Fire destroys, but it also purifies and enriches. For thousands of years, indigenous people used fire to manipulate the landscape. Burning was used to clear land for farming and settlement, maintain grasslands for forage and to aid in both hunting and gathering. We use it here at the South Carolina Botanical Garden to manage some of our habitats in the Natural Heritage Garden. In the Prairie Exhibit, fire is used to clear out woody plants that would ultimately shade out grasses. The ashes reinvigorate the soil with a nutrient dump. In the past, the resultant fresh new grasses would attract bison and other herbivores, which would then be hunted for meat and other materials. The Longleaf Pine Savannah Exhibit is also an example of a fire-maintained habitat. Burning consumes the leaf litter, enabling the longleaf pine seedlings to sprout; then, at most stages, they are fire-adapted and resistant. The suppression of fire throughout the United States rendered these habitats extremely rare.
Fire in the South Carolina Botanical Prairie.
Sue Watts, ©2024, SC Botanical Gardens, Clemson University
After the fire at the South Carolina Botanical Garden.
Sue Watts, ©2024, SC Botanical Gardens, Clemson University
Burning Long Leaf Pine in the Botanical Garden.
Sue Watts, ©2024, SC Botanical Gardens, Clemson University
Burning day is an unpredictable event at the South Carolina Botanical Garden. The humidity, wind speed and direction are all carefully considered. Some years, the burn is as late as early April; this year, it took place in early February. It is always exciting to watch. The power of fire and allure is undeniable!
