season grasses

Cool season grasses

Burn every 3 years

Mow every 3 years

shrubs

NWSG

CSG



Indiangrass

40 Acres

Restoring a prairie may occur in two ways: (1) rehabilitat-ing a degraded site, or (2)

reestablishing a site by planting anew prairie. Before any manage-ment techniques can begin, it isimportant to determine if the sitewas historically a prairie and toidentify any prairie plants still grow-ing. This chapter will guide youthrough the step-by-step processneeded to restore your prairie.

LandscapePerspective

Before settlement, Michigangrasslands were mainly barrrens,savannas, and wet prairies with afew dry prairies. Dry prairies, inparticular, disappeared quicklybecause they often grew on richsoil and were easy to clear forfarming. Researchers have identi-fied at least 39 prairie areas thatexisted prior to European settle-ment. They ranged in size from 80acres to 25 square miles.Estimates of the amount of prairieswhen Michigan was first settled isabout 2.35 million acres, and theywere mostly confined to portions ofthe Lower Peninsula, which werelightly timbered and containedlarge park-like openings calledsavannas, barrens, or prairies.

Prairies were grasslands, whichhad few if any trees. Barrens, onthe other hand, may have had sev-eral trees scattered across eachacre of their landscape. Savannas,which served as transition areasbetween grasslands and forests,had many trees per acre but notmore than 50 percent canopycover. Grassland specialists classifymost savannas as either oak savan-nas or jack pine savannas. Themost scenic of these were the oaksavannas of southwest LowerMichigan, which extended as farnorth as Newaygo county. A largearea of dry prairie existed along theDetroit River, and the state's largestwet prairie occurred for 16 milesalong Saginaw Bay fromQuanicassee to nearly Bay Port andwas three miles wide at its widestpoint. Wet and dry prairies occur-red in Wayne and Oakland coun-ties. Presently, Detroit Metro-poli-tan Airport is sitting upon a histori-cal wet prairie where remnantprairie plant species still persist.

The Importance of Prairies

Prairies are an important partof any ecosystem where they occur.They provide key habitat for many

species of wildlife, serving asimportant breeding, feeding, nest-ing, and brood-rearing centers.Bobwhite quail, wild turkeys, blue-birds, meadowlarks, bobolinks, andother songbirds eat the abundantinsects and seeds that prairies pro-vide. Mice, voles, shrews, andwoodchucks, along with manykinds of ground-nesting birds, raisetheir young there.

Prairie plants encourage infil-tration of water into the soilbecause their root systems aredeep. Better percolation increasesrecharge of ground water. Besidesmaking better use of water, theyare very efficient at removing nutri-ents such as nitrogen, phosphorus,and potassium from the soil. Theselong-lived plants can tolerate sea-sonal flooding, drought, and othersevere environmental events.

Prairies often become estab-lished in areas where flooding, fire,or other disturbance limits competi-tion from trees and shrubs. Wetprairies, for example, may be underwater part of the year; dry prairies

PRAIRIE RESTORATIONS


may grow in sandy soils too dry fortrees and shrubs. Fires, whetheroccurring naturally or lit deliberate-ly by Native Americans, played adominant role in the ecosystembecause they encouraged nativegrasses and forbs (wildflowers) togrow and discouraged theencroachment of trees and shrubs.

Prairie IdentificationOne of the first steps to deter-

mine whether or not you have aremnant prairie is to check histori-cal maps showing the presettle-ment vegetation for your county.Your local Conservation Districtoffice has these maps, which showthe forests, prairies, and wetlandtypes discovered by Michigan'soriginal surveyors. However, themaps are representative only to ascale of 20 acres, and so smallerareas may have been overlooked.For this reason it is also importantto look for remnant prairie plantson your site in areas that may havecontained grasslands historically.

The best way to identify prairiegrasses and wildflowers is to carrya field guide containing color pho-tos or drawings. Major grasses tolook for include big bluestem, littlebluestem, Indiangrass, and switch-grass. Key wildflowers are roughblazing star, gray-headed cone-flower, common evening primrose,butterflyweed, black-eyed Susan,

moth mullein,swamp milkweed,cardinal flower,Joe-pye-weed ,hoary puccoon,aster, coreopsis,tick clover, beebalm, prickly pearcactus, horse-mint, and round-headed bushclover. You mayfind these plants

as scattered clumps across a grass-land or opening, or you may dis-cover them as bunches in severalsmaller areas. Living treasures,these remnant prairies are a snap-shot to past native systems, andevery attempt should be made torestore them.

