DENVER - In order to help maintain its grassland ecosystem, the Denver Botanic Gardens conducted a controlled burn Thursday. 

The two gardens involved in the burn were Laura Smith Porter Plains Garden and Anna's Overlook.

The controlled burns take place every two to four years in an attempt to closely replicate the natural processes. 

According to Will Jones, a spokesman for the Denver Botanic Gardens, the burn is done in order to remove built up vegetation, recycled nutrients, enhanced seed germination and regeneration of native plants.

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