The Nature Conservancy in Oklahoma - Oklahoma Chapter

Prescribed Burn Fire as an Essential Rangeland Management Tool
Much of Oklahoma's natural heritage can be found in our rangelands. Large, untilled landscapes provide essential habitat for Oklahoma's ground nesting birds. Meadowlarks, prairie chickens, quail, dickcissels and our state bird, the scissor-tailed flycatcher, depend on healthy grasslands to survive. Managing for these species can be percieved as presenting problems for cattle producers trying to maintain their family business and traditions. The Conservancy is exploring a responsible approach that may offer ranchers and wildlife a chance to co-exist, with a benefit for both.

The Conservancy is researching a sustainable approach to rangeland management in the Osage Plains/Flint Hills areas of Oklahoma and Kansas, where cultural ranching practices include burning a majority of rangelands each spring. This approach can unintentionally damage critical habitat for ground nesting bird life cycles.

Our "Patch Burn" approach utilizes prescribed burning on a portion of a pasture or land management unit. Early research by Oklahoma State University indicates that the complex and mosaic plant communities produced as a result of this "patchy" approach to prescribed burning offers huge rewards for biodiversity, at little or no loss to livestock production.

The Conservancy will continue this study to explore differing frequencies and seasons to burn, while gauging wildlife and cattle response. The Conservancy continues to work with Oklahoma's cattle ranchers and rangeland policy makers as we advance this wildlife-friendly tool for livestock producers.

There are few landscapes in Oklahoma that have never been touched by fire. The Conservancy advocates the following essential "burning needs" in our state to protect or enhance biodiversity:

Establishing Prescribed Burning Coops. Putting people and equipment together to reintroduce fire onto Oklahoma's landscapes can be an efficient management strategy.
Modifying Oklahoma's prescribed burn laws to encourage the use of prescribed burn practices on rangelands. Many landowners are not comfortable with the current liability status placed on them by state law, and so they avoid using this cost-effective rangeland management tool.