Manage Your Property with Fire
Photo: Rob Baller
Why Fire?
Fire has been used for centuries as a tool for land management. However, over the last century there has been a culture of fire suppression, which has allowed invasive plants to spread, often overpowering native plants and changing the nature of the ecosystems that once existed.
As noted in a 2019 study led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, this impact of ecological change in southwest Wisconsin is in part to blame for the 53% population decline of grassland birds since 1970.
In an attempt to restore balance to our ecosystems, humans are putting fire back into our environment once again.
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The Challenge
Getting fire on the landscape is not as simple as it used to be. Landscapes that were once expansive and connected are now fragmented by property lines. Roughly 95% of the land in southwest Wisconsin is privately owned.
So there is the challenge - how do we administer prescribed fire safely and effectively on a fragmented landscape with a limited amount of technical and financial resources?
A Solution
This challenge is what drove the Southern Driftless Grasslands partnership to develop the Southern Driftless Prescribed Burn on My Property program. Working with the Wisconsin Prescribed Fire Council and using National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) standards the program is designed to help landowners (and their neighbors!) develop a better understanding of fire ecology and discover ways to use fire as a management tool on their property.
From 2025-2027 the Southern Driftless Prescribed Burn on My Property program will host prescribed fire workshops, hold demonstration burns, provide burn plan development assistance, and help folks connect with the other fire curious people in their community.
Cost Share Assistance Opportunity
In July 2025 through the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Southern Driftless Grasslands partnership received a new round of funding to help landowners in grassland bird priority areas in Southwest Wisconsin prepare their property for prescribed burns. We can offer up to a $1,500 reimbursement to ten landowners for qualifying projects which include prairie seed and herbicide purchases, hiring contractors to clear burn breaks, and/or rental equipment costs.
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If you are currently planning to do some work on your property related to prescribed burn preparation or grassland enhancement, or are interested in seeing if your property qualifies for this opportunity please either email or call Andy at andy@driftlessconservancy.org or 970-406-0333.
Get Fire on Your Property
Learn more about current offerings by contacting Andy at 970-406-0333 or andy@driftlessconservancy.org or by checking the events page.
