Southern Fire Exchange

Partner Webinar: Invasive grasses in the southeastern United States
2021-03-10 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
This webinar will discuss a variety of invasive grasses throughout the southeastern United States. Invasive grasses rapidly invade disturbed areas, including pastures, fallow fields, forests, and highway and powerline rights-of-way. Infestations can impact the diversity of native species, reduce wildlife habitat, and disrupt important ecosystem functions. Seeds are typically wind-dispersed, but the plant can spread vegetatively through rhizomes (roots); these rhizomes can be spread to new places on vehicles and equipment. Seeds of many invasive grasses can remain viable in the soil for years. As such, control of invasive grasses is difficult, time-consuming, and expensive, involving a combination of mechanical and chemical treatments.
No registration is required.
Join the webinar here.

Partner Webinar: Ecological Drought: Impacts on Coastal Ecosystems
2021-03-17 15:00 - 16:00
This webinar will share recent research on drought impacts to coastal ecosystems and services.
Speakers:
• Dr. Kirsten Lackstrom, Research Associate, Carolinas Integrated Sciences & Assessments (a NOAA RISA)
• Dr. Beth Middleton, Research Ecologist, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, USGS
• Dr. Michael Osland, Research Ecologist, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center, USGS
This webinar is the fourth in a four-part series that seeks to raise awareness of ecological drought, share actions that strengthen ecosystems resilience and mitigate the impacts of droughts, and discuss research and management needs for future drought planning and preparedness. The series is co-hosted by NOAA’s National Integrated Drought Information System and the USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center, with expert speakers from the research community, tribal nations, and government agencies.
Register here.

Partner Webinar: 3D Fuel Characterization for Improved Modeling of Wildland Fire Behavior and Smoke
2021-03-18 13:00 - 14:00
Rapid advancements in wildland fire modeling are promoting innovations in how we characterize and map wildland fuels. Before these models can be widely used, more research on fuel characterization and mapping methods is needed to support 3D model inputs. The 3D Fuels Project is characterizing surface and canopy fuels on pine-dominated sites in the southeastern and western United States and western grasslands that represent fuels commonly characterized for prescribed burning. Through this project, researchers are developing a library of tools and datasets to leverage multi-scale estimates of 3D fuel structure and consumption that can be used directly within models of fire behavior and smoke production.
Register for the webinar here.

SFE Webinar: Potential Applications of Prescribed Burn Associations for Family Forest Landowners
2021-03-24 13:00 - 14:00
Prescribed burn associations (PBAs) are cooperative units of private landowners that pool resources to achieve scale that allows them to overcome barriers to prescribed burning. PBAs are currently most common among ranchers in the Great Plains to manage grasslands, however there is growing interest in the replication of PBAs to the application of family forest landowners in the eastern and western United States. This study identified major structural themes associated with PBAs in the United States and analyzed interactions between those themes using a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis framework.
Following the presentation there will be time for audience Q/A with the speaker.
Register here.

Partner Webinar: Air Sensor Performance Testing Protocols, Metrics, and Target Values for PM2.5 and Ozone
2021-03-24 15:00 - 16:00
Lower cost air sensor technologies have flooded the marketplace and are being rapidly adopted by state, tribal and local agencies, community scientists, researchers, health professionals, schools, and many others to measure air quality conditions. Common applications for air sensors include understanding air quality trends, supplemental monitoring, monitor siting, identifying hot spots, monitoring in remote locations, personal monitoring, and educational and environmental awareness. While air sensors have become more widespread, it is commonly known that the data quality from these technologies is highly variable. Consistent testing protocols and target values have not been available to uniformly evaluate and compare different air sensor technologies to better understand their performance in real-world conditions. As a result, there is a lack of confidence in data quality and in selecting sensors that best suit an application of interest.

