The Nature Conservancy’s Maryland and DC chapter has announced it is planning to conduct controlled burns on its Nanjemoy Creek Preserve when weather conditions allow, sometime between October 1 and November 22, 2024.
More detailed information on timing will be available at www.nature.org/mdfire.
One of these burns will be conducted adjacent to the Nanjemoy Volunteer Fire Department, along Port Tobacco Road.
This 5-7 acre burn will be led by staff from The Nature Conservancy, is expected to take approximately 2 hours.
Smoke and flames may be visible from Port Tobacco Road, Beaver Dam Road and the surrounding area, so local neighbors will be alerted in advance and signs will placed along roadways to inform motorists.
To give a better look at this critically important restoration practice, the Conservancy also hopes to provide live video and photos of this burn at www.nature.org/mdfire and the Maryland and DC chapter’s social media channels.
Controlled burns for forest and wildlife habitat management are always conducted with safety as the top priority. Burn staff are trained practitioners who monitor the weather leading up to and during a burn to ensure the fire remains at the desired intensity and smoke is carried up and away from roads and homes. The burn will only occur if the required conditions for temperature, humidity, moisture levels, cloud cover, and wind are met.
The controlled burn near the fire department at Nanjemoy Creek Preserve is being conducted to help a stand of native white oak trees by opening up the forest floor and providing more space for acorns to germinate. It will also provide nitrogen for the soil and promote the return of many native plant species, including wildflowers.
Controlled burns also help to remove the buildup of dead wood and organic matter on the forest floor, reducing the chances and severity of dangerous wildfires. Burns also promote healthier, more open, forests that provide better habitat for many species of birds and bats, while simultaneously making it more difficult for destructive pests to spread from one tree to another. Research has even shown that fire reduces tick populations, including the Lyme disease-carrying deer tick.
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. Working in 74 countries, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. Learn more about The Nature Conservancy’s work in Washington DC and Maryland at nature.org/maryland and follow us @Nature_DCMDVA on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
