PARK TWP., MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Mar. 15, 2025) – Weather permitting, Park Township officials are looking to clear up some land that is causing issues at Keppel Forest.
On Monday morning, the township’s fire department will be joined by neighboring crews, and staffers from retained burn company PlantWise, to torch nearly three acres. The plan is to remove some aging Red Pines, along with a Beech-Maple understory, in order to encourage a natural regeneration of a Red Pine stand.
If successful, the fire would promote the growth of native plants by releasing nutrients, creating sunny openings for seedlings, and cut down on invasive species in the area. It is hoped that this effort would demonstrate the benefits of controlled burns and natural fire regimes.
Dry, windy conditions that affected the Lakeshore as this past week drew to a close are expected to abate in time for this event, according to National Weather Service forecasters at the Ford Airport office in Grand Rapids. The torching is set to begin around 11:30 AM, and should last a couple of hours.
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