This webinar will highlight two reports developed by EPA’s Office of Research and Development that outline recommended performance testing protocols, metrics, and target values for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3) air sensors. The reports apply to the use of PM2.5 and O3 air sensor in non-regulatory supplemental and informational monitoring (NSIM) applications in ambient, outdoor, fixed site environments. The anticipated outcomes of this work are to:

Provide a consistent approach for evaluating air sensor performance and reporting results;
Help the user community better understand sensor performance;
Assist the user community in making informed decisions on choosing sensors that appropriately suit their NSIM application; and
Encourage innovation and product improvement in the marketplace.

Register here.

Partner Webinar: Managing a nuisance native species, titi (Cyrilla racemiflora),in restoration activities
2021-03-30 10:00 - 12:00
Register here.

Partner Webinars: SCIENCE x Post-Disturbance Restoration
2021-04-05 - 2021-04-09
The SCIENCEx webinar series brings together scientists and land management experts from across U.S. Forest Service research stations and beyond to explore the latest science and best practices for addressing large natural resource challenges across the country.
These webinars will be primarily management focused, but with applicability for participants from across sectors. SCIENCEx will typically be organized as week-long webinar ‘blitzes’ around salient topics, allowing for deep-dives into subtopics or dynamics within specific geographies.
Schedule:
April 5: SCIENCE x Fire Disturbance (day 1)
Link: https://usfs.adobeconnect.com/dvvms-1000/

Understanding Post Wildfire Management Effects on Stand Structure and Woody Fuel Loadings, presented by Morris Johnson
Where to Intervene in Wildfire-Altered Forests in California, presented by Jonathan Long
Fire-Catalyzed Forest Conversions: Causes, Consequences, and Potential Paths Forward, presented by Sean Parks

April 6: SCIENCE x Fire Disturbance (day 2)
Link: https://usfs.adobeconnect.com/dvvms-1000/

What Do We Do Now? Extending Forest Restoration to Post-Fire Management in Dry Coniferous Forests, presented by Dave W. Peterson
Fire Severity Prediction on the Stanislaus National Forest: Management Implications, presented by Stacy Drury
A Demonstration of the Climate Smart Restoration Tool, a User-Friendly Seed Transfer Mapping Tool for Current and Future Climates, presented by Bryce Richardson

April 7: SCIENCE x Flood Disturbance and Erosion
Link: https://usfs.adobeconnect.com/dvvms-1000/

Title TBD, presented by Keith Nislow
Dirt Goes Downhill: Predicting and Mitigating Watershed Response After Wildfires, presented by Peter R. Robichaud
Impacts of Floods on Forest Restoration and Conservation in the Southern U.S., presented by Ge Sun

April 8: SCIENCE x Insect Disturbance
Link: https://usfs.adobeconnect.com/dv-500/

Forest Restoration Following Insect Disturbance in Southeastern Forests, presented by Chris Asaro
Near and Long-Term Southern Pine Beetle Outbreak Forecasts: Advances in Forest Science, presented by Steve McNulty
Bark Beetles in an Era of Megadisturbance: Reducing Impacts and Facilitating Recovery, presented by Jackson Audley

April 9: SCIENCE x Wind Disturbance
Link: https://usfs.adobeconnect.com/dvvms-1000/

Microtopography and Tree Regen in Northern Hardwoods: Research Results and Ideas for Management, presented by Christel Kern
A Primer on Wind Disturbance in Southern Forests: Unanswered Questions and Management Considerations, presented by JT Vogt
Silver Linings Playbook: How Windthrow and Salvage Logging can Promote Biodiversity, presented by Alex Royo

Partner Webinar: NC State Climate Office Data System Public Launch
2021-04-05 11:00 - 12:00
Join this free webinar launch to learn about two new tools from the NC State Climate Office!
Cardinal is the new data retrieval system designed to make accessing data from weather and
climate stations across the state easier, and Scout guides users through exploring recent
weather data and station information.
Register here.

Partner Webinar: Fire Environment Continuing Education Spring Webinar
2021-04-07 12:00 - 14:00
The Fire Environment Continuing Education Subcommittee (FCESC) will host the annual spring pre-season webinar April 7, 2021 at 10:00 MDT.
Topics will include:

Fire Environment Poster/Fire Behavior Pocket Guide
Fire in the 3rd dimension
Risk Management Assistance
Smoke Management
Next Generation of WFDSS

Register here.

