What is a prescribed burn? How does it help?

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Prescribed burns are used as a tool to prevent forest fires and protect species that are indigenous to the region by removing trees and brush that could shade them out and prevent them from growing. Additionally, by burning the meadow each year, nutrients are recycled back into the ground, thereby helping to perpetuate biodiversity.

My project documents Alexander’s Meadow, named for an 18th century landowner William Alexander and located in the Somerset County Environmental Education Center, in the months after its 2020 prescribed burn. Stay tuned for the documentary release in Summer 2020!