Southern Fire Exchange

Fueling Collaboration: Fire and the Carbon Cycle
2021-11-18 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
This panel discussion will explore the dynamic role that fire plays in soil nutrient cycling, carbon dynamics, and other ecosystem processes.
Register here.

Partner Webinar: Don't Let Perfection Be the Enemy of Good – Lessons from the Longleaf Pine Savanna Restoration
2021-11-19 11:30 - 12:30
Join us on Friday, November 19 at 11:30 AM (EST) for the next LIVE Chestnut Chat: Don’t Let Perfection Be the Enemy of Good – Lessons from Longleaf Pine Savanna Restoration. Presenters Zach Prusak (Tall Timbers Research Station), Chris Matson (Florida Park Service), and Walt Thomson and Chaz Oliver (The Nature Conservancy) will look at the Longleaf Pine Savanna restoration process as an analogy for American chestnut restoration. While this is not an apples-to-apples comparison, the Chat will focus on how we can perceive this gigantic undertaking: Are there out-of-the-box perspectives that can be incorporated into the journey towards American chestnut restoration? What roadblocks and bottlenecks were encountered amidst Longleaf Pine Savanna restoration and how were those overcome?

Partner Webinar: Comparing Air Quality and Public Health Impacts from Prescribed Fire and Wildfire Smoke
2021-11-30 13:00 - 14:00
Join us for a conversation about the recent release of the EPA Report on Comparing Air Quality and Public Health Impacts from Prescribed Fire and Wildfire Smoke. Jason Sacks, with the Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment, Office of Research and Development at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will be joining us for an overview of the studies that provided the information for this report aimed at helping federal, state, local and Tribal partners and fire organizations make risk management decisions to reduce the impacts of wildfire smoke in their communities.
Register here.

Partner Webinar: Reflection, Reset, and Residue in Wildland Fire Management
2021-12-08 17:00 - 18:00
IAWF WORKFORCE RESILIENCE IGNITE TALK
YOU are part of Mission Critical Teams: Reflection, Reset, and Residue in Wildland Fire Management
December 8th at 3:00 pm MST

Register here.
Mission critical teams are small (4-12 agents) integrated groups of indigenously trained and educated experts who leverage tools and technology to resolve rapidly emergent complex adaptive problems in an immersive but constrained (300 seconds or less) temporal environments where the consequence of failure can be a catastrophic loss. These teams are able to consistently innovate as fast, or faster, than the evolving problem sets by moving their focus from trying to predict future problem sets to building the capacity of the team to resolve whatever problem set emerges.
Reflection: MCTs are made up of experts like you who hold the requisite skill and solutions but may lack the language to pass that knowledge on to the rest of the team, such as knowing how to ride a bike, but being unable to explain it to someone else. Leaders in Wildland Fire need to find the language to pass on their experience and navigate between critical and routine environments.
Reset: Wildland fire is about having one experience after another, throughout your career. The question is how do we make meaning of those experiences in such a way that they fuel us, rather than distract us from the next experience. Part of this is about taking the time to find purposeful meaning with After Action Reviews which actually influence the story that team members will tell about themselves, and their team, after an event.
Residue: You are not broken. You are not a victim. You are not a survivor. You have chosen the hard path—a path full of extreme experiences, both good and bad, which leave memories. These memories, in turn, leave a residue within you, which if processed can serve as the fuel that moves us to wisdom and joy. If unprocessed, however, it will begin to build up, to harden, until you can no longer move or breathe, until all you know is pain and sorrow. MCTI rejects the idea that Operators, in Medicine, Fire, Law Enforcement and Military, must sacrifice their lives and souls, in exchange for living a life of service.

Partner Webinar: Boundary spanning features for collective action to reduce wildfire risk
2021-12-09 14:00 - 15:00
This presentation will share key findings from a recent Joint Fire Science Project, specifically on:
1) the multiple types of boundaries in managing wildfire risk, and the boundary spanning features that can help cross them;
2) what strategies actors utilized for wildfire risk reduction across five case studies in the West; and
3) questions and ideas for future research and practice. This work is intended to help wildfire practitioners and managers better understand and address these organizational complexities as they work toward greater collective impact.
Register here.

