The Department of Conservation and Recreations’ Burn Crew recently conducted a flawless prescribed burn at Wilderness Road State Park. This burn is one of several the crew plans to conduct this year.

DCR Burn Crew making preparations for the burn.

According to fire leader Forrest Atwood, the goal of the burn at Wilderness Road is to control woody vegetation and non-native cool season grasses, while enhancing the area for native warm-season grasses. Atwood is the Resource Specialist for District 6 of Virginia State Parks.

The burn was conducted on a 9.5-acre unit which has been grazed or hayed in the recent past. It is located adjacent to Martin’s Station, the park’s popular replica of a colonial frontier fort that sat near this site in 1775. The objective is to convert this field into native warm season grasses which were characteristic of the period. The burn also helps prepare seedbed for native species by minimizing competition from non-desirable species.

Burning the boundaries to help contain the fire

Promoting new growth after a burn also creates new habitats and feeding areas for native wildlife, such as the Ruffed Grouse, whose numbers have declined in recent years. They are omnivores, eating buds, leaves, berries, seeds, and insects. They like to forage along forest edges, especially in open areas lush with native warm season grasses.

DCR Burn Crew members watch carefully over every portion of the burn

The DCR burn crew develops and utilizes a comprehensive plan to be able to conduct the burn as precise as possible. It was well evident at the Wilderness Road burn.

The burn crew participating in the Wilderness Road burn, picture below, include: from Virginia State Parks: Forrest Atwood, David Collett, Al Cire, Sam Sweeney, Theresa Tibbs, Ishmael Richardson and Jared Vandergriff. From the Division of Natural Heritage: Claiborne Woodall and John Hartley. And from the Virginia Department of Forestry: William Neff.

The Burn Crew gathers after a highly-successful burn

For more information about Wilderness Road State Park, please call the park office at 276-445-3065 or visit the website here. Virginia State Parks' award-winning system is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.