PRESCRIBED BURNING, 2: Fire as friend and ally ... we'll 
explain on Passport to Texas ... 
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Passport to Texas ... from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Grassland ecosystems of North America are some of the 
most rapidly disappearing natural systems we have.

"And as a consequence, we've noted that there are 
wildlife species that have shown long term decline 
because their habitat is disappearing."

Jim Gallagher, assistant area manager at the Chaparral 
Wildlife Management Area, says naturally occurring fires 
once preserved the integrity of grassland ecosystems. 

"And that natural role of fire basically was to limit the 
amount of woody plants that were growing out there in that 
grassland area."
 
Because it's no longer safe to let fires burn freely, land 
owners and managers are encouraged to learn about 
prescribed burning at a workshop February 2 at the 
Chaparral.

"We try to provide these individuals that attend the workshop the 
opportunity for a hands on experience. When we're done with 
the classroom instruction, we're going to go out in the field, 
we're going to hand you guys a drip torch, we're actually going 
to burn a piece of property."

There's a great deal of responsibility involved when 
doing a controlled burn.

And a good part of that responsibility is making sure you've got 
your plan in place before you get out there and get started.

Learn how at the Prescribed Burning Seminar, February 2. 
Reservations are required. Find more information in the 
calendar section of the TPWD web site. That's our show ... 
sponsored by the Sport Fish And Wildlife Restoration 
Program ... For Texas Parks and Wildlife ... I'm Cecilia Nasti.