The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at West Point Project announced today that prescribed burning of selected timber stands around the reservoir is underway. Each winter, the Corps works with Forestry Commissions in both Alabama and Georgia using controlled burning to improve wildlife habitats on the public property surrounding the reservoir.
A total of more than 2,100 acres of public land are included in the Corps’ burning plan for 2018. Areas in the burn plan for 2018 include Maple Creek Hunting Area, Bird Creek Hunting Area, Glass Bridge Park, Jackson Creek Hunting Area, Autry Park Hunting Area, Holiday Campground, Wehadkee Creek Hunting Area, areas near the Lakeside Bike Trail, Evansville Park, Stateline Hunting Area, Alligator Creek Park, West Lake Hunting Area and Oakland Road Hunting Area.
Park Ranger Ben Williams, who manages this program, noted that “Prescribed fire is an important forest management tool. Many species and ecosystems require fire periodically to ensure their survival. The overall purpose of the prescribed burns is to maintain the land’s ecological integrity, as well as reduce wildfire risks on public property.”
The Corps conducts prescribed burning for a number of reasons. First, the fire removes accumulated fuels, such as pine straw, leaves and dead, dry vegetation, thus reducing the risk of an intense wildfire. Second, prescribed fires improve natural forest conditions by promoting seed germination, flowering, or sprouting of native plants. Third, burning of the forest and under-story plants improves the forage quality and quantity for wildlife, such as deer, turkeys, and quail and other bird species. New shrub, herb, and grass sprouts capture the quick flush of nutrients into the soil after a fire and are often more nutritious and palatable than older plants.
For more specific information on this topic or any other issue related to the management of West Point Project, please contact the Project Management Office at 706-645-293
02.01.18 West Point Prescribed Burn