Which wildlife management practice promotes new growth through cutting or burning?

Controlled burns are an essential wildlife management practice that facilitates new growth by removing old vegetation, opening up the canopy, and allowing sunlight to reach the ground. This process promotes the growth of grasses, wildflowers, and young plants that may have been suppressed by overgrown or dead plant material. The heat from the fire also helps to reset the ecosystem, recycling nutrients back into the soil, which benefits plant and wildlife populations.

Controlled burns specifically can help maintain habitats that depend on frequent disturbance to thrive, such as grasslands and certain forest ecosystems. This method is often more environmentally sustainable than cutting, as it mimics natural fire cycles and helps maintain biodiversity. In contrast, other options may involve different techniques that do not focus on promoting new growth in the same immediate and effective manner as controlled burns do.