LUBBOCK, Texas (LISD) – Members of the Texas Tech University Davis College plan to perform a controlled burn near Lubbock Independent School District’s AgriSTEM Complex (102 Quaker Ave.) this month. The burn will take place during non-school hours, which may include as early as tomorrow (Monday, Jan. 19) or next weekend (Jan. 24-25).
The Texas Tech team will be led by Scott Longing, Ph.D., an associate professor of entomology in the Department of Plant & Soil Science. They will announce the specific date and time of the controlled burn once optimal weather and environmental conditions are identified.
Controlled burns are routinely conducted to maintain the environmental health of an outdoor area and can include the burning of dead grass and trees, non-native vegetation, fallen tree branches or thick undergrowth. These are items that can act as fuel during a wildfire, but can add nutrients to the solid as ashes after a burn. Clearing this natural debris can also lead to the regrowth of native vegetation and the return or increase of wildlife to the area.
“Winter provides a timely opportunity to conduct a controlled burn at the Lubbock AgriSTEM and seed the area with native grasses,” Longing said. “This will give us maximum exposure to any snow or rain that the coming months will bring and facilitate new growth.”
The attached map shows the area where the burn will be conducted. Once a specific date and time is determined, additional messaging will be sent out as a reminder to the community.
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