Prescribed Prairie Burn: Broom Street and John Nolen Drive

A prescribed burn of the small prairie located adjacent to the Bassett Neighborhood Sign at the intersection of South Broom Street and John Nolen Drive is scheduled for Thursday, April 21 at 3:00 p.m.

The burn site is an approximately 0.16-acre prairie planting located on City of Madison parkland bordered by railroad tracks. With the authorization of the City, the burn will be conducted by volunteers from the Bassett Neighborhood who have been conducting volunteer stewardship of the prairie for several years. They will be led by an environmental scientist with extensive prescribed burn experience and training. The area to be burned is comprised of warm-season grasses and forbs and will produce smoke for up to 30 minutes. Adequate fire intensity will help generate sufficient lift to carry the majority of the smoke well above ground level, where it will dissipate. Signage will be posted on South Broom Street and John Nolen Drive alerting traffic to the prescribed burn.

The prescribed burn is a management tool being used to promote native herbaceous vegetation, and to prevent invasion of vegetation which would be detrimental to the health of the habitat. This burn will assist neighborhood residents active stewardship of this volunteer-planted and maintained prairie, which promotes native plant and pollinator conservation in a highly visible location in the heart of downtown.