Partner Webinar: EPA Tools for Addressing Air Quality Impacts from Wildfires - AirNow Fire and Smoke Map
2021-04-08 14:30 - 16:00
Part (1) of (2) Part Webinar on EPA Tools for Addressing Air Quality Impacts from Wildfires – AirNow Fire and Smoke Map.

This webinar will be focused on the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map, and how air sensors can be used in a community smoke monitor network to measure how much smoke is entering indoor spaces. Part two of the webinar will focus on SmokeSense and Smoke Ready Communities, scheduled for April 21.
These webinars are part of the U.S. EPA Environmental Justice Webinar Series for Tribes and Indigenous Peoples – to build the capacity of tribal governments, indigenous peoples and other environmental justice practitioners, and discuss priority EJ issues of interest to tribes and indigenous peoples.
Register for free here.
Part two of this series will be held April 21, 2:30-4:00 PM ET.

Partner Webinar: Incident Management and COVID-19. Lessons Learned and Remaining Challenges
2021-04-12 15:00 - 16:00

Partner Webinar: Pine Decline in the Southeastern U.S.
2021-04-14 13:00 - 14:00
Pine decline is a disease complex resulting from the interactions of both biotic and abiotic stressors. Dr. David Coyle (Clemson University) will provide a general overview of identification, impact and management strategies for pine decline related factors.
No registration required.
Join the webinar here.

SFE Webinar: Introduction to the Southeast FireMap
2021-04-16 13:00 - 14:00
The SE FireMap is a new fire mapping system for the Southeastern United States. Developed with funding provided by the USDA NRCS, SE FireMap uses a remote sensing based approach to track both prescribed fire and wildfire activity on public and private lands across the range of the longleaf pine. SE FireMap is being developed as a critical decision support tool to maximize the effectiveness of fire management practices across boundaries, ecosystems, and jurisdictions. This webinar will introduce the SE FireMap, describe the source of the fire data, and explore the current opportunities to use the data. Following the presentations there will be time for audience Q/A with the speakers.
Presenters:
Bridgett Costanzo, Working Lands for Wildlife Coordinator-Eastern US, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
Joe Noble, Geospatial Program Director, Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy
Lucas Furman, SE FireMap Technical Oversight Team Lead, The Longleaf Alliance
Register here.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.

Partner Webinar: Venus Flytrap Champions: Collaborating for Conservation
2021-04-21 12:00 - 13:00
Venus Flytrap Champions is a collaboration of agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve as a support network for people managing Venus flytrap habitat on private property. The final webinar in the series recognizes these champions who assist landowners and land managers in the Carolinas interested in preserving populations of this rare carnivorous species. We believe landowners can play a significant role in maintaining and increasing the remaining habitat for flytraps and the other insectivorous and uncommon plant species that grow with it.
Register here.

Partner Webinar: Wildfires and Air Quality (Part 2) – Smoke Sense and Smoke Ready Communities
2021-04-21 14:30 - 16:00
This webinar on Wildfires and Air Quality is part two of a two-part webinar on wildfires and addressing air impacts. This webinar will focus on the Smoke Sense citizen science project, and the Smoke Ready Communities Research Study. Part one will be/was held on April 8, which focused on AirNow Fire and Smoke Map, and Sensors for Community Smoke Monitoring.
These webinars are part of the U.S. EPA Environmental Justice Webinar Series for Tribes and Indigenous Peoples – to build the capacity of tribal governments, indigenous peoples and other environmental justice practitioners, and discuss priority EJ issues of interest to tribes and indigenous peoples.
Register here.

Partner Webinar: Assessment of Early Implementation of the US Forest Service’s Shared Stewardship Strategy
2021-04-21 15:00 - 16:00
A discussion of the first publication in a 5-year study on stakeholder perspectives of the USFS’s Shared Stewardship Strategy. Learn the factors driving state & federal choices on strategic partnerships for cross-boundary forest management, as well as opportunities, challenges, and changes needed. Read the full assessment here.
Presenters:
Courtney Schultz, Colorado State University
Chad Kooistra, Colorado State University
Heidi Huber-Stearns, University of Oregon
Jesse Abrams, University of Georgia
Register here.

