There are valid reasons for planned fires in Wayne National Forest

To the Editor:

This is my response to the article "Burns Planned for Wayne Forest" that appeared in Monday's Athens NEWS on page 24.

The Wayne National Forest has burned areas along Utah Ridge for a number of years now. These fires have removed some woody invasive species, though they may not have significantly reduced fuel loading or encouraged oak-hickory regeneration. However, there is another very important reason to burn along Utah Ridge. Historically, some of the high ridges in Athens County and Hocking County had patches of prairie habitat. You can see the evidence in the species that grow in places in the Wayne and in Strouds Run today "“ blazing star, hoary puccoon, little bluestem, rattlesnake master; all these plants need periodic burns to persist.

Prior burns in the Wayne have allowed some very special and rare wildflowers to re-establish themselves "“ their seeds are in the soil, but they can't grow until the area is burned. I'm all in favor of the Wayne having prescribed burns on ridges where these prairie plants grow, in order to maintain species and habitat diversity.

Melanie Schori
Second Street
Athens