Prescribed Fire

Our professional prescribed fire services help restore native prairies and oak savannas while controlling invasive species..

Prescribed Fire: Restoring Natural Fire Cycles

For thousands of years, fire shaped the prairies, oak savannas, and woodlands of the Upper Midwest. Along with grazing animals, periodic fires maintained open landscapes, controlled woody brush, and promoted diverse native plant communities. Fire suppression over the past century has disrupted these natural cycles, allowing invasive species like buckthorn and honeysuckle to thrive while native ecosystems decline.

Diversity Landworks offers prescribed fire services to reintroduce this essential ecological process safely and effectively. Our trained professionals work with landowners, agencies, and conservation organizations to restore fire-adapted habitats throughout southeastern Minnesota, western Wisconsin, and northeast Iowa.

When Prescribed Fire is Appropriate

Prescribed fire is ideal for properties where you want to:

  • Control invasive woody species and aggressive brush

  • Restore prairie or oak savanna ecosystems

  • Reduce accumulated dead vegetation that shades out native plants

  • Prepare land for native seeding projects

  • Maintain existing native plant communities

Burns are typically conducted in early spring or late fall when conditions are safest and ecological benefits are greatest. Spring burns favor native warm-season grasses and suppress cool-season invasives, while fall burns can encourage wildflower diversity.

What to Expect

Every prescribed fire requires careful planning and proper permits from state agencies. We develop a detailed burn plan for your site, considering factors like fuel load, weather conditions, firebreaks, and neighboring properties. Our crew establishes firebreaks, monitors weather conditions, and executes the burn only when conditions meet safety parameters.

Following a prescribed fire, you'll see rapid regrowth as native plants respond to renewed sunlight and nutrient-rich soil. Many invasive species are weakened or killed, while fire-adapted native species flourish. Prescribed fires work best as part of a comprehensive restoration strategy, often combined with targeted grazing, mechanical removal, and ongoing monitoring to achieve lasting results.

See Us in the Field

Watch Kyle and Tim in the field, where they explain how their process mimics nature’s age-old methods for maintaining ecological balance.