For species descriptions, referto the chapter on Warm SeasonGrasses in this section and to theWildflowers chapter in theBackyard Management section.

Prairies may be stable grass-land systems where the invasion oftrees and shrubs does not occur.However, more commonly, there isencroachment of oak, pin cherry,spirea, sumac, aspen, autumnolive, june berry, sassafras, andwhite and jack pine.

Evaluating the Restoration Process

The Wetland section coversrestoration and management ofwet meadows, fens, and wetprairies. This chapter focuses onthe restoration of dry prairies, bar-rens, and savannas. The three keymethods of restoring them includethe following:

(1) tree and shrub reduction or removal

(2) prescribed burning, which may be followed with inter-seeding of prairie plants

(3) the new planting of the site

For best results, choose themethod that produces the greatestbenefit with the least amount of disturbance to the ecosystem.Remember that in most prairierestorations, you are dealing with asick patient. The way to health isto nurture the patient over time.

The way to do that is to first iden-tify your goal. If you want torestore an oak savanna or barren,for example, then allowing limitedtree growth on the site is accept-able. But if the goal is to restore atallgrass prairie, then trees must beeliminated and kept out. If rem-nant prairie plants simply do notexist, you may have to start overcompletely.

Tree and Shrub Removal

Sumac, aspen, black locust,autumn olive, hawthorn, honey-suckle, buckthorn, and raspberryare aggressive species that oftentake over Michigan's native prairies.If any of these aggressive speciesexist on your restoration site,remove them by cutting thembetween July through Septemberand immediately applying aglyphosate herbicide such asRoundup to the stump. Be sure tofollow all label directions.

On sites with high densities ofoak, hickory, or black walnut, youwill need to remove or greatlyreduce their numbers. Leftunchecked, such species increaseto the point where they shade theground and will not let grasses andwildflowers grow. Use a chainsawon larger trees or a limblopper onthose that are sapling size.Another method to kill them is tocut a two-inch deep band aroundthe trunk at two feet above the groundand another twoinches higher. Tocomplete this"girdling" treatment,use an ax or hatchetto remove the barkbetween the twocuts. black-eyed

Susan “girdling”

Prescribed Burning and Interseeding

On sites where many prairieplants currently exist and there islimited competition from trees andshrubs, a prescribed burn is inorder. Fire increases prairie plantgrowth, flowering, and reproduc-tion and lengthens their growingseason, while reducing the growingseason for weeds. Further, firehelps control invasion by killingwoody plants and returning impor-tant nutrients to the soil.

A prescribed burn is a plannedfire that is burning for a specificpurpose. First, create a burn plan,which includes discussion with localauthorities, obtaining any requiredpermits, and observing all restric-tions and safety procedures. Theseinclude carrying out the burn on aday with light wind and relativelylow humidity in early spring or latefall when vegetation is dry. Formore information, see the chapteron Prescribed Burning withinthis section.

For remnant prairies that havelow plant densities or lack a varietyof prairie plants, consider inter-seeding after the prescribed burn.

Interseeding is the process of sow-ing seed into the existing soil.Hand broadcasting, machinebroadcasting, or drilling with a no-till planter are interseeding meth-ods. When broadcasting by handor machine, prepare a mixture of50 percent seed and 50 percentperlite, vermiculite, or crackedoats. The material will help carrythe light, small seeds and enableyou to spread them at recommend-ed rates. Divide the site into sec-tions to ensure that you will haveenough seed to cover it uniformly.

Try to match the seed mix tothe soil type, using plants that likemoist conditions or sites in low-lying areas and plants that preferdry soils on upland sites. For bestresults, secure local seeds, collect-ing from on site or as close to thesite as possible. You should alwayscheck with landowners for permis-sion. After broadcasting the seed,incorporate it into the soil by shal-low (less than 1/2 inch) hand-rak-ing, dragging, disking, or by thepressure of a cultipacker. For siteslarger than three acres, a no-tilldrill is the best way to get theseeds into the ground. Planting

In highly degraded areas, suchas formera g r i c u l t u r efields, wherevery limited orno prairieplants exist,burning willnot be enoughto ensure aq u a l i t yrestoration.

Planting anew prairiemay be the best man-agement prac-tice. Considertwo methods:

(1) The use of conventional farm tillage to prepare the site by killing or removing all former vegetation before planting.

(2) the use of chemicals to eliminate all present vege-tation, and a no-till drill to incorporate the seed into the soil.

With either method, plant dur-ing the period May 1 to June 15.Native grasses and wildflowersneed only be planted 1/4 inch to1/2 inch below the soil. However, itis not uncommon to see seed sit-ting on top of the surface afterplanting. For more information,see the chapter on GrassPlanting in this section.

