Wildlife and Fire
It would seem that a large forest fire would destroy an area for wildlife. However, the Galena Fire has improved much of the Park's wildlife habitat. The fire created many open meadows where grasses and shrubs are now growing. The mixture of meadow and forest created by a large fire provides better food and cover for animals. Initially, Park managers seeded the severely burned areas with quick growing clover to prevent erosion. Now a wide variety of plants can be found throughout the burned area.Another positive effect of the fire is the increased water flow in area streams. Because grasses and shrubs use less moisture than trees, more water makes its way into the streams. Park managers are using measuring devices called weirs to gauge stream flow. Trout will be stocked when the water flow can support their needs.Today, Custer State Park is more like the landscape that Lt. Col.George Custer saw on his expedition to the Black Hills in 1874. Those who settled the Hills suppressed wildfires, and slowly the open meadows Custer's expedition photographed became covered with ponderosa pine. The Galena Fire has returned much of Custer State Park to its presettlement appearance.
Marker is on U.S. 16.
Courtesy hmdb.org
