06/05/2026
This week, our Stewardship Director, Patrick Kelly, joined Zach Irick with to visit Lula Lake Land Trust’s High Point property and assess the long-term effects of the 2023 wildfire that burned nearly 790 acres.
Their first stop was a rare population of Scarlet Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja coccinea), where we monitored the health of existing plants and checked on seeds that were planted last fall. The vibrant wildflower is considered uncommon in the region, making continued monitoring and habitat management especially important.
As they continued through the burn area, the landscape revealed an incredible response to fire. Wildflowers were abundant across the recovering grasslands, including large numbers of American Columbo (Frasera caroliniensis), a striking native plant that only flowers once in its lifetime before dying. We observed at least 50 flowering plants throughout the site.
Zach also pointed out visible marks on tree trunks showing how high the forest duff layer once reached before the fire. By burning away this thick organic layer, the fire opened the forest floor to more sunlight, creating conditions that allow native grasses and wildflowers to thrive.
The visit offered a powerful reminder that fire, when part of a natural process, can play a critical role in maintaining healthy and diverse ecosystems.
Below are the common names of some of the flowers they found pictured here:
Photo 1: A butterfly with butterfly milkweed
Photo 2: virginia spiderwort
Photo 3: woodland pinkroot
Photo 4: fly poison
Photo 5: New Jersey tea
Photo 6: spiked Hoary Pea
Photo 7: American columbo
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