Post-Planting Maintenance

The amount of weed seed pre-sent in the planting site is usuallythe most variable and unpre-dictable factor in prairie restoration.There is no way to predict with cer-tainty the amount of weed compe-tition that will be present duringthe first few years of restoration.Landowners can do four things toreduce the weed problem:

(1) plant as late as possible in spring,

(2) mow or hand weed to reduce shading

(3) burn at prescribed times (4) spot apply herbicides(5) have lots of patience

Give the site at least three fullyears because the clump-growingnative grasses require that long toestablish themselves. After thefirst growing season, it is notuncommon to have only one plantper square yard. The grass mayonly be six to eight inches tall dur-ing its first year of growth and dif-


ficult to recognize until it grows aseed head in late summer of yeartwo. After the second growing sea-son, each plant may be one to twofeet tall and occupy a square footor so. By the end of the third grow-ing season, you should have anestablished stand of native grassthree feet or taller, depending onthe species planted.

In summary, restoring a prairieis exacting, time-consuming laborthat requires patience. Onceestablished, however, prairies willneed only periodic maintenance.Not only are they a key type ofhabitat for many birds and smallmammals, but they offer pleasingdiversity to the landscape. Nativeprairies with their ever-changingkaleidoscope of wildflower color are

a delight to observe. In winter, thecopper color of standing bluestemprovides beauty to a stark land-scape while affording protectivecover for many kinds of wildlife.





wet prairie

wet

prairie

TR & PB

PB

oak

forest

TR

prairie plant ing

WFprairie plant ing

Existing features

Road

House & yard

Stream

Habitat projects

Tree removal

Prescribed burningto restore prairie

Wildflower planting

TR

PB

WF


40 Acres

Grasses and/or grass legumemixtures can provide out-standing habitat for nesting,

brood rearing, and winter survival ofpheasants, quail, and many song-birds. Besides producing food forinsects, which, in turn, become foodfor birds and other animals, thegrasses produce seeds, anothersource of high-energy food. Rabbits,deer, and wild turkeys eat the greenbrowse. Planted in the right locationaround your property, these habitatsalso provide an attractive landscape.

Cool season grasses growmost rapidly duringspring and earlysummer when coolnights follow warmdays. They includenative Canada wild-rye, redtop, Junegrass, and intro-duced species such

as timothy, orchard grass, andbrome grass. Cool season plantsalso include legumes such as birds-foot trefoil, alfalfa, and several kindsof clover. Many landowners mixlegumes with cool season grassesbecause the legumes contribute tosoil fertility and create food andcover for wildlife.

Warm season grasses growmost rapidly during summer whenwarm nights follow hot days. Theyinclude the native or prairie speciessuch as big blue-stem, littlebluestem, Indiangrass, and switch-grass. Some landowners mix a half-pound of perennial native wildflower

seeds (forbs) per acre to warm sea-son grass plantings to create evenmore food and coverdiversity and to addbeauty. Many wildlifemanagers in Michiganprefer warm seasongrasses because theystand up better in snowthan do cool seasontypes, last longer, andare native to the state.Plantings of warm andcool season grasses nextto each other will provide excellentvariety and are the most valuable towildlife.

Site ConditionsSite conditions to consider be-

fore planting include potential weedproblems, drainage, erosion poten-tial, and soil type, depth, texture,and fertility. Some grasses andlegumes do better on dry sites, andothers grow well on wet areas.Certain grass species have very nar-row preferences, and others seem todo fine on most sites. Timothygrass, for example, grows well onsandy-loam soils that are fairly welldrained. Switchgrass, on the otherhand, performs on a variety of soiltypes. Certain clovers do better inwet areas whereas alfalfa respondsbest in well-drained soils of sandyloam.

The panel below lists preferredsoil type, moisture content, and tol-

GRASS PLANTING


SPECIES SOIL MOISTURE SUN-SHADEGrassesBig Bluestem S-L D-M SLittle Bluestem S-L D-M SIndian Grass S-L D-M SSwitchgrass S-L-C D-W SCanada Wildrye S-L D-M S,ShTimothy S-C D-M-W SJune Grass L-M D-M-W S, ShRedtop L-M M-W SOrchard C D-M S

LegumesLadino S-L-C D-M SAlsike L-M D-M-W SMedium Red S-L-C D-M-W SWhite Dutch L-C-M D-M-W S,Sh ShSweet Clover S-L-C D SAlfalfa S-L D S

S- SandL- LoamC- ClayM- Muck

D- DryM- MoistW- Wet

S- SunnyS, Sh- Some

ShadeSh- Shade

erance for sun or shade for manytypes of grasses and legumes. YourNatural Resource ConservationService office will have a county soilsurvey map, which should includeyour property. The map may helpyou decide what type of grass toplant and where. Also, refer to thechapters on Warm and Cool sea-son Grasses and PrairieRestoration in this section.

