UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Between Nov. 5 and the third week in November, the Forestland Management Office in the Penn State Department of Ecosystem Science and Management will permit the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) to complete two prescribed fires within the boundary of the Penn State Stone Valley Forest in northern Huntingdon County.
These two low-intensity prescribed fires will be conducted under the authority of the University's private cooperative agreement with the PGC. The prescribed fires will be staffed and completed by PGC professionals. The PGC will complete the prescribed fires in compliance with Pennsylvania House Bill 262, as well as the Pennsylvania prescribed fire standards.
The objectives of the low-intensity prescribed fires are to improve the midstory and understory habitat conditions of the burn units, while providing a field site to demonstrate and display the use and effects of prescribed fires to University students, staff and faculty, as well the general public.
The PGC authored the prescribed fire burn plan, which was approved by the University. In accordance with that plan, additional notification will be provided once the date or dates have been set to complete the prescribed fires.