On Friday, April 11th, the Luther College burn crew began the spring prescribed fire season. Led by Dr. Kirk Larsen and Dr. Molly McNicoll, 14 student volunteers applied fire to two plots (approximately two acres) of the oak woodland area on the edge of Anderson Prairie and Hickory Ridge Woods, and behind the green water tower. Dr. Larsen and Dr. McNicoll are planning four to five more burns in the next couple weeks.

Fire has been used in the spring for most of Luther's prairies and this year there are plans to experiment with burning the underbrush of some oak woodlands in the fall.  Luther's prairie and oak savanna were established in 2005 with the goal of helping reduce soil erosion during flood events and providing recreational and aesthetic benefits to the Decorah community.  As part of the Land Stewardship Plan "to fulfill our responsibility as land stewards by sustaining and restoring the ecological communities placed in our care," the burns stimulate the beneficial effects that natural grass fires and grazing has on native prairies. To learn more about Luther College's natural areas, go to the biology website.