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

116. Hughes, R. H. 1957. Response of cane to burning in the North Carolina 
          Coastal Plain. N.C. Agric. Exp. Stn. Bull. 402. 24 pp.

Giant cane is renovated by carefully controlled fires. Vigor is restored, productivity replenished, fire hazard reduced, and accessibility of the cane to livestock is increased for 1 to 3 years. Cane stands thinned and declined in productivity after about a decade of fire protection. When undisturbed 14 years, cane stems declined 65% during the final 7 years. Grazing management alone cannot restore high productivity to cane. In contrast, foliage production was materially improved by burning except for the first season after fire. The optimum management prescription where grazing is an objective is winter burning at intervals of about 10 years. Maximum forage production may be expected 2 to 4 years after burning; good production will be maintained an additional 6 to 8 years. Since burning increases susceptibility to grazing damage, grazing should be carefully regulated during the summer months, especially immediately after burning. [From author's abstract]

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