Iowans Learn to Burn

Environmentalists in eastern Iowa will teach a “burning” class tomorrow. Rich Patterson of the Indian Creek Nature Center near Cedar Rapids says firecan sometimes be a good thing. Patterson says fire is a very constructiveforce of nature on the prairie, just like a rain storm. He and his staffwill be teaching a “prescribed burning” class on Saturday. Patterson saysfire does a lot of things, like remove old, dead plant material that allowsthe sun to warm the soil a bit more. A “savanna” is open woods you can seethrough, noted by very large trees that let sunlight filter through theirbranches so wildflowers grow underneath. If the weather doesn’t cooperateTHIS Saturday, Patterson says he’ll teach the class NEXT Saturday, March31st.