Restoring Bottomland Prairie: After the Burn, March-April 2016

The burn exposed
a network of runways
and tunnels.

The burn was excellent, removing the built-up thatch.  

Tunnels & holes

It temporarily exposed a  thriving metropolis, where so many creatures come and go!

Burrowers and tunnelers live here.

Burrows right after the burn

Some of the holes are the air holes of pocket gophers, who almost never surface; others are the homes of creatures that run about on the earth as well as take refuge in it.   

Same burrows in April

Some are back-up burrows for coyote parents who may need to move their babies in a hurry.  They may never be used, but smart coyotes (redundancy alert!) have them ready just in case.

Still others are the excavations of predators who have a taste for tunnel-dwellers!

End of March

At first, there's just a hint of green.

Woodland Sedge
(Carex blanda)
Volunteer

Bee Balm
(Monarda fistulosa)
In our seed mix

But overnight that green materializes into recognizable prairie plants. 

Canada Milkvetch
(Astragalus canadensis)
In our seed mix

Golden Alexander trying
to grow in a clump of
Eastern Gamagrass!
Both in our seed mix

Soon there is a field of clumps. 

And note:  The clumps are set off by bare earth.

In other words, the Hedge Parsley is gone!

The carpet of invasives that had  covered the field has been incinerated.

Question:  Can an early spring burn control for Hedge Parsley?

Answer, as of April 2016:  YES!!!