RAY CHISTE During the weekend of March 28-29, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service performed a series of controlled burns at several locations in the new 500-acre Pleasant Run Wildlife Management Area, including this portion on Ellisdale Road, Upper Freehold Township. A controlled burn safely reduces excessive amounts of brush, shrubs and trees, encourages new growth of native vegetation, and maintains plant and animal species whose habitats depend on periodic fires, according to smokeybear.com.
