The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be conducting prescribed burns this spring on wildlife areas managed by the Iowa DNR’s Black Hawk Wildlife Unit, and by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in Sac, Calhoun, Crawford, Cherokee, Buena Vista, and Pocahontas counties.
Areas scheduled for burns are Black Hawk Marsh Complex, Burrows Pond Complex, Tomahawk Marsh, Whitehorse Complex, Sac City Wetland Complex, and Kiowa Marsh Complex in Sac County; South Twin Lake and Towhead in Calhoun County; Schrader in Crawford County; Steele Prairie State Preserve, and Nester Stiles State Preserve in Cherokee County; Pheasant Hills in Buena Vista County; and Leo Shimon Marsh, Sunken Grove Complex, Kalsow Prairie State Preserve, Lizard Lake and Stoddard in Pocahontas County.
Prescribed burns are used to improve wildlife habitat, control invasive plant species, restore and maintain native plant communities and reduce wildfire potential and vary in size from a few acres to several hundred acres. Areas are typically burned every one to five years.
Ground nesting birds such as pheasants, mallards, bobolinks, dickscissels and others benefit from habitat improved with periodic prescribed fire. Prescribed burns typically begin mid to late morning and are completed by late afternoon or early evening between late March and early May. Burns will be conducted on a day that meets the objectives and weather conditions defined in the burn plan.
Contact wildlife technicians Jeff Feisel, at 712-330-8414, or Keith Ringler, at 712-330-5685, with any questions or concerns.