SIX NATIONS — There will be a controlled burn of the Tall Prairie grasses at the Chiefswood National Historic Site this week.
Six Nations of the Grand River Development Coroporation manages the site and says a permit to do the controlled burn was obtained and will take place this Saturday May 4 at 2:00 p.m. with a rain date of Sunday May 5 at 11:00 a.m..
Officials say the burn will take approximately 30 minutes with visible smoke lasting about 45 minutes after the burn is complete.
According to a press release from the SNGRDC, the burn is part of the management of the indigneous plants and ecosystem introduced to the Chiefswood property in the 1990s.
“The prescribed burn at CNHS is essential to manage and restore the newly created tallgrass prairie ecosystem” said Janis Monture Director of Tourism. “Plants native to the tall grass prairie have deep root stems and have adapted to periodic wildfires. A prescribe burn helps to return nutrients to the soil, heat up the ground for plant growth, and keeps out any invasive, non-native plants.”
Chiefswood National Historic Site is the birthplace and childhood home of renowned of renowned Mohawk and English poetess, E. Pauline Johnson. The historic site features identical entrances- the South entrance faces the river to welcome Six Nations community members who arrived by canoe, and the North entrance faces the road to welcome visitors from surrounding communities who arrived by horse-drawn carriage. The two entrances are a living symbol of the shared cultures of the Johnson family.
For more information please visit www.chiefswoodnhs.ca