Proper soil pH and fertility arenecessary for the intended crop. Asoil test will determine needs andrecommend rates of nutrient appli-cation. Your county Michigan StateUniversity Extension office has soiltest kits available for a small fee andcan analyze samples for you. Beforeplanting cool season grasses andlegumes, the soil pH should bebetween 5.5 and 7.0. If lime isneeded to raise the pH level, apply itat least three to six months beforeplanting or the fall before your plant-ing season. The level of pH forwarm season grasses is not that crit-ical; lime is not required, for exam-ple, on sites with a pH above 5.5.

Follow the soil-test recommen-dations for adding nitrogen, phos-phorus, and potash. The recom-mendations will vary, depending onwhat you intend to plant. For exam-ple, for cool season grass mixes con-taining legumes, 200 to 300 lbs. peracre of a starter fertilizer (such as 6-24-24 or 8-32-16) low in nitrogenand high in phosphorus is often rec-

ommended. Once the stand isestablished, the legumes will providethe necessary nitrogen.

Site Preparation andPlanting Rates

There are two ways to plantgrasses. Conventional tillage usesplowing and disking (and sometimesherbicides) to prepare the seed bedto ensure proper seed to soil contactand depth. The key is to get a firmsurface before planting, and the wayto do that is to follow the plow anddisk with a cultipacker or roller. Asite has been properly preparedwhen a footprint barely shows. No-till planting uses special equipmentcalled a no-till drill that cuts a narrowtrench through the sod and soil,drops seed into the trench at thecorrect depth and distance apart,and presses the soil back in place.No-till planting reduces the amountof work to prepare the site and alsoreduces the potential for erosion.The method relies on herbicides tocontrol weed competition.

If planting into an area with tallgrasses or sod, success demandsthat you kill unwanted vegetationthe fall before. If no-till is your cho-sen planting method, then mow thearea before the first frost or in mid-September. Two weeks later, spray arelatively safe, broad-spectrum her-bicide such as Roundup, which willkill all emergent vegetation. Be sureto read and follow label directions.You can plant grass and grass mix-tures with a no-till planter early inthe spring before greenup occurs.If you are late with planting, youmay have to kill weeds and otherregrowth with another application ofherbicide.

If you choose to use convention-al tillage, you must eliminate allunwanted vegetation by plowing

and disking, which you should do inthe fall. The following spring, plowand disk once more if regrowth hasoccurred (or spray with herbicide).For smaller sites, a roto-tiller may dothe job of cultivation.

A key reason that no-till is grow-ing in popularity is that it does notdisturb the soil, which may allowdormant weed seeds to germinate.No-till also reduces compactionbecause fewer trips across the fieldare needed. In addition, fuel andtime are saved, and erosion poten-tial minimized. Warm season andcool season grasses, as well aslegumes, need only be planted 1/4inch to 1/2 inch below the surfaceand require only 1/8 to 1/4 inch ofsoil as a cover. It is not uncommonto see seed sitting on top of the sur-face after planting.

Cool season grasses are usuallyplanted as mixes of several planttypes at a rate of 8 to 12 lbs. peracre. Legumes used in mixes shouldconstitute 50 to 60 percent of themix. Warm season grasses can alsobe mixed and are usually planted atrates of 4 to 6 lbs. per acre of PureLive Seed. If using switchgrass inthe mix, however, add only 0.5 lbs.to 1 lb. because switchgrass isaggressive and may take over thestand.

Warm season grass seeds tendto be fluffy and bulky. Pure LiveSeed (PLS) takes into considerationthat a pound of warm season grassincludes seed hulls, inert materials,and seeds that will not germinate.To determine PLS producers multiplythe percent of Pure Seed times thepercent of Total Germination and listthis information on a tag that comeswith each bag of seed. Most warmseason grasses will range from 50 to95 percent PLS per bulk pound, andthere will likely be a difference

between each bag of seed or eachgrass type.