Partner Webinar: The Role of Beavers in Wildfire Mitigation and Recovery
2021-04-22 12:00 - 14:00
More information and registration here.
Registration is $19 for NAA members and $49 for non-members.

Partner Webinar: Bees and Fire: Do they Mix?
2021-04-27 15:00 - 16:00
Prescribed fire has been an essential tool for forest restoration in the southeastern United States. Bees are essential components of these ecosystems, but how do bees cope with fire? This webinar looks at the evidence and gives a glimpse into recent and ongoing research in North Carolina’s fire-managed forests.
Register here.

SFE Webinar: Prescribed Burn Associations in the Southeast - A Conversation with Experts
2021-04-28 11:00 - 12:00
A Prescribed Burn Association, or PBA, is a group of local landowners and other concerned citizens that form a partnership to conduct prescribed burns. PBAs are increasingly being formed and discussed in the Southeast in response to both landowner interest in conducting prescribed fire and the barriers they face in doing so. A previous SFE webinar examined recent research on the potential applications of PBAs for family forest landowners (view the recording here). While attending the previous webinar is not required, this event is intended to serve as a follow-up conversation and will feature a panel discussion of experts from North Carolina and Oklahoma who are involved in PBAs.
There will be an opportunity for webinar attendees to submit questions, and you may submit questions ahead of time to Laurel Kays at lekays@ncsu.edu. Following the presentations there will be time for audience Q/A with the speakers.
Presenters:
Jesse Wimberley, Coordinator, Sandhills PBA
Benjy Strope, Biologist, NC Wildlife Resources Commission
Phil Wallace, Staff Forester – Silviculture, NC Forest Service
John Weir, Associate Extension Specialist, Oklahoma State University
Register here.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.

Partner Webinar: Bobwhite Quail Lunch and Learn
2021-05-04 12:00 - 13:00
Join the Sewee Longleaf Conservation Cooperative in this virtual webinar for a conversation with SC’s bobwhite quail experts.
Register here.

SFE Webinar: Fire Suppression and Mesophication of Upland Oak Landscapes
2021-05-06 13:00 - 14:00
Historically pyrophytic and open-canopied upland oak landscapes across the central and eastern U.S. are shifting to closed-canopied forests dominated by shade-tolerant, often fire-sensitive species. Mesophication, a hypothesized process initiated by intentional fire exclusion by which these encroaching species progressively create conditions favorable for their own persistence at the expense of pyrophytic species, is commonly cited as causing this structural and compositional transition. While many forest ecologists and land managers accept the mesophication hypothesis as evidence for these shifts, the reason for these changes is not clear and many questions remain. In this presentation, we will consider current evidence for mesophication plus knowledge gaps and potential future research that considers which tree species and tree traits create self-perpetuating conditions and under what conditions tree-level processes might affect forest flammability at broader scales. The goal is to promote research that can better inform restoration and conservation of oak ecosystems experiencing structural and compositional shifts across the region.
Presenter:
Dr. Heather Alexander, Assistant Professor of Forest Ecology, Auburn University
Register here.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.

Partner Webinar: Fighting Fire with Fire: Rx Fire Toolbox to Combat Identified Social Barriers
2021-05-06 13:00 - 14:00
Elevated fuel loads together with projected hotter and drier climatic conditions will likely lead to more frequent erratic wildfires in the western USA. Recognition that changing climate and decades of fuel accumulation are increasing the risks of wildfire has led to calls for fire management reform, including the widespread use of prescribed fire to reduce fuel loads. However, this shift in fire management emphasis is failing to be widely adopted due to social and regulatory barriers to using fire. To ensure fire management reform is broadly adopted on private land in the western states, the attitudes of stakeholders towards the use of prescribed fire as a wildfire reduction tool need to be clearly understood.
Presenter: Dr. Urs Kreuter
Register here.

