MECHANICAL FUEL REDUCTION

picture of undergrowth at Cowpens National Battlefield in 2001

Undergrowth in 2001

 WHAT IS IT? A contractor will remove over 20 years' growth of small trees, underbrush, and non-native species, which have become a fire hazard that affects the park and its neighbors.

WHY IS IT NECESSARY? The National Park Service is charged with protecting and preserving the place where Daniel Morgan, commanding the American forces defeated the British, under Banastre Tarleton. The protecting part includes making sure that nothing (including a catastrophic wildfire) damages the battlefield. The preserving part includes restoring the battlefield to its 1781 appearance.

 

 

HOW DID THE BATTLEFIELD LOOK AT THE TIME OF THE BATTLE? Here's how some of the participants described it:

 

  • Morgan placed his troops "in an open wood." -- Roderick MacKenzie
  • "… little if any underbrush." -- Samuel Hammond
  • "The battle was fought early in the morning in the open woods." -- Josiah Martin
  • "…The battle ground was part in the woods & part an old field…" -- James Kelly
  • "…the woods were open and free from swamps…" -- Banastre Tarleton

 

image of painting, Counterattack of Howard's Line by Charles McBarron for the National Park Service

Counterattack of Howard's Line by Charles McBarron for National Park Service

 

picture of the battlefield circa 1988

Battlefield circa 1988

HOW HAS THE BATTLEFIELD CHANGED THROUGH THE YEARS? Fifty-four years after the Battle of Cowpens, historian Benjamin F. Perry wrote that "there was no growth on the battle ground, & objects might be seen at a great distance through the woods…"

In 1897, J.B.O. Landrum, who was familiar with the battlefield, wrote, in Colonial and Revolutionary History of Upper South Carolina,"…the forests at that time were more open… than at present, as the old battle ground is now covered with a thick, scrubby growth of blackjack and other timber, with here and there an occasional tall pine or oak of ancient appearance."

 
WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU? A buffer zone around the battlefield enables you to experience the historic area without modern-day intrusions. However, twenty-plus years of growth of this buffer have created a fire hazard both to the park and to the surrounding community. By removing this excess fuel, the park can decrease the probability of a forest fire, yet still maintain an adequate buffer zone. This fuel reduction will enable you and other visitors to safely visit the battlefield and envision the Battle of Cowpens via your mind's eye. As a taxpayer, Cowpens National Battlefield belongs to you and other US citizens. The staff of Cowpens National Battlefield wants to take care of your park so that you and future generations will be able to enjoy it.

picture of trees burning

Photo courtesy of Bureau of Land Management

. In 1976, The Master Plan for the development of Cowpens National Battlefield stated that "By careful handling of the natural vegetation, the area within the park boundary will eventually come to resemble its appearance in Colonial times. The pasturelands and woodlands will again be in their historic relationship… The Cowpens National Battlefield of the future, as thus envisioned, will offer a meaningful experience for the visitor, who has come to learn more about the great heritage upon which this Nation was built." Ladies and gentlemen, the future of Cowpens National Battlefield is now.

YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK This project will consist of reducing heavy fuel loads in the park to reduce the risk of a catastrophic fire event that would affect park neighbors as well as cultural and natural resources of the park. For more information, call (864) 461-2828. Soon you will be able to click here to view the progress of the work.

National Park Service arrowhead

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http://www.nps.gov/cowp/mechfuel.htm Last Updated 12/14/01 2:50 PM; Virginia Fowler