Grass and grass mixtures can beplanted with a no-till drill, one of sev-eral mechanical spreaders, or broad-cast by hand. Warm season grassesare more difficult to plant because ofthe fluffy nature of the seed. Whenrun through typical broadcasters andno-till planters, the seed tends tobridge over the top of the mixingunit and will not flow properly.When broadcast planting, plantingrates should be increased 25 percentabove normal rates. Special no-tillplanters are now available that over-come this problem. Another optionis to buy debearded seed, which hasthe fluff removed, although it willcost more and may be hard to find.Switchgrass seed is the only warmseason grass type that is smoothand therefore will run through con-ventional planting equipment.

Plant during the period April 15to June 15. If soil moisture and tem-peratures allow it, early seeding ispreferred. You can also plant cool

season grasses during August; how-ever, spring plantings are more suc-cessful. In areas with little fall vege-tation, such as a recently harvestedbean field, frost seeding in late win-ter/early spring is an alternative.Broadcast seed over the site and thealternating thawing and freezingaction will work the seed into theground where it will germinate. Frostseeding is an especially goodmethod to use on wet sites thatequipment cannot reach during peakplanting time.

Be sure to inoculate all legumeseed before planting. The inoculantis a graphite-like bacteria that, whenmixed with water and then appliedto the seed, allows the plant to usenitrogen from the air. If frost seed-ing, double the rate of inoculant.

Post Planting Maintenance

Cool season grasses andlegumes are usually evident in thefirst month after planting, andattractive, solid stands are often the

norm by the end of the followingspring. Because warm season grass-es grow more slowly and in clumps,they require three to five years toestablish themselves. After the firstgrowing season, it is not uncommonto have only one plant per squareyard. The grass may only be six toeight inches tall and difficult to rec-ognize until it grows a seed head inlate summer of its second year.After the second growing season,each plant may be one to two feettall and occupy a square foot or so.By the end of the third growing sea-son, you should have an establishedstand of native grass three feet tallor taller, depending on the speciesplanted. Patience is the key to grow-ing warm season grasses. Givethem a full three years before decid-ing if your planting is a success.

To ensure success of any grassplanting, you must control unwantedvegetation. If using a herbicide,choose a selective type like 2-4-D,which will kill broadleaf plants(including clover, other legumes, andforbs), and be sure to read and fol-low all label directions. Your countyMichigan State University Extensionoffice can also help identify the prob-lem and will suggest an appropriateherbicide. Mowing before annualbroadleaf weeds go to seed may bea better option. After planting warmseason grasses in the spring, mowfor the first time between July 15and August 31. If weeds continue tobe a problem the next year, mowagain before April 1 . The best timeto mow cool season grasses is July15 to August 31. This avoids thenesting season of most birds.Always mow warm season grassesat a height of eight inches or more toavoid injuring plants. Cool seasongrasses and legumes should bemowed at four to six inches to stim-ulate late-season growth.

GRASS PLANTINGPounds Cool Season Mix Pounds

Cool Season Mix Per Acre Wet Sites Per AcreOrchard Grass 2 Bluegrass 3Timothy 2 Red top 3Medium Red Clover 2 Med. Red Clover 2Sweet Clover 2 White Dutch Clover 2Cool Season Browse Pounds Warm Season Mix Pounds

Per Acre Wet Sites Per AcreOrchard 2 Big Bluestem 4Ladino Clover 3 Switchgrass 4Alsike 2 Warm Season Mix PoundsMedium Red Clover 2 Winter/Nesting Cover Per AcreWarm Season Grass Pounds Little Bluestem 2Winter Cover Per Acre Big Bluestem 2Switchgrass 6 Indiangrass 2

Wildflowers 0.5

The above panel lists a variety of mixes that can be planted to benefit wildlife.

You can allow livestock to grazewarm season grasses in late July andAugust. If you do not require wintercover for wildlife but want springnesting cover, you can allow live-stock to graze cool season grassesuntil October. Do not allow livestockto graze any type of grass beloweight inches.

Grasses and legumes that arehayed or grazed (including heavybrowsing by deer) should be “topdressed” with fertilizer or manureafter each seasons’ hay harvest oron a three-year rotation. Top dresswith 100 to 200 lbs. of 6-24-24 fer-tilizer in a mixed grass legume standor 19-19-19 fertilizer in pure grass orgrass dominated stands.

Proper mowing or grazing andtop dressing will help keep the standin vigorous, high-quality grasses andlegumes for many years. Disking isanother method to stimulateregrowth and reduce competitionfrom dogwood, sumac, aspen, andother invasive woody plants. If you

plan a annual treatment, considermowing or lightly disking about one-third of the grassland each year. Tryto mow strips from 30 to 60 feetwide and leave undisturbed areas of60 to 100 feet wide between them.

