LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — The LSU AgCenter is offering a class for people who want certification to perform prescribed burns on marshland they own, manage or lease.
Coastal resources specialist Mark Shirley says that, done right, fire can remove years of old, dead vegetation and let new growth sprout.
The four-hour course will explain how to judge the best climate conditions for fire to stimulate new growth, and the best weather conditions to ensure that smoke rises and drifts away from populations and airports.
The class will be Oct. 23 in Lafayette, with registration starting at 8:30 a.m. at the U.S. Geological Survey National Wetlands Center.
The class is free. However, pre-registration is requested. To pre-register, contact Crystal Bowman at the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry at 225-922-1270 or at cbowman1@ldaf.state.la.us.
