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In this issue:
NC Prescribed Fire Council Moving Forward
NC Prescribed Fire Council Annual Meeting to be shared with the NC Longleaf Coalition
Research Burn to Improve Smoke Modeling
Boon Chesson Hired to Coordinate NC Prescribed Fire Training Center Programs
Fire In The Lakes Festival Brunswick County – A Big Success
Plants on Fire: Piedmont Savanna Stability, Resistance, and Resilience
Nature Conservancy Conducts First Mountain Burn
Tip of the Month
Fire For Forest Health in the Mountains
Protecting Working Forests with Voluntary Agricultural District Programs
Research
Link to Prescribed Burns May Help Reduce US Carbon Footprint
The Public and Wildland Fire Management: Social Science Findings for Managers
Ecological Effects of Prescribed Fire Season: A Literature Review and Synthesis for Managers.
Putting Fire Science on the Ground - Survey Results
Joint Fire Science Program Smoke Science Plan Questionnaire Results Summary
Surfing the Koehler Curve: Revisiting a Method for the Identification of Longleaf Pine Stumps and Logs
The Role of Fire in the Establishment and Spread of Nonative Plants in Arizona Ponderosa Pine Forests: A Review
Short-Term Responses of Red Squirrels to Prescribed Burning in the Interior Pacific Northwest, USA
Identifying and Addressing Social Constraints Involved with the Use of Prescribed Fire in Forest Ecosystems of the Ouachita and Ozark Regions of Arkansas
Training/Conferences
NC Prescribed Fire Council/NC Longleaf Coalition Joint Conference: Exploring Fire and Longleaf Pine
Third Fire Behavior and Fuels Conference: Beyond Fire Behavior and Fuels: Learning from the Past to Help Guide Us in the Future
2010 Woodland Steward Series:
NC Mountains
NC Coast
North American Prairie Conference 2010
Restoring the Shortleaf Pine/Oak Savanna Ecosystem–A Working Group Symposium Help Wanted - South Mountains Area
7th Eastern Native Grass Symposium "Native Grasses on Working and Natural Landscapes"
Announcements/Resources
Help Wanted - South Mountains Area
VSMOKE Management Tool Link
Other Items of Interest
Case Study: Valuable Training for Volunteer Firefighters in Tabor, Iowa through Prescribed Fire Service
Case Study: "Advocate" Key to Fire Department’s Successful Prescribed Fire Service
Volunteer Fire Departments Using Prescribed Fire
Burn Associations Beneficial to Property Owners
Alabama Proclamation
Are Rednecks the Unsung Heroes of Ecosystem Management? |
NC Prescribed Fire Council Moving Forward
by John Ann Shearer
With so many changes with your NC Prescribed Fire Council, your Steering Committee sent out a brief update prior to this newsletter and now I would like to follow up by reminding you that on May 14th, Fire Council Chair Doug Sprouse left his position with NC Parks and Recreation and his post as Chair to move on to new adventures in fire out of state. He will be missed! As per the bylaws, as your Vice Chair, I moved up into the Chair position at the time of Doug's departure. The Steering Committee selected a candidate for Vice Chair, Kevin Harville who is highly able and willing to serve. Many of you voted and Kevin was elected!
At the May 9th Steering Committee meeting three motions were made and passed that launched the process of incorporating the NC Prescribed Fire Council. Click here to read more.
NC Prescribed Fire Council Annual Meeting to be shared with the NC Longleaf Coalition
Submitted by John Ann Shearer
The next big event on the horizon is our August 18th and 19th joint meeting of the NC Prescribed Fire Council and the NC Longleaf Coalition to be held in New Bern, NC. The agenda is packed with excellent speakers and it will be a great time to network. Our meeting is approved for Continuing Education Credits for Registered Foresters as follows: Day 1 - 4.5 CFEs in Category 1 and Day 2 - 5.0 CFEs in Category 1. See all the details of the meeting here.
Research Burn to Improve Smoke Modeling
Submitted by The Nature Conservancy
In terms of size, it wasn't a huge burn. In terms of difficulty, it wasn't a particularly difficult burn. But, the controlled burn at The Nature Conservancy's Calloway Forest Preserve this spring could someday have a big impact on future burns across the country. Click here to read more.
Boon Chesson Hired to Coordinate NC Prescribed Fire Training Center Programs
Submitted by Terry Sharpe
The NC Prescribed Fire Council has been working closely with NC Division of Forest Resources (NC DFR), NC Wildlife Resources Commission, US Forest Service, NRCS, Environmental Impact RC&D, NC State Parks, US Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy and others for the past two years to develop support and funding to establish a prescribed fire training center at Montgomery Community College (MCC) in Troy. The purpose of the center is to provide a central location, facilities, and logistical support to host training opportunities for burners from NC and beyond. Click here to read the rest of the story.
Fire In The Lakes Festival Brunswick County – A Big Success
Submitted by The Nature Conservancy
Who could resist the invitation below that Angie Carl of The Nature Conservancy sent out just prior to the Fire In The Lakes Festival. Read her invitation. See the newspaper article that followed and enjoy the photos. Click here for more.
Plants on Fire: Piedmont Savanna Stability, Resistance, and Resilience
by Johnny Randall, PhD, Associate Director for Natural Areas and Conservation Programs, North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Ecosystem stability has been long debated in the theoretical and applied ecological literature and working through this is far beyond the scope of this article (and my brain capacity). Let me quickly add that stability is somewhat of a misnomer, since ecosystems are dynamic natural systems where change certainly occurs. The temporal element over which ecosystem stability operates is generally based on the principles of community resistance and resilience, which are at the heart of this concept and the subject of this article. Resistance is the ability of a community or ecosystem to avoid displacement after a disturbance or stressful period, whereas resilience is the ability to rebound or return to "normal" after a disturbance. And in our age of inevitable climate change, these concepts are particularly relevant and of great interest to ecologists and conservation biologists. Click here to read more.
Nature Conservancy Conducts First Mountain Burn
Submitted by The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy conducted its first large mountain controlled burn in late spring at its Bluff Mountain Preserve in Ashe County. Partners from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, N.C. Division of Forest Resources, N.C. Arboretum and the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program helped with the burn. The 80-acre burn was designed reduce shrubs and some midstory trees that are preventing oak seedling growth. Click here for photos.
Tip of the Month - Drip Torch Problem
Problem: The torch starts spewing out a mix of fuel and fumes instead of dripping when using a mix of diesel and gas of about 50-50. The problem may be worse on warmer days. The problem seems to get worse as the torch head gets hot. Is there a simple fix? Click here for solutions.
Fire for Forest Health in the Mountains
Submitted by Land Trust for the Little Tennessee
A 700-acre burn on Yellow Creek Mountain in Graham County, including 200 acres of LTLT's Yellow Creek property,was completed on Friday, April 2. Pine beetle kills in this area a decade ago resulted in high fuel loads that threatened the forest and nearby homes. Additionally, lack of regular burning has negatively impacted wildlife habitat by reducing the number of oaks and of shortleaf pine, a native but increasingly rare species in the lower elevations of the Blue Ridge. The re-introduction of controlled, low-intensity fire is key in reducing the wildfire threat and improving habitat. Click here to read more.
Protecting Working Forests with Voluntary Agricultural District Programs
Woodland Owner's Notes - NC Cooperative Extension
North Carolina is one of the fastest growing states in the country, which has led to significant loss of forest and farmland. With this growth come residents who may not understand or appreciate traditional rural land uses such as forestry or farming, particularly activities like tree cutting and harvesting. Click here to read more.
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NC Prescribed Fire Council Newsletter