Partner Webinar: Southeast Climate Monthly Webinar
2021-05-11 10:00 - 11:00
The Southeast Climate monthly webinar series is held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 10:00 am ET. This series is hosted by the Southeast Regional Climate Center, in partnership with the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and the NOAA National Weather Service. These webinars will provide the region with timely information on current and developing climate conditions such as drought, floods and tropical storms, as well as climatic events like El Niño and La Niña. Speakers may also discuss the impacts of these conditions on topics such as agriculture production, water resources, wildfires and ecosystems.
Register here.

Partner Webinar: Working Lands for Wildlife - The Long View: Sustaining Our Oak Forests
2021-05-12 11:00 - 13:00
This FREE working lands webinar hosted by Ruffed Grouse Society &American Woodcock Society and the NRCS Working Lands for Wildlife program will educate landowners and natural resource professionals on working lands conservation programs intended to benefit wildlife species and promote forest diversity.
This webinar has been approved for the following. Please register here to receive credit.

2 CFE credits (category 1) with the Society of American Foresters
2 CEUs (category 1) of the Certified Wildlife Biologist® Renewal/Professional Development Certificate Program for participation in the webinar
USDA-NRCS Conservation Planner Certification

Register here.
Throughout history, oak forests have been appreciated for their enormous ecological, economic, and social value. These benefits are widely acknowledged by foresters, wildlife biologists, hunters, conservationists, and landowners.
However, successfully managing oak forests is no easy task. It requires knowledge, forethought, and patience. Due to land-use history, fire suppression, and poor or lacking forest management we are gradually losing our oak forests throughout the Central Hardwood Region and Eastern United States.
In this webinar, we will take the “Long View” by looking back in time to see how human history has influenced the oak forests we have today. This historical grounding will allow us to look forward and consider how our actions today can ensure we restore and sustain oak forests into the future.
To do this, we must first gain a comprehensive understanding of the history of our oak forests in the Central Hardwood Region and learn about their widespread value to people, deer, grouse, songbirds, and pollinators. We will then look more closely at current research and how these dynamic forests grow and change in the face of natural and human disturbances. Speakers will then share practical examples of far-reaching, thoughtful forest management on family land and how those examples can be replicated to perpetuate our oak forests throughout their range.

Partner Webinar: Stewart Udall and the Politics of Environment and Race
2021-05-20 14:00 - 15:00
Stewart Udall left a profound impact on land conservation and racial issues. As the U.S. Interior Secretary during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations he successfully advocated for the creation of many national parks and monuments, and encouraged Lady Bird Johnson to undertake a national beautification program. He led the way for most of the environmental legislation we now take for granted, including the Clean Air and Water and Wilderness Acts, Wild and Scenic Rivers and National Trails Acts, and the National Historical Preservation Act, and the Land and Water Conservation Fund. He also fought for pesticide reduction and mining reclamation, endangered species protection, gas mileage requirements, and rapid transit systems.
By no means was his work limited to the land. As Secretary and in his private life Udall also worked for racial justice. He fought successfully to end Jim Crow era segregation at the University of Arizona and broke with the Mormon Church over its refusal to allow Blacks in the priesthood. As Secretary, he hired the first African American rangers in our national parks, forced the Washington Redskins (now the Washington Football Team) to integrate their team, championed self-determination for Native Americans, and fought for redress and compensation for Navajo uranium miners and other victims of the atomic age.
Discussing this transformative yet underappreciated figure will be John de Graaf, director of the upcoming PBS film “Stewart Udall and the Politics of Beauty.”
Register here.

Partner Webinar: Learn about the New 'Compare Weather' Function in IFTDSS
2021-05-26 14:00 - 15:00
Compare and View up to Five Weather Scenarios to evaluate affects on Fire Behavior. Only in the Interagency Fuel Treatment Decision Support System (IFTDSS) can you run fire behavior models and compare the outputs side-by-side. Easily view on the map, change the inputs and re-run to explore the impacts of weather on fire behavior outputs. Great for enhancing your burn plans, NEPA documents or understanding and calibrating model outputs.
Register here.

