Travis County Parks, in cooperation with Travis County Natural Resources, plans to conduct a prescribed burn on the Kotrla Tract of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve on January 17, 2019. The prescribed burn will occur between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., and will take approximately three to five hours to complete. The prescribed burn totals 23 acres and is divided into three smaller units. The project may take up to three days to complete.
Travis County Parks is conducting the prescribed burn in cooperation with personnel from Travis County Natural Resources, local fire departments, and natural resource agencies.
The prescribed burn is intended to improve habitat for the black-capped vireo by removing invading shrubs, consuming dead and downed vegetation, reducing the number of exotic species, and enhancing the health and diversity of the native plant community.
The prescribed burn may be conducted with any wind direction. South winds are anticipated which will carry the smoke to the north, across the preserve and then nearby ranches and the communities to the north, specifically Honeycomb Hills and Hidden Mesa. However, due to the small size of the prescribed burn and the distance between the prescribed burn and the adjacent communities, smoke impacts are expected to be relatively light.
The Kotrla tract is located at 22941 Nameless Road, Leander, TX 78641.
Media note: Please call the PIO for additional information. The project is relatively remote and access will be limited.
Questions: Hector Nieto, Travis County PIO, 956-251-2902
Glen Gillman, Park Land Manager, 512-844-7480
Johanna Arendt, Natural Resources Community Liaison, 512-854-1688
