A Photo Series of Landscape Recovery After Prescribed Fire at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge

Last spring, a prescribed burn along the Prairie’s Edge Wildlife Drive at Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge gave visitors a unique opportunity to view the resilience of fire-dependent ecosystems. Following the burn, Refuge volunteer and talented photographer David Halgrimson documented the landscape’s recovery by photographing the same eight locations about every two weeks.

As you watch the video, pay close attention to the moment when the first green shoots emerge from the blackened earth. In many locations, this happens as early as the second photo. Prairie plants survive fire thanks to their underground roots, which store energy and nutrients safely below the surface.

You’ll also notice that many trees within the burned area remain alive. This is especially true for oak trees, which are well-adapted to fire thanks to their thick, corky bark. Oak savanna and prairie habitats are considered fire-dependent, meaning that they not only survive fire, but they also thrive because of it. In fact, hundreds of native species rely on fire to trigger their growth cycles and maintain healthy ecosystems.

Through David’s lens, you can almost hear the rustle of wildlife returning. The unseen return of wildlife becomes part of the story, capturing how fire also supports the native wildlife that refuge staff manage these habitats for.

As the photo series progresses, the seasons shift from spring to summer, then fall and winter. Wildflowers bloom, grasses stretch toward the sky, and the landscape shifts with each season. The refuge, as well as its wildlife and habitats, continue on after the prescribed fire - renewed and restored.