Students complete prescribed fire at RU's Selu Conservancy

On March 22, 2021, 6 biology students joined Professor Karen Powers to complete a prescribed burn at RU's Selu Conservancy. They targeted an 8-acre grassland parcel that had been developed as a natural habitat with warm-season grasses. The goal of the burn was to maintain the native grasses, enhance the habitat for wildlife, and reduce invasive shrubs. This burn was successful and safe.

Students completed >25 hours of on-line fire trainig through the Virginia Department of Forestry, and several participated in a Fire Ecology class taught in Spring 2020. The planned fire in 2020 was cancelled due to the Covid lockdown, and it had been 4 years since the last burn.

Participating students used drip-torches to set the fire, and others manned the fire breaks (plowed lines absent of fuels to burn)  to ensure that the fire did not jump to areas outside of the burn plot.  Members ffrom the Virginia Department of Foresty assisted with implementing the planned burn, and guiding the students.

In all, the 8 acres burned in about 40 minutes. The Geology Depoartment recorded footage of the entire burn using a drone. Many administrative departments,  the RU Police and Fire Departments, as well as local Fire and Rescue crews, were present to ensure the safety of the participants in the burn.

Biology student participants included (with Dr. Powers in foreground):

• Noah Buchan
• Sierra Felty
• Justin McLaughlin
• Kayla Nelson Anderson
• Logan Platt
• Chris Wozniak