Partner Webinar: Southeast Climate Monthly Webinar
2021-12-14 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.
Upcoming Webinar Special Topics: December 14th, 2021 – El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Michelle L’Heureux, NWS CPC
Register here.

Partner Webinar: Invasive grass-fire feedbacks in Shawnee National Forest
2021-12-14 15:00 - 16:00
This webinar is brought to you by the Oak Woodlands & Forests Fire Science Consortium and is the first webinar of the Fall Webinar Series
This webinar will be presented by Ron Salemme, University of Illinois
Registration is required (link below)!!
Webinar title: Invasive grass-fire feedbacks in Shawnee National Forest
Date/Time: December 14, 2021 at 1pm central time
The Wildlife Society and The Society of American Foresters continuing education credits (1 hour Cat 1) approved
Register here: https://umsystem.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwocOippjgqGdMQWd91Tqi1c98nUZndO0Ku
A unique Zoom Meeting link will be emailed to you. Enter the meeting room beginning at 12:45 pm (central time) on the day of the webinar.
Webinar Abstract:
Non-native grass invasions are altering fuels and fire behavior in forests, with uncertain consequences for tree regeneration and forest dynamics. We examined whether invasion by Microstegium vimineum, the most widespread invasive grass in the eastern United States, interacts with prescribed fire to reduce tree regeneration and evaluated how such interactions might influence long-term regeneration dynamics in the Central Hardwoods Region. Using paired invaded and uninvaded plots subjected to fall or spring burning, we quantified differences in pre-fire juvenile tree regeneration, fire intensity, and survival and resprouting rates of naturally established juvenile trees of varying sizes and species. Our results suggest that, while grass invasion can have varying effects on fire intensity, it consistently alters forest dynamics by reducing the resilience of tree regeneration to fire. Lengthening the time between prescribed fire applications in grass-invaded forests may be necessary to allow juvenile trees to reach an adequate size to survive burning.

Fueling Collaboration: Fire and Timber Management in Mixed Woods
2021-12-16 12:00 - 14:00
This session will focus on challenges and opportunities for using prescribed fire in mixed oak-pine forests of the eastern U.S. with both timber and natural community management values.
Register here.

Partner Webinar: Bunchgrass Ecology in Fire-Prone Pine Savannas
2021-12-17 12:00 - 13:00
The Florida Native Plant Society will host the lunch and learn.
Join via YouTube here.

Southeast Climate Monthly Webinar
2022-01-11 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 (SERCC), 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.
Upcoming Webinar Special Topics:
January 11th, 2022 – Hourly Precipitation Trends in the Southeast; Vincent Brown, LSU/SCIPP
February 8th, 2022 – Flood Climatology in the Southeast; Jeff Dobur, NWS Southeast River Forecast Center
March 8th, 2022 – Citizen Science for Understanding Weather and Climate: The CoCoRaHS volunteer network; Melissa Griffin, South Carolina State Climatology Office
April 12th, 2022 – Acidification in the U.S. Southeast: Causes, Potential Consequences; Emily Hall, Mote Marine Laboratory

Partner Webinar: Tainted Grapes, Tainted Lungs: Extreme Wildfire Impacts to Undocumented Latino/a and Indigenous Migrants
2022-01-11 17:00 - 19:00
As climate change advances, communities across the United States are adapting to the increased threat of wildfires. Such disasters are expected to become more frequent and severe.
In this lecture, Dr. Méndez explores why it is crucial to understand how these events amplify existing inequalities, and how to lessen the resulting harms, in particular for the most stigmatized populations, such as undocumented Latino/a and Indigenous migrants.
Register here.