Partner Webinar: Collaborative Fire Management Case Studies from the Colville National Forest
2021-05-27 14:00 - 15:00
This webinar will provide examples of successful cross-cultural partnerships for managing fire and building community resilience in a changing climate. In this webinar, USFS fire ecologist and tribal liaison Monique Wynecoop will share two case studies from the Colville National Forest, in which the Spokane and Colville Tribes and non-tribal partners conducted collaborative, interdisciplinary fire management projects that incorporated diverse values, cultures and knowledges to meet multiple fire management goals. Monique will share lessons learned for building trust with tribal communities and conducting collaborative fire management through a restorative justice lens with tribes as beneficiaries.
Register for the webinar here.

North Georgia Prescribed Fire Council Annual Meeting
2021-06-03
AGENDA
9:00 Opening remarks – Kevin Hiers
9:10 Welcome – Governor Brian Kemp
9:25 The State of Fire in Georgia -Tim Lowrimore
9:45 Prescribed Fire’s Role in the Oak Regeneration Process – Dr. Callie Schweitzer
10:30 Break
10:45 Using Drones with Infrared Capabilities To Monitor Fire Behavior – Cole Fagen/Amy McClave
11:15 The Role of Prescribed Fire in Shortleaf Pine – Mike Black
11:35 Lunch Break
12:05 Forest and Fire Management for Northern Bobwhites Above the Fall Line -Dr. James Martin
12:35 Before fire exclusion…fire history in North Georgia and the Cumberland Plateau -Mike Stambaugh
1:05 The Paradoxical Effects of the 2016 Wildfires on Tree Mortality-Dr. Joseph O’Brien
1:35 Break
1:50 A Case Study of Smoke in Chattanooga -Dr. Scott Goodrick
2:10 Smoke Management Guide for SE Landowners – Jennifer Fawcett/Holly
Campbell
2:30 Community Protection Program-Beyond Boundaries -Shardul Raval
2:45 Closing Remarks – Kevin Hiers
3:00 Adjourn
SAF Continuing Forestry Education credits as well as Master Timber Harvester credits will be available for those attending this meeting. Attendance will be determined by a list of individuals that sign-in to the meeting. In order to get credit for attending, you will need to register below with your license number. You will receive a confirmation email with a link unique to you. Use that link on June 3rd to log-in and attend the meeting. If you do not use your unique link, we will be unable to verify your attendance and you will not receive continuing education credits.
Register here.

Partner Webinar: Collaborative Landscape Conservation Planning: Fostering local stakeholder engagement
2021-06-09 13:00 - 14:00
Natural resource practitioners are increasingly taking a collaborative, landscape-level approach to natural resource conservation. Despite its potential advantages, this approach faces challenges. Primary among these is ensuring ecosystem-wide goals for conservation can effectively inform local management plans and actions. This necessitates working with local stakeholders. Opportunities for local stakeholders to participate in landscape conservation planning are often limited, in part because conservation leaders are uncertain about whether, when, and how these stakeholders might most effectively participate in decision processes.
In this presentation, Catherine Doyle-Capitman will provide an overview of best practices for engaging local stakeholders and incorporating social data during collaborative landscape conservation planning. An overview of these best practices can be found in the following practitioners’ guide: Facilitating Local Stakeholder Participation in Collaborative Landscape Conservation Planning (https://prod-is-cms-assets.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/hd/prod/353a0be0-a3a5-11eb-9909-a71e27a203e5-Doyle-Capitman.pdf)
Register here.

Partner Webinar: "Fire Breaks: Fire Suppression, the 'Light-Burning' Controversy, and the Return of Indigenous Flames"
2021-06-10 13:00 - 14:00
Historian Char Miller will be speaking about this history of fire use by Indigenous populations in what is now California and the impact of fire suppression on the land and peoples. Registration for the free Zoom event is required.
Register here.
