February 1, 2017
Contact: Nancy Gomer, Marketing Coordinator, 636-949-7535, ngomer@sccmo.org
St. Charles County, Missouri - The St. Charles County Parks and Recreation Department is conducting its first prescribed burn of the year today, at Klondike Park, Highway 94 South near Augusta. Today’s weather conditions are perfect for managing a prescribed burn, which is essential to the growth of the natural habitat within the St. Charles County Parks system.
The Department’s Natural Resource team and volunteers, led by Supervisor Nick Dziuba, is scheduled to burn 20 acres of native warm seeded grasses along Highway 94 in the park beginning at 11:30 a.m. The burn is expected to last 2-3 hours, and the park will remain open during that time.
“Controlled park burns promote the growth of many grass, sedge and wildflower species that have become suppressed in the dense shaded areas and are extremely important for wildlife survival,” says Parks Director Bettie Yahn-Kramer. “They also help eliminate invasive and undesirable species, such as Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) and bush honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) on park property.”
All necessary precautions have been made and emergency workers with the St. Charles County Police Department have been notified of the burn. Anyone with questions about park prescribed burn activities should contact the St. Charles County Parks Department at 636-949-7535.
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