Burning is also a key manage-ment tool every three years or so forwarm season grasses and wildflow-ers. If possible, burn one-third ofthe grassland each year. Carry it outin early spring when vegetation isdry and do it on a day with lightwind. Discuss your plans with localauthorities, obtain the necessaryburning permit, and observe allrestrictions and safety procedures.For more information see thePrescribed Burning chapter.

In summary, depending on yourgoals and current field conditions,there are a variety of grasses orcombinatons of grasses you canplant to meet your needs. Thereare, as well, several planting meth-ods available to get a successfulgrass stand established.



GRASS PLANTING


Presc r i bedburning is avery impor-

tant manage-ment tool for maintaining andenhancing grasslands. Fire was animportant natural part in the devel-opment and maintenance of grass-lands, forests, and wetlands,throughout history. To many of us,fire is a feared enemy that destroyseverything in its path. Because ofthis, the use of controlled fires,such as prescribed burning, isunderutilized as a managementtool for improving and maintaininghabitats.

For thousands of years, tallgrass prairies and open brushlandswere kept free of trees by the occa-sional wildfires that cleared thelandscape every two to 50 years.These fires were caused by light-ning, or set intentionally by NativeAmericans. They had discoveredthat fire killed woody plants, butencouraged fruit bearing shrubs,and forage producing grasslands.

Present day research and expe-rience have shown that prescribedburning can be an effective man-agement tool. Prescribed burns areused most frequently to maintainand restore native grasslands.Prescribed burning can recyclenutrients tied up in old plantgrowth, control many woody plantsand herbaceous weeds, improvepoor quality forage, increase plantgrowth, reduce the risk of largewildfires, and improve certain

wildlife habitat. To achieve theabove benefits, fire must be usedunder very specific conditions,using very specific techniques.

Brushlands can be invigoratedand maintained with fire to benefitspecies such as bluebirds andsharp-tailed grouse. Burning oldfields controls saplings and woodyvegetation, and improves grass-lands for use by nesting wildlife andgrazing livestock. Forest openingscan be manipulated with burns tobenefit more than 150 wildlifespecies. Upland nesting cover usedby pheasants, waterfowl, and song-birds will remain productive if peri-odically burned. Cattails andsedges are returned to vigor by anoccasional burn. Lastly, if you wantmore oaks in a hardwood stand, afire will kill off less tolerant speciessuch as maple, and basswood,allowing the oak to compete moresuccessfully. Burning is also morecost-effective than other treat-ments like bulldozing, cutting, orchemicals.

ObjectiveEvery prescribed burn should

have a clear objective. This objec-tive is necessary to evaluate thesuccess of the burn. To show thesuccess, or lack thereof, of a pre-scribed burn, a photograph can betaken before, directly after, and oneyear following the burn.Objectives for a prescribed burnoften include one or more of thefollowing:

•Kill woody plants•Remove grass and wildflower dead vegetative build-up (duff)

•Promote regrowth of warm season plants

•Promote regrowth of cool season plants

•Reduce or set back noxious weeds

•Increase populations of wildflowers

•Reduce cattail mono-cultures•Reduce wildfire fuel build-up•Promote growth of fire dependent trees such as Jack pine

•Increase populations of threatened and endangered species.

Burn objectives should be iden-tified in the burn plan. The objec-tives help determine the weatherconditions for the burn, the timingof the burn, and how hot the burnshould be.

NotificationFor both safety and legal rea-

sons, certain groups should benotified before a burn to preventunnecessary concerns and danger.

PRESCRIBEDBURNING


Notifying neighbors, fire depart-ments, and local law enforcementofficials should be part of the pre-scribed burning process. Workingwith the local fire department iscrucial because a burn permit maybe necessary, and there may be aburning ordinance in your area. Acopy of the burn plan should begiven to the local fire department.The National Weather Serviceshould have a telephone numberlisted in your area. They will beable to keep you up to date withchanging weather conditions.

ConsiderationsThere are many things to con-

sider when planning for a pre-scribed burn. Burns need to beconducted by individuals whoare experienced and trained inthe use of fire. However, as alandowner, it is important to under-stand prescribed burning and itsuse. For instance fire moves fasteruphill than on a level surface, soslope of the burn area must betaken into account.

When using fire it is importantto plan for firebreaks. A firebreakis an area that will contain a firewithin its boundaries. A plowed ordisked strip, reaching down to min-eral soil, is the most commonmethod of establishing a firebreak.Sometimes, a mowed path, or awalking trail, can be used as a firebreak. Firebreaks can also beplanted to grasses and clovers sothey can provide key food andcover to wildlife. For example, if anarea is burned every five to sevenyears, the firebreak is disked up thefall before the burn. Then, after thespring burn, the firebreak is plant-ed to grasses and clovers.Firebreaks should be at least 20feet wide.