Fueling Collaboration: Smoke is NOT Just Smoke
2022-01-20 12:00 - 14:00
Smoke was already an important issue in wildland fire, but this summer is driving home the point even more across the eastern US. Whether it’s the western US and Canadian wildfire smoke or smoke from more local prescribed fires, what are the messages we should be communicating? What are the tools that can help us assess impacts? Attend this session to hear about the latest and greatest regarding smoke.
Register here.

SFE Webinar: Overview of the US National Fire Danger Rating System Version 4.0 (2016): Lessons learned from the Southeast US implementation
2022-01-21 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual
A free one hour webinar from the US Forest Service, North Carolina Prescribed Fire Council, the Southern Fire Exchange, NC State University, and the University of Florida.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.
Presenter:
Dr. Matt Jolly, Research Ecologist, US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory
Webinar Description: The US National Fire Danger Rating System is the foundation for wildland fire preparedness and response decision support throughout the country. Here we will present the development and implementation of the first revisions to the system in 40 years. We discuss the improvements made to dead and live fuel moisture models and simplifications made to fuel models and summarize how these improvements pave the way for technological advancements in future fire danger systems. Finally, we will discuss the lessons learned while implementing NFDRS V4 throughout the Federal and State land management agencies in the Southeast US. Following the presentations there will be time for audience Q/A with the speaker.

Register here: https://ufl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Nb40EuIPQFKhiQMYNGBB4Q

SFE Webinar: Herbert Stoddard and the Origins of Ecosystem Management
2022-01-27 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual
A free one hour webinar from Tall Timbers Research Station, the Southern Fire Exchange, NC State University, and the University of Florida.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.
Presenter:
Jim Cox, Tall Timbers Research Station
Webinar Description: Herbert Stoddard has been undervalued and sometimes overlooked in terms of his contributions to wildlife conservation and management in North America. Although his formal education ended in the 8th grade, Stoddard fundamentally changed game species management through a focus on habitat management rather than bag limits. He also established the study of fire ecology and developed novel timber management strategies that mimicked natural disturbances, provided income for landowners, and also met the needs of rare species. Stoddard is also responsible in part for establishing the Wade Tract, the only National Natural Landmark dedicated to the endangered longleaf pine ecosystem. Following the presentations there will be time for audience Q/A with the speaker.
Register here: https://ufl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LT1PimqlRVSjrJTJdNsoNA

Partner Webinar: Community Health Workers: Building Cultural Bridges to Address Environmental Public Health
2022-01-27 13:00 - 14:00
Please join us for the upcoming PEPH webinar: Community Health Workers: Building Cultural Bridges to Address Environmental Public Health.

Date: Thursday January 27, 2022 • 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.

Registration (required): https://nih.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIsd-GvrTsrHNIds8dTqR_wWMG73OuWaBg

A community health worker is a frontline public health worker who is a trusted member of and/or has an unusually close understanding of the community served, as defined by the American Public Health Association. This trusting relationship enables the worker to serve as a liaison, link, or intermediary between health and social services and the community. This linkage facilitates access to services and improves the quality and cultural competence of service delivery. A community health worker also builds individual and community capacity by increasing health knowledge and self-sufficiency through a range of activities such as outreach, community education, informal counseling, social support, and advocacy. In the context of environmental health research, community health workers can foster trusting relationships between researchers and the community residents and ensure that research and communication approaches are culturally appropriate.
During this webinar we will hear two co-presentations about NIEHS-funded projects where academics are partnering with community health workers to address local environmental health issues.

For more information about the webinar including the full webinar description and presenter bios please refer to the webinar webpage.

