Swan Island fire aims to improve habitat
RICHMOND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife plans to conduct a prescribed wildfire burn on an island in the Kennebec (KEH’-nuh-bek) River to try to improve habitat for grassland birds.
The burn will take place on Thursday on Swan Island’s Steve Powell Wildlife Management Area. The department says the burn will allow for better habitat for birds such as bobolinks (BOB’-oh-linx), meadowlarks and savannah sparrows.
The department says the burn also is expected to reduce and eliminate invasive plant species on the island such as Japanese barberry. The burn could potentially be rescheduled depending on weather conditions on Thursday.
The burn will cover two areas totaling 26 acres (10 hectares).
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