DES MOINES, Iowa—The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be conducting prescribed burns this spring on wildlife management areas managed by the Iowa DNR’s Saylorville Unit in Boone, Dallas, Green, Guthrie, Hamilton, Polk, Story and Webster counties.
Areas scheduled for prescribed burns include Bays Branch, Springbrook, Sheeder Prairie State Preserve, McCord Pond and Elk Grove, in Guthrie County; North Raccoon, Finn Pond and Dunbar, in Greene County; Beaver Lake, in Dallas County; Big Creek, in Polk County; Colo Bogs and Hendrickson Marsh, in Story County; McCoy, in Boone County; and Boone Forks, in Webster and Hamilton 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. Burn units are typically on a 4-5 year rotation.
Prescribed burns typically begin mid to late morning and are completed by late afternoon or early evening between mid-March and mid-May. Burns will be conducted on a day that meets the objectives and weather conditions defined in the burn plan. Any prescribed burns that are not able to be completed this spring will be considered for the burn schedule next fall.
Locally, the McCoy area in Boone County is a sizable area beginning on the south end of the Ledges State Park.
Contact Iowa DNR wildlife biologist Josh Gansen, at 712-330-6685, with any questions or concerns.
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