Fire! A Key to Healthy Ecosystems

Just as water is vital to the health of a habitat or ecosystem, so is fire. You can see char marks on the trunks of these cabbage palms along the trail at North Jupiter Flatwood Natural Area, almost certainly the result of a prescribed burn. In a totally natural setting, the occasional lightning strike would do the job. But managers of tracts like North Jupiter mimic nature by starting small, regular fires. These burns prevent the build-up of fuels that could create large, catostrophic fires. These burns also create openings for new growth, new plants, a revitalization of sorts that's also important to the animals who live here.

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