Prairie Burn 2008 Snapshots

The 2008 prairie burn starts on April 5 with the annual safety lecture from Stuart Allison, associate professor of biology and Green Oaks director.

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Professor Stuart Allison uses a kerosene torch to start the fire in Shepard Prairie, named for noted biologist Paul Shepard, who helped begin restoration at Green Oaks in 1953 while teaching at Knox.

Students are involved in the prairie burn, as they help start (right) and control (above) the spread of the fire through the three forest-bordered totaling about seven acres that were burned this year. Each restored prairie at Green Oaks is burned approximately once in three years.

More than 75 students worked at the 2008 burn, clearing tree limbs from the prairie and from trails through the extensive forest at Green Oaks.

The prairie burn inspires comments of all kinds: (from top left) personal, artistic, athletic, kinetic and photographic (bottom).

The prairie burn helps restore native plant species, which tend to be more fire-resistant than non-native species.

Among the sections burned in 2008 was the third-oldest restored prairie in the Midwest. But for the invasive species -- autumn olive, etc. -- "Death, the severe master, invites them to dance..."