Co-op sparks interest in fire to improve North Dakota grasslands for cattle, wildlife

Fire, along with grazing disturbance, helped maintain the diversity of plant species on the prairie. It suppressed cool season grasses, trees and brush and increased stands of native grasses and forbs. “In the Northern Plains, grasslands were driven by three disturbances — grazing by large ungulates, drought and fire,” said Mark Hayek, North Dakota NRCS state rangeland management specialist.