Naples Botanical Garden performs prescribed burn in garden area

Writer: Nicholas Karsen
Published: Updated:
Naples Botanical Garden
An unrelated image of a prescribed burn. Credit: Naples Botanical Garden

The Naples Botanical Garden is conducting a prescribed fire as part of its maintenance of the nature preserve.

The burn, which covers approximately 5.4 acres of land, began at around 10:15 a.m. on Thursday and will last several hours.

Staff will continue to monitor the burn and ensure no hot spots go undetected.

The advisory provides nearby residents an alert that the smoke possibly accumulating in the sky is part of the prescribed burn.

According to the Naples Botanical Garden, small, carefully controlled fires provide an important public safety precaution by reducing organic matter, such as pine needles and fallen leaves, that can fuel wildfires.

The fire also encourages new plant growth and promotes seed sprouting, among other benefits, maintaining a healthy life cycle for the vegetation.

The garden will remain open during normal seasonal hours, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Portions of the Lake Trail and Preserve are closed to ensure guests’ safety; the garden is otherwise operating as usual. 

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