Fall and Winter Burning of South Texas Brush Ranges

Abstract

Plots with no pretreatment and pretreated by shredding, chopping, scalping, root plowing, and root plowing and raking were subjected to a fall fire, a winter fire, and a fall fire with a winter reburn the following year. All burning treatments reduced brush cover when compared to the unburned control. Burns on pretreated areas were more effective in reducing brush than were fires in vegetation with no pretreatment. Two burns were more effective in reducing brush than was a single fire. Standing crops of herbage on all burned plots were greater than on the control. Fall burned plots had the largest amounts of grass; winter burned areas contained the most forbs.