As parks spring to life, work on rehabilitation and management also begins

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Prescribed Burns Planned

On Friday, March 3, the Urbana Park District will conduct controlled prescribed burns to manage the natural areas in two of its parks.

9:00 a.m. – the northwestern quarter of Weaver Park
1:00 p.m. – the western portion of Spomer Prairie in Meadowbrook Park.

The Urbana Park District burns portions of its fire dependent natural areas each year with the assistance of trained staff and volunteers under supervision of the Urbana Fire Department. The remaining acreage serves as a refuge for on-site wildlife.  A prescribed burn must take place under strict weather conditions, so a decision about the burn date will be weather and wind dependent. Prescribed burns are an important tool in managing natural areas such as prairie and woodlands. Periodic fire has a history of sustaining local natural communities that originally developed under drier and warmer conditions. Fire continues to be used to maintain ecological health and control invasive plant species.

Prescribed burn areas will be closed to visitors before and during the burn. Volunteers and staff will be on hand to help guide park visitors clear of the area.

Crystal Lake Road Closure to facilitate Lake Sediment Removal Work

Work continues on cleaning the sediment trap in Crystal Lake.  On Friday, March 3, the road through all of Crystal Lake Park will be closed (from Park to Broadway) starting at 7:00 a.m. The road is expected to reopen in late afternoon.

Stark Excavating will be installing a bypass drain to reroute water from the 54-inch  pipe that drains to the sediment basin. Excavation itself is projected to start mid-next week.