By Mick Zawislak | Daily Herald
Lake County Forest Preserve District crews working at Cuba Marsh near Barrington and Rollins Savanna near Round Lake Beach on Wednesday certainly couldn’t hear passersby but likely knew what they were thinking.
“It’s almost Christmas. What are you guys doing?” said Dave Cassin, manager of landscape ecology.
Favorable weather and a renewed effort to train volunteers has allowed the district to initiate more controlled burns covering more acreage than in a typical fall, he said.
So far, there have about 30 prescribed burns spanning about 1,500 acres, which is “significantly more than average,” 15 to 20 burns on 800 to 1,200 acres, according to Cassin..
“We probably have about 15,000 acres in some sort of priority rotation,” he added.
Controlled burns are regarded as an important, efficient and cost-effective land management tool to maintain and restore ecosystems and provide a benefit for visitors.
“These areas they like to walk and hike wouldn’t look the same if we didn’t do it,” Cassin said.
A controlled burn can accomplish in several hours what it takes a crew of six to do in a month, when it comes to curbing the spread of buckthorn, Cassin said. Burning also eliminates organic debris that can smother other plants and permits more sunlight and warmth in spring, among other benefits.
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