Since 2012, the Forestry section has regularly completed controlled burns at Jack Darling Memorial Park to help maintain rare tallgrass prairie habitat. These burns have proved successful in restoring the prairie. In 2022, the remnant prairie at Lorne Park was also added to the burn schedule. The burns are completed every 3-4 years with the last burns completed in 2021 and 2022. As a result, a burn is scheduled for spring 2025 at both locations.
Tallgrass prairies once covered over 40,000 ha of land in Ontario, including a large proportion of Mississauga, but less than three percent (3%) of this habitat remains in Southern Ontario. By protecting these remaining areas, we help preserve biodiversity and our natural heritage. The prairie is threatened by invasive species and controlled burns are an effective way to maintain the habitat and support rare grasses and wildflowers that grow there. The controlled burn will be scheduled to take place between mid-March to early-May 2025, with exact date(s) determined based on weather conditions (ie. wind speed and precipitation). The entire burn process will take approximately 4 to 6 hours over the course of 1 to 2 days.
The controlled burn will be completed by Wildfire Specialists Inc., a company with over 20 years of specialized experience in tallgrass prairie restoration and management through controlled burns. Forestry and Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services staff will be on site with the contractor throughout the burn process. Residential homes adjacent to the site will receive direct notification regarding the burn, and temporary signs will be erected in both parks prior to the burn to inform park users of temporary park closures.
Controlled burns will continue on a maintenance schedule of every three to four years, augmented by annual maintenance practices. This will ensure the ongoing preservation of prairie habitats in these parklands.