WEST PLAINS, Mo. — Landowners can learn to use prescribed fire as a land management tool at several free prescribed fire workshops presented by the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Prescribed fire is an ancient technique used to manage grasslands, woodlands, and old fields for forage production and improvement of wildlife habitat, helping clear the forest floor of dead debris that can fuel wildfires.
Dates and times for local workshops are as follows:
Shannon County: Jan. 11, 9 a.m. to noon, at the MDC Eminence Forestry Office. Call 417-256-7161 to register.
Howell County: Jan. 28, 6 to 8:30 p.m., at the MDC Ozark Regional Office in West Plains. Call 417-256-7161 to register.
Ripley County: Jan. 30, 6 to 9 p.m., U.S. Forest Service Office, 4 Confederate Ridge Road, Doniphan. RSVP at (573)996-7116, ext. 110.
Wright County: Feb. 11, 6 to 9 p.m., at Laclede Electric Co-Op, 5900 MO-5, Hartville. Call 417-967-2028, ext. 129, to register.
Ozark County: Feb. 11, 6 to 9 p.m., at Gainesville High School, 422 Bulldog Dr., Gainesville. Call 417-256-7161 to register.
The workshops will include classroom discussions on methods, equipment, safety, and why and when to use fire as a management tool. Emphasis will include how to conduct a safe and effective burn to control sprouts, encourage beneficial plants, and create better quality wildlife habitat. He said participation in this workshop will qualify landowners to have a prescribed burn plan prepared for their fields and use available equipment on loan from MDC.
For more information about prescribed fire, go online to mdc.mo.gov/property/fire/prescribed-fire.
