Prescribed burning for vegetation management on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Wilson AM. 1987. Prescribed burning for vegetation management on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
This study was designed to compare prescribed burning in the fall or the spring with hand cutting to reduce the overall height of vegetation. Ten scenic overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway were selected for treatment. Prescribed burning and hand cutting stimulate sprouting of existing vegetation. Repetitive burning is necessary to effectively control hardwood sprouting on the Parkway. Fire stimulated the herbaceous community and resulted in a significant increase in the species richness. Personnel costs were similar but burning required fewer hours of work, and an expected decrease in the number of personnel required to successfully complete the burns favor the use of fire to control vegetation for forest vista management. Also included in the report is information on how data sampling was performed, the locations of the sites, and further discussions regarding the results of the study.
- Type
- Academic
- Authors
- Wilson, Alexandra
- Date of Issue
- 1987-05
- Publisher
- Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Units
- BLRI
- Keywords
- APHN, Appalachian Highlands Network, BLRI, Blue Ridge Parkway, Ecology, FIRE, Management, Map, Prescribed Burn, SER, Southeast Region, Thesis