impact of ecological burns

[gardens2]

greetings david,
as one of three new sites to reintroduce and support the karner blue
butterfly in northeastern illinois, usa the pros and cons of burning
have grown quite intense.  while burning erradicates aggressive species
of plants, the resulting air pollution increases public and health
issues.  you pondered impact upon butterflies and inverts.  well,...
the negative impact of fire upon second generation eggs lain in lupine
host plant debris comes to mind immediately.
second, inverts wintering over in plant matter and at the soil surface
level are destroyed by the consuming flames.
third,...in our more densely populated region, open burning will soon
become a "novelty" of the past.  clean air activists await prairie
project installation quite well aware that controlled burns often will
follow.  taking the _heat_ is none too pleasent.
our solution at serendipity gardens for the karner blue and lupine
support will attempt to mow overgrowth no less than eight inches above
soil level.  my own personal bias with the lupine host is to increase
that in areas most heavily supporting dense lupine growth to err on the
side of the karner's survival.  time will approve/disapprove of our
future efforts.
let's review additional impact of fires and spread a wee bit o' wisdom.
very respectfully,
diane falk
serendipity gardens, inc.
gardens2 at lake-online.com