On May 19, 2006 a prescribed burn was performed on approximately 17 acres of remnant prairie at the University of Minnesota Southwest Research and Outreach Center (SWROC) PrairieU site. The burn was funded by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Partners for Wildlife Program and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The prescribed burn at the SWROC was one of eleven burns in southwestern Minnesota that were contracted to Seifert’s Field & Forest LLC of Baraboo, WI . Jack Seifert, certified NWCG RxB2 Burn Boss, along with a crew of six arrived at the SWROC at 11:30 a.m., started torching at noon, and were wrapped up and on the road by 1:15 p.m.

A burn occurring this late in the burn season, should set back the non-native cool season grasses that predominate at the site and give an advantage to the native warm season grasses and forbs that exist on the remnant prairie site.

The SWROC thanks Jason Garms, Prairie Stewardship Specialist, with the Minnesota DNR, and Gerry Shimek, Private Lands Program Coordinator with the USFWS Windom Wetland Management District for their help in organizing the 2006 prescribed burn.