By Harrison McCrory, senior
Every year ecology students at Goddard High take part in a field burning in the ecosystem behind the school known as the OWLS.
In its typical fashion, farmers conduct burns for similar reasons; it not only helps the next wave of crops grow, but it gets rid of harmful pests in the field.
Science teacher Darcie Lowry gave these students the chance to witness an event of this magnitude.
“It gets rid of woody species and invasive species of plants, and allows native sun loving plants to thrive again. It also puts nutrients back in the soil. We have to follow Sedgwick counties guidelines for burning. We must get a permit and notify of the burn, as well as check if burning is allowed that day. Winds over 15mph usually mean we can not burn. We also rely heavily on the experience and expertise of our district maintenance crew to start, monitor and extinguish the fire. Many wildlife will run or fly away, but some are lost to the fire; especially bugs still in their larvae or cocoon states,” she said.
The students also receive the opportunity to get real-life hands-on experience in this field of work. Before starting, students go over safety rules and learn what to expect. They get to watch how the fire spreads and how it’s controlled, which is something you really can’t learn as well from a textbook. The maintenance crew helps a lot by making sure everything is done safely and under control. Students also help observe and sometimes assist with small tasks during the process.
