Early Spring, Burn

This early spring, we had the amazing opportunity to conduct a prescribed burn at Prairie Plots. We were able to work with a super dedicated team on the ground at the university who helped us push this project through various stages of approvals, permitting, and communication. Thank you to the Rice University Crisis Management Team, Rice FE&P Grounds, the Houston Fire Department, and Rice Architecture for making this happen; and thank you to the Houston Arboretum and Coastal Prairie Conservancy for their ongoing support and wisdom.

Historically, fire regularly maintained the prairie landscapes of the Houston and Gulf Coast region; it helped suppress invasive species and promoted the regeneration and growth of perennial prairie species; but burning a 10,000 SF of tall grasses in a central part of campus is not an easy feat. The wind and the humidity worked in our favor and the Houston Fire Department and Rice Crisis Management Team ensured that fire met all the necessary weather conditions and safety precautions. The prescribed burn at Prairie Plots is intended to demonstrate how fire is an important land management tool and that today, urban prescribed burns, when conducted safely, are still an ecologically beneficial way to maintain grasslands. Also, this process celebrates life cycles and the relationship between dormancy and regrowth.

See more news about the Prescribed Burn here.