Controlled burn scheduled for Wilderness Park on Tuesday

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - Lincoln Parks and Recreation will be conducting a controlled burn from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday at Wilderness Park north of Saltillo Road.

Lincoln Parks and Rec said yellow and red trails between the bridge at trail marker 74 and the Saltillo Road parking lot at trail marker 75 will be closed until noon on Wednesday.

“Controlled burns are an effective and important tool to manage large areas of land that are host to native plants and grasses. The process helps control invasive species like cedar trees in prairies before they can cause overcrowding and competition with desired vegetation, lowers the risk of wildfires by managing the space and volume of tinder, and improves habitat for wildlife and plant diversity, therefore creating a more ecologically resilient community,” Aaron Druery, Greenways District Supervisor for Lincoln Parks and Recreation, said. “Our crews monitor air quality and weather reports constantly when scheduling and performing the burn to ensure a safe burn event.”