Fire in North American Wetland Ecosystems and Fire-Wildlife Relations: An Annotated Bibliography

5. Allan, P. F., and W. L. Anderson. 1955.  More wildlife from our marshes and 
        wetlands.  Pages 589-596 in Water: The Yearbook of Agriculture 1955.  
        USDA., Washington, DC.

The most important reason for burning marshes is to favor preferred plants and destroy those of little value. A secondary reason is to remove accumulated dead material. A clear view of intended results and selection of appropriate seasons and conditions for burning are important. Olney bulrush marshes should be burned every year except during drought. In the South, burn should be from mid-October to January; in the North in late winter but before young muskrats appear. Best results are obtained when several inches of water are on the marsh. Burning just prior to the spring growing season to control marshhay cordgrass is also the preferred management for saltmarsh bulrush. Fire can be used to burn deep holes in peat to form ponds in any coastal marsh. In general, spring burns benefit waterfowl (versus fall-winter burns for muskrats). On inland marshes, fire should be used with care, perhaps only to remove dead vegetation and to kill invading trees and shrubs. [K-L-S]

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