Burning Methods
See burning LTER plots for details.
E057
Starting in 1989, two sections in each macroplot were burned in fields B and C and in 1992, the same was started for field A. Each macroplot was divided into 5 sections. In each macroplot, the center section and 1 section on either the east or west side of it are burned. In preparation, the perimeter of the sections to be burned was mowed using a hand pushed, gas-powered lawn mower. The cuttings and litter remaining are then raked into the area to be burned. This firebreak was then reinforced by wetting the cropped vegetation with a high pressure water hose attached to a 125 gallon water tank powered by a small engine. A backfire is started to widen the firebreak. A drip torch is then used to start the appropriate sections on fire. For a list of burn treatments for each plot, see file trmte57.
In 1994, the 4 eastern most sections of plot 2 and the 3 eastern most sections of plot 3 were accidentally burned. In addition, half of the section east of the middle section of plot 1 was accidentally burned. On May 5, 1995, a wildfire burned several plots of experiment 57 in field B that were not "supposed" to be burned. Macroplots 1, 2, 6, 7, & 8 were completely burned.