Importance of Grassland Burning
The grassy wetland of Tadewara is maintained, for the most part, by human intervention such as controlled springtime burnings. If left without these burnings, the wetland would succumb to invasion by fast-growing shrubs and trees that would quickly develop into woodland, with the result that the diverse range of plant species found here could become extinct.
Wetland burnings take place in early spring when the old grasses make way for the new shoots to flourish. The 38 hectares of the Tadewara Marshland are tackled by a trained team of locals and volunteers, who start in the autumn months, around September, by sectioning out the wetland into manageable areas for burning and to prevent fires from spreading.
When it comes to spring burning, in March, fires are set at opposite ends of the wetland, meeting in the middle of the area, where they will naturally be extinguished. Volunteers are also on hand with water jets to help control any fires that become too large or out of control. Within the wetland, areas of shallow water and dry areas burn easily with only areas with deeper water in the wetland areas failing to burn. Controlled burning is an effective way to manage the natural ecosystem of Tadewara.