EquipmentBasically three kindsof equipment areneeded for prescribedburning:

1. tools to ignite the fire2. tools to control the fire 3. safety equipment

A drip torch, a can of liquid fuelwith a long spout, burning lightly atthe end, may be used to start andspread the fire. It will drop a threeto one fuel oil-gas mixture on thegrass at a steady rate. This allowsfor a continuous fire line, andquicker, more efficient fire applica-tion than a fire rake.

To control (mop up) your fireproperly, fire swatters, 12 inch X 18inch pieces of reinforced rubberattached to a handle, or firebrooms, are great to smother smallgrass fires. A backpack waterpump can be teamed up with aswatter for maximum efficiency.The pump operator would leadknocking down larger flames (usinga spray for cooler fires and astream for hotter ones) while theswatter can follow up making surethe fire is put out. To aid in theextinction of the fire, one quart ofdishwashing detergent can beadded to 50 gallons of water (onetablespoon of detergent to one gal-lon). This mix helps the water to"cling" to the grass fuel. Low-pres-sure, field crop sprayers with hand-gun nozzles can work for smallburn areas that have safe bound-aries, as well as backpack and her-bicide sprayers. An all-terrain vehi-cle can also be helpful for carryingextra tools or tanks of water toyour site. If high-pressure pumpsare used, then water should berationed to prevent it from running

out partway through the burn. If awetland, pond, stream, or otherwater source is near the burn site,then pumps and sprayers will beeasy to refill.

Safety equipment is also veryimportant. Make sure that a firstaid kit and plenty of drinking waterare always nearby. Poorly man-aged burns or ignorance of safetymeasures can lead to propertydamage, and even injury or death.Even in well-managed burns acci-dents can occur. Before, during,and after every burn, safetyshould be the major considera-tion. Proper clothing can also adda measure of safety. FireproofNomex pants and shirts are essen-tial. Leather boots and gloves,along with eye protection, shouldbe worn at all times. Never wearsynthetic fibers like nylon, whichcan melt and stick to skin. A longsleeve shirt, a hard hat, and longpants, will keep you safe from radi-ant heat and flare-ups. The moreskilled the burn crew is the morelikely the fire will be controlled andthus beneficial. Generally, three orfour people are needed on eachfireline (more if safety may be chal-lenged). One will ignite the fireand be in charge of operations (thefire boss), one or two should keepthe fire on its correct path, and anyothers should help mop-up (extin-guish flare ups or escaped flames).

TimingThe timing of a burn deter-

mines the plants which will be ben-efited and controlled, the impact onwildlife species, and safety. Mostburns are conducted mid to latespring, or in the fall. Burning tofavor desired grasses should takeplace just as they are starting togreen up, and the soil surface isdamp. Generally, a late spring burn

will control woody vegetation andcool season grasses better than anearly spring burn but are not asbeneficial for wildflowers. Thisburn will also provide warm seasongrasses with nutrients they need togrow.

Before burning, nesting timesof grassland species should alwaysbe checked to prevent the destruc-tion of nests and their inhabitants.The best time for spring fires is lateMarch into April; generally in themorning or evening, when the rela-tive humidity and temperature arenot changing as rapidly as duringdaylight hours. The drier the areathe earlier the burn should be toavoid damaging the earliest bloom-ing wildflowers. Though fall burnsare possible and can be beneficial,they are often avoided, due to thecooler temperatures, drier ground,and destruction to winter wildlifehabitat they may cause.

W e a t h e rConditions

W e a t h e rhas an overrid-ing effect on aprescribed burn.A burn plan willoutline theweather condi-

tions, which must be met beforethe burn is conducted. It is veryimportant to have the latest andmost updated weather conditionsavailable before starting the burn.Relative humidity is an importantfactor to consider when planning acontrolled burn. If the relativehumidity is below 50%, the drynessof the grass is prone to causingvery hot fires. If the relativehumidity is above 70% the fire willhave a hard time catching at all.Therefore a relative humiditybetween 50% and 70% worksbest.

Temperature is also importantwhen laying out a burn planbecause of its relation to relativehumidity. Below 32 degreesFahrenheit grass mats will rarelyburn, and above 80 degreesFahrenheit burning is hazardous.Between 40 degree Fahrenheit and60 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal.

