Fire and hardwoods

Figure 6. These hardwoods have been partially, but not completely, destroyed by fire. (Photograph by the author. More about the photograph)

Figure 6 shows the lethal effect of a recent growing season burn on the hardwoods that were invading this pine forest. The leaves are clearly dead, but the stems may still recover from the relatively cool fire that was allowed to run through this area. This site had not been exposed to fire for several years before the recent burn, and you can see how well established the hardwoods have become. Several fires may be needed to eliminate them completely and reestablish an open pine savanna like those shown in earlier photographs.

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