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Longleaf Pine and Southern Fire
Culture Featured on National Scale
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An article featuring prescribed fire for longleaf restoration in the South was recently published by the Associated Press and distributed through many media outlets across the country. It describes the value of the longleaf ecosystem, the current state of restoration efforts, the importance of prescribed fire, and the role of community
groups. The article is also accompanied by a short video that highlights the Sandhills Prescribed Burn Association, North Carolina's longest-running PBA.
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Tippin' Torch: Tips for the Season
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The majority of burning in the South happens in the winter but there isn't a universal "best" time. There are often more burn days in the dormant season due to cool temperatures, wet fuels, and favorable winds. However, burning under these conditions is not always the best way to achieve your management objectives.
Alabama Cooperative Extension Services recently published a useful article describing the effects of dormant season burns relative to objectives of wildfire risk reduction, timber production, and wildlife management. They also have an article that summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of burning during the growing season and dormant season. Some key points from these resources:
- Appropriate seasonal timing depends on the conditions at each burn site and your objectives.
- It is often most important to burn when
feasible to maintain appropriate burn frequency rather than waiting for an opportunity at with the best seasonal timing.
- Dormant season burns are useful for reducing heavy litter or duff that have accumulated in areas that have not burned recently.
- Dormant season burns can support wildlife habitat by maintaining openings in early successional areas and stimulate the growth of beneficial understory plants. However, repeated winter burns lose their effectiveness over
time.
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USFS Seeking Input to Improve Retention of Women in Wildland Fire The information collected in this short survey will be used to establish a tracking mechanism for women who are in, or have held, permanent positions in wildland fire. The intent is to use this information to promote retention of women in fire positions. Questions can be directed to Jamey Toland, Women in Fire Program Specialist, at jamey.toland@usda.gov.
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Insights Requested: Use of Drone Ignitions on Private Lands Georgia DNR is interested in expanding its offering of services to private landowners to include drone ignitions for prescribed fire purposes. If you have experience in using drones to burn on private lands in the South, especially if you built a program from the ground-up, please contact RT Lumpkin at rlumpkin@gfc.state.ga.us
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New Study Shows that Large Wildfires are Increasing in the Southeast
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The researchers behind a recent study analyzed data over the past 30 years and found that large wildfires have increased in size, frequency,
number, and total area burned for temperate forests in the Southeast. The results point toward a growing need to address wildfire risk in our region, especially as the region's population continues to grow and its wildland-urban interface expands.
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University of Georgia Prescribed Fire Research Highlighted
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Check out a recent article about the research being done at the Athens Prescribed Fire Science Lab at UGA. Researchers there conduct and measure experimental burns under controlled conditions that simulate those in the real world (for example, using giant fans to generate winds up to 90 mph). Their work is leading to a better understanding of the complex factors in prescribed fire to inform the decision making of fire managers.
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Meet North Carolina's Newest Prescribed Burn Association
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Community members in the Triangle area of North Carolina are coming together to form the Triangle Prescribed Burn Association. The group held their first organizational meeting in December and are planning several training events over the next couple of months.
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Other Fire Highlights and News
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Sentinel Landscapes Awarded Grants in America the Beautiful Challenge
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Multiple Sentinel Landscapes in the South were awarded substantial funding through the America the Beautiful Challenge. The Southeastern Sentinel Landscapes project focuses on land management activities including prescribed burning to improve ecosystem resilience in longleaf pine. The project by the Avon Park Air Force Range Sentinel Landscape aims to support private landowners seeking to manage their working lands for conservation objectives. Read the DOD announcement below for more details and for information about other area projects involving prescribed fire.
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Longleaf Pine Sustainability Analysis: "Right Work" in the "Right Places"
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There is a new spatial tool available to land managers working in longleaf pine. Developed by Florida Natural Areas Inventory and the University of Florida, the Longleaf Pine Sustainability Analysis uses spatial data like the location of existing longleaf and site suitability to show where restoration activities are most likely to be successful. The tool should help managers decide how to use their limited time and resources to best serve their longleaf restoration objectives.
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Analysis of Cost of Prescribed Fire in the Great Plains
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New research on the cost of prescribed fire in the Great Plains
aims to help us understand one of the main barriers to prescribed burning faced by private landowners. Cost benefits largely depend on the scale of activities and are affected by factors like the number of burns and acreage, firebreak type, and fuel characteristics. The results of the study may help solve cost-related issues for small landowners in our area, especially when combined with the results of this 2012 study in North Carolina.
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Timber Quality, Wildlife Habitat, and Planting Density in Longleaf Pine
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New research from NC State University and the USDA looks at the effects of
longleaf pine planting density on timber quality and wildlife habitat. Similar to the use of prescribed fire to maintain open stands, planting in lower densities resulted in higher quality wildlife habitat. The effects on timber quality were mixed with greater basal area and fewer knots in denser stands, but higher quality individual trees in more open stands. These tradeoffs may be something to consider when developing management plans for longleaf.
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Red-Cockaded Woodpecker Conservation in West Georgia
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Georgia Public Broadcasting published an article highlighting the 20 years of
work being done by groups in Georgia to improve RCW habitat in longleaf pine. The story brings awareness to the importance of longleaf pine for RCWs and the role of prescribed fire in managing those forests.
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New USFWS Video About Managing Wildlife Habitat with Fire
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- Funding available towards two objectives:
- Support the participation of underserved forest landowners in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest
resilience
- Support the participation of forest landowners who own less than 2,500 acres of forestland in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience
- Award amount: Up to $2,000,000
- Application
Deadline: Rolling basis, quarterly
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- A record amount of approximately $30 million available for projects that help accelerate longleaf pine restoration on private and public lands.
- Applicants are encouraged to prioritize projects that also address co-benefits of proposed restoration activities
(carbon sequestration, water quality/quantity, etc.) and engage local communities and historically underserved landowners.
- For more information, watch this recording of a recent informational webinar and check out the webinar slides.
- Application Deadline: February 15, 2024
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- Provides tailored support to communities and tribal nations that may not have the resources to begin climate resilience planning and project solution design on their own.
- FEMA will offer wide-ranging non-financial support to BRIC DTA communities, including climate risk assessments, community engagement, partnership building, and mitigation and climate adaptation planning.
- Application Deadline: February 29, 2024
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- Avon Park AFB, FL
- Colorado State University
- Deadline: January 2
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- Multiple Locations
- The Nature Conservancy
- Deadline: January 2
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- Multiple Locations, NC
- NC Forest Service
- Deadline: January 2
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- Multiple Locations
- The Nature Conservancy
- Deadline: January 2
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- Homestead, FL
- National Park Service
- Deadline: January 5
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- Lake Norman, NC
- NC State Parks
- Deadline: January 5
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- Remote
- The Nature Conservancy
- Deadline: January 7
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- Milton, FL
- The Longleaf Alliance
- Deadline Unknown
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- Austin, TX
- Texas A&M Forest Service
- Deadline Unknown
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- College Station, TX
- Texas A&M Forest Service
- Deadline Unknown
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Click here for a useful resource on fire career paths.
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Fire Training Courses and Workshops
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Conferences, Meetings, and Other Events
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Share your stories, events, and information in the next issue:
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The Driptorch Digest is distributed by NC State University as a project of the Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS) Prescribed Fire Working Group.
NC State University promotes equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination and harassment based upon one’s race; color; religion (including belief and non-belief); sex, including but not limited to pregnancy, childbirth, or other related medical condition, parenting, and sexual harassment; sexual orientation; actual or perceived gender identity; age; national origin; disability; veteran status; or genetic
information.
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