Vol. 8, No. 4
April 2016
Top stories
In the news
Photos
Contact us
Facebook
Archive
March 2019
Feb. 2019
Jan. 2019
Nov./Dec. 2018
Oct. 2018
Sept. 2018
Aug. 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018

Photo feature: Burn for benefit

In 2009, as part of its LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification, the Hygienic Lab partnered with Cedar Rapids-based OPN Architects to restore a piece of a ecosystem - the tallgrass prairie - on its Coralville campus. University of Iowa Facilities Maintenance conducted a controlled burn earlier this month to give the prairie new life.

The tallgrass prairie on the south side of the Hygienic Laboratory is in full bloom in this 2015 photo.University of Iowa arborist Mike Rhinehart prepares his tools for the prairie burn on April 2, after several postponements due to adverse weather conditions.A small backfire is first set near the building.Arborist Andy Dahl sets another fire line ahead of the fire’s edge.Rhinehart checks the rate of the burn before starting another fire line. The blaze continues south from the building and its barrier of water-soaked grass.Dry grass is quickly consumed while a willow tree is spared.In slightly more than an hour, the prairie is in ashes.