Wind direction and speedshould both be taken into accountas well . The wind speed should bebetween three and seven mph, andthe wind direction should remainsteady. If either varies greatly, thefire can shift with gusts of wind,and may burn too quickly with anincrease in wind speed. Both ofthese variables can severely hindersafety precautions if not watchedclosely. In general, wind is calmerin the morning and the evening.Smoke management is crucial.Always warn your neighbors ofyour burn, and prevent smoke fromhindering any roadways by plan-ning your burn when the winddirection is going away from theroad.

Of all the weather parametersthe wind speed and direction aremost critical. Unless professionalsare included in the burn crew aburn at over seven mph is not rec-ommended. Faster burns are lesseffective. They may not remove allthe litter and unwanted species. Inaddition, safety comes first. Oftenthe safest time to burn is in theevening between 7 pm and 10 pm.This is when humidity is on therise, temperature decreases, andwind speed dies down, creating thesetting for a slower (and safer) fire.However, burning after dark can bedangerous. Areas still smolderingcan be missed.

Burn TechniquesThere are 4 basic burn tech-

niques used in the prescribed burn-ing of grasslands. These four tech-niques include:

1. back fire2. parallel (flank) fire3. perimeter (ring) fire4. strip head fire

Each method has strengths andweaknesses depending on theweather conditions, size of thearea, and expertise of the individu-als conducting the fire. Specialconsiderations when conductingthe burn include power lines, tele-phone lines, and oil or gas lines.

A backfire is used downwindof the burn site. This is most oftenthe coolest and safest fire.However, it is slower burning andtherefore takes longer to finish.The fire is ignited on the downwindside of the fuel and slowly burnsinto the field against the wind,expanding the firebreak. This burntechnique is often used in conjunc-tion with other burn methods.

A parallel or flank fire burnshotter and faster than a strip fire orbackfire. It works well on squareor circular parcels. A fire is ignitedon the sides of the burn site paral-lel to the wind direction at thesame time or soon after a backfireis lit. The people igniting the fireson either side should keep continu-ously in touch by 2 way radio.

A perimeter fire is not onlyone of the quickest burn methods,but also creates a hotter fire thanthose listed above. Since this typeof burn technique develops a hotterand faster moving fire, which canbe harder to control, it must behandled carefully. This method

PRESCRIBED BURNING

starts with a backfire, followed bylighting the flanks, and finished bylighting the upwind side of theburn site called the head of thesite. This headfire will move rapid-ly towards the flanks and backfire.

A strip head fire burns slight-ly faster than a backfire, is rela-tively safe, and works well forburning rectangular or odd shapedparcels. It is also cost-effective. Aseries of strips are lit, starting at

the downwind side of the site,burning only one at a time. Idealwhen burning with a limited num-ber of personnel. Remember whenchoosing a burn technique, yourlevel of experience with burning,and that of your burn crew, shouldbe a major factor in your choice.

SummaryPrescribed burning is an

important management tool to

maintain nativegrassland communi-ties. An objective isestablished and aburn plan is devel-oped which meetsthe burn objective.Experienced andtrained individualsconduct the burnunder the guidanceof a burn plan.Neigh-bors, local lawenforcement agen-cies, and local firedepartments shouldbe notified. Safety isalways the top prior-ity for the burn.



PRESCRIBED BURNING


PRESCRIBED BURN PLAN (attach aerial photo)

Landowner:Address:Location of Burn: County ________ Township________ Range ________

Section________ Field # _________Burn Objective: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Burn target date(s): ____________________________________________________________________

Desired Burn Conditions: Wind Speed __________ Wind Direction _________Relative Humidity __________ Soil Moisture __________

Parties to NotifyLocal Fire Dept.________________ Sheriff's Dept. _________________Resource Agency ______________ Neighbors _____________________________________________

Fire Plan: indicate on aerial photo the wind direction, fire lanes, location and type, back-up fire lanes, firingsequence and hazards such as roads, buildings, power lines, etc.

Suppression in Event of Escape Plan: Discontinue firing sequence. Leave sufficient personnel with the pre-scribed burn to prevent further escape. Remainder of crew suppress escaped fire. Notify local department ifnecessary.

Equipment Needs Rake ___________ Swatters ___________ Drip torches _____________Backpack Sprayers ____________________ Water Wagons ____________Other ________________________________________________________

Burn Crew:Fire Boss __________________ L-Flank fire _________________Backfire __________________ Water Wagon ________________R-flank fire _________________ Mop-up ____________________

introduction to grassland management - michigan department of … · 2000-06-13 · southwest lower...

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