Prescribed fire has been used at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in an attempt to reduce cover of non-native grasses and increase cover of native forbs, grasses, and sedges. There are 3 plots in the Kentucky bluegrass monitoring type at Theodore Roosevelt. These plots were first burned as part of the SE corner burn unit in 1999 and 2000 followed by a second treatment in 2004.

The figure below displays cover of native and non-native lifeforms. Pre-burn sampling occurred 1 or 2 growing seasons before the prescribed fire, with Trt 1 Yr 1 the first growing season following the first prescribed fire, Trt 2 Yr 1 the first growing season following the second prescribed fire, and Trt 2 Yr 2 the second growing season following the second prescribed fire. Two growing seasons following the second prescribed fire, cover of native grasses and forbs increased by 72% and 45% respectively. Cover of non-native grasses decreased by 16% with non-native forbs increasing 373%. Sedge cover increased to 8% two growing seasons after the second burn from none at pre-burn levels.

Below are mean cover measurements of the six most common species found on the three plots. Two growing seasons following the second prescribed fire, Kentucky bluegrass cover was 19% below pre-burn levels while western wheatgrass, needle-and-thread, and yellow sweet clover increased by 329%, 66%, and 400% respectively.