Burn to target invasive species

A prescribed burn will be conducted in early April on approximately 150 acres in Delavan Township.
Tallgrass Restoration LLC, a contractor located in Milton that specializes in natural areas management, will be performing the prescribed burn on land north of Jackson Creek, east of North Shore Road and south of Mound Road in Delavan Township.
The burn is tentatively set for the first full week of April, but weather conditions may push the burn back 1-2 weeks.
Tallgrass Restoration has obtained a prescribed burn permit from Walworth County Zoning and has informed Jerry Edwards, Fire Chief for the Town of Delavan Fire Department of the intended burn.
The land, which is owned by Sho-Deen Inc., consists of a cattail marsh, a sedge meadow, a shrub-carr wetland and upland Oak and Hickory woodlots. The purpose of the burn is to target invasive species that are present in the area.
The most dominant invasive species found in the burn unit are: Common Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica), Glossy Buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula), Tatarian Honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica) and Multiflora Rose (Rosa Multiflora). These invasive brushy species, if left unchecked, form impenetrable thickets.
In addition, these species outcompete desirable native plants, eliminating high quality food sources that wildlife in the area rely on for survival. Bringing fire back into these ecosystems will also stimulate the growth of native species that have been laying dormant in the soil.
The burn will be conducted over several days, breaking the parcel into manageable size units. Signage will be posted on area roadways alerting drivers of the burn.