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Florida Partnership Enables Landscape-Level Prescribed Burn

On March 2, 2018, a large prescribed burn occurred at the Yellow River Water Management Area in Santa Rosa County, Florida, which is managed by the Northwest Florida Water Management District. Weather and atmospheric conditions were ideal and resources were available for the Florida Forest Service to approve the burn permit. Aerial ignition via helicopter started the fire systematically across the landscape. Ground firing and monitoring crews, consisting of 15 personnel were stationed at the tract perimeter as ground support during the burn.

Prescribed Fire Program Reduces Wildfire Severity

Over four long days in late March 2011, the most severe wildfire outbreak in a decade occurred at Eglin Air Force Base, located near Destin, Florida (Fig. 1). A persistent drought, 20 mph winds and low humidity, combined with 12-15 arson fires on the property, resulted in 6,000 acres burned in a matter of days. Due to Eglin’s aggressive prescribed fire program, the March 2011 wildfire severity and acres burned were significantly reduced. Without this regular fuel reduction, anywhere from 10-12,000 acres could have burned just on the Eglin side, with untold acres burned and property damaged north of Interstate 10.

Brevard County, Florida Uses Prescribed Fire to Manage Environmentally Endangered Lands

The Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program, located in Brevard County, Florida was established in 1990 to protect natural habitats while also providing recreational and educational opportunities to residents and visitors. Approved through referendum by Brevard County voters in 1990, the EEL program provides funding and guidance to form a network of sanctuary lands to be purchased and indefinitely managed by the Program.

Enon-Sehoy Plantation Uses Prescribed Fire to Improve Quail and Red-cockaded Woodpecker Habitat

Enon-Sehoy Plantation, located in the Alabama Upper Coastal Plains, is a recreational, quail hunting property renowned for its open-story pine trees and diverse wildlife. The 27,500 acre, privately-owned property contains widely spaced longleaf, shortleaf, loblolly, and slash pine forests (basal area of 15-60 square feet per acre) with diverse understory grasses and forbs, such as bluestem, switchgrass, and the federally endangered American chaffseed. The forests and understory vegetation support abundant wildlife, including deer, turkey, and quail, as well as the threatened Bachman’s sparrow and the federally endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. Within four years, the property’s red-cockaded woodpecker population grew from just 3 clusters to 29 potential breeding groups.

Agencies Join Forces to Create Ecosystem Restoration Teams

In a unique partnership, the Florida Forest Service and The Nature Conservancy have joined forces as they use fire strike teams, currently referred to as Ecosystem Restoration Teams, to restore a variety of forest ecosystems and get fire back on the ground across the state of Florida.

Earl Thompson and The Restoration of Blackwater River

Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and private land owner Earl Thompson propose to restore a river that feeds into to Blackwater River which was severely impacted from erosion in Okaloosa County, Florida.