The January Driptorch Digest is Now Available

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

NFWF Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund 2024 RFP

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

Multiple NRCS Funding Programs

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service offers several funding programs that may be used to support prescribed burning. Many private landowners in the South have already taken advantage of these programs but this year there may be more funding available than in previous years. Programs vary by area, so check out the information pages listed below.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)

FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Direct Technical Assistance (Non-Financial)

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

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.

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