Site Fire Management Goals
For
Asylum
“Goals serve as the
basis for all fire management at the site.”
The goals of ecosystem restoration or reconstruction should address management plans that extend far into the future; what do we want the site to look like in 10, 20 or 30 years? The ‘bar’, so to speak, for long-range goals should necessarily be set high. We may never achieve these high expectations, but if we ‘aim low’ we are only assured of achieving mediocre results. Mediocrity does not constitute success.
Goal #1: Fire management and other management activities at Asylum Lake Preserve will provide the ecosystem perturbation needed to maintain a diverse, early to mid-successional stage, prairie and oak savanna community.A diversity of native forbs, not just grasses, is an essential component of good grassland habitat. Forbs and legumes attract a great number of insects which, in turn, serve as an important food source for native grassland birds. Current literature recommends managing for those bird species most suited to grasslands, not trying to attract as many species as possible.
Goal #2: In the next 10 years, fire management will reduce the alien weed population to no more than 5% as measured by Relative Cover and Relative Importance Value (see Monitoring). The presence, cover and importance of common weeds can easily be performed by undergraduates in the Biological Science and Environmental Studies programs.
Goal #3: In 20 years, the prairie reconstruction at the Preserve will have a Floristic Quality Index (see Monitoring) of 20 per ¼ meter2 with 20 native species per .25 meter 2.Pre-settlement prairies were highly diverse with a Floristic Quality Index of 20 or higher. Let’s raise the ‘bar’ at the Preserve and aim for this same diversity either through natural recruitment or planting of conservative species.
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