DEEP to Stage 'Controlled Burn' in Tunxis Forest

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's Forestry Division has scheduled a "controlled burn" on 18 acres of forest land in Hartford County for Monday.

The land is located within Tunxis State Forest in West Hartland and should take place from late morning to midday, weather-pending, officials said.

The field is located near 389 Center St. (State Route 20), officials said.

The purpose of the burn is to maintain the native “warm season” grasses present in the field and to help kill competition by "woody stems that are beginning encroachment as part of natural vegetative succession," officials said.

Grasslands are recognized as "critical habitats" for a number of wildlife species, most notably migratory birds such as the meadowlark, a State threatened species, bobolink, and Savannah sparrow, all of which are listed State Species of Special Concern in Connecticut, officials said.

Early "successional habitat" is the most lacking stage in Connecticut at present, officials said. Most of the state has older forest estimated at 90-to-130 years old, or is otherwise developed.

Very young forest land is lacking and grassland is even more limited, as most abandoned farmland is either developed or allowed to revert to forest, officials said.

Fire is one tool that can effectively maintain the habitat, without having to use chemical control of invading plants, officials said. It also returns nutrients to the soil and encourages the native grass species to flourish and return immediately and densely, officials said.

Bobolinks are historically known to use the field and are expected to return in May, therefore the fire must be carried out in early spring before grassland birds begin to return, officials said.

The controlled burn is being led by the DEEP Forestry Division, with assistance by other fire-trained personnel in the Wildlife Division, DEEP Support Services, and State Parks.

Photo Credit: Google Maps