DATE: Friday, November 21, 1997             TAG: 9711210676

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:   19 lines

CLEARING THE WAY FOR WILDLIFE

DREW C. WILSON/The Virginian-Pilot

State Forest Service Ranger Jimmy Davenport watches from a

helicopter during a controlled fire Thursday in a 700-acre section

of marshland on Roanoke Island. The fire was set to make the

marshland more attractive, in the long run, to wildlife. Dare County

forest ranger Louis Midgett said the marsh was being choked by

debris. Burning away that material will promote fresh growth and

attract more wildlife. Midgett said the fire, started by 1,000

ignition devices dropped from the helicopter, killed few, if any,

animals.

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