SFE Webinar: Early Implementation of the US Forest Service’s Shared Stewardship Strategy in the Eastern United States
2022-02-03 13:00 - 14:00
Register here.
Presenters:
Destin Kee, University of Georgia
Tyler Aldworth, Colorado State University
Dr. Jesse Abrams, University of Georgia
Webinar Description: The Shared Stewardship Strategy was launched by the U.S. Forest Service in 2018 as a means to promote management across ownerships and jurisdictions in pursuit of common goals regarding restoration, fire risk reduction, and the management of water and other resources. Since that time, 28 states have signed Shared Stewardship memoranda of understanding with the U.S. Forest Service and other federal agencies committing to working in partnership. This webinar reports on findings from preliminary research on Shared Stewardship implementation in seven states east of the Rocky Mountains (AR, FL, GA, MA, NE, NC, TX), focusing on understandings of “Shared Stewardship,” perceived opportunities and challenges to working across boundaries, and changes instituted to date. We will also discuss commonalities and contrasts with Shared Stewardship implementation in western states where federal lands are more abundant. Following the presentations there will be time for audience Q/A with the speakers.

Fueling Collaboration: Fire and the Wildland Urban Interface in the Eastern US
2022-02-17 12:00 - 14:00
Notions of fire and the wildland urban interface often bring to mind scenes from the western United States, where catastrophic wildfires have led to catastrophic losses. In contrast, mapping efforts have found that the vast majority of the WUI acres can be found in the eastern United States. This panel will talk about how wildfire, prescribed fire, and climate change intersect in the WUI of the east.
Register here.

SFE Webinar: Tools for Hosting Online Wildland Fire Courses
2022-02-24 13:00 - 14:00
Register here.
A free one hour webinar from the US Forest Service, Tall Timbers Research Station, Southern Fire Exchange, NC State University, and University of Florida.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.
Presenters:
Lindsey Curtin, US Forest Service
Zach Prusak, Tall Timbers Research Station
Sean Flanagan, US Forest Service
Webinar Description: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many fire practitioners are exploring ways to use virtual platforms to offer, supplement, and improve training. This webinar will cover two tools available for hosting online fire courses: the Wildland Fire Learning Portal and a learning management system owned by Tall Timbers Research Station. Presenters will discuss potential courses that can be offered, intended audiences, and how to use each platform. Following the presentation there will be time for audience Q/A with the speakers.
Following the presentations there will be time for audience Q/A with the speakers.

SFE Webinar: Results and Recommendations from the Southeast Prescribed Fire Training Needs Survey
2022-03-03 13:00 - 14:30
Register here.
A free 1.5 hour webinar from the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Strategy – Southeast Regional Strategy Committee, Southern Fire Exchange, NC State University, and University of Florida.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.
Presenters:
Jennifer Fawcett, North Carolina State University
Laurel Kays, North Carolina State University
Gary Wood, Southeast Regional Cohesive Wildland Fire Strategy – Southern Group of State Foresters
Webinar Description: The Southeast Prescribed Fire Training Needs Survey was conducted in January 2021 to assess the state of prescribed fire training in the region and identify barriers, deficiencies, and areas for improvement. This webinar will discuss highlights from the survey report, including results from the nearly 1,000 responses and key observations and recommended actions to improve training across the region. Following the presentation there will be time for audience Q/A with the speakers.

Fueling Collaboration: Thinking Beyond Fuel Reduction
2022-03-17 12:00 - 14:00
We often view prescribed fire simply as an alternative to wildfire and as little more than a tool for fuel reduction. This panel will share some of the benefits of controlled burns that go beyond that notion. We’ll explore using “goodfire” for food production, reducing disease transmission and more!
Register here.

Partner Webinar: "20 Years of Partnership: Lessons Learned from the South Central Fire Learning Network"
2022-05-10 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
20 Years of Partnership: Lessons Learned from the South Central Fire Learning Network
The South Central Fire Learning Network in Arkansas and adjoining states has spent 20 years cultivating a diverse coalition of restoration practitioners, scientists, policy makers and on-the-ground managers. With projects including two Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) projects (together totaling over 1 million acres) the 80,000-acre Happy Bat Project, and leadership of the Shortleaf Pine Initiative, the South Central FLN is a national leader in collaborative restoration.
On this webinar, we will hear from some of the partners that have made this sustained success possible: McRee Anderson (TNC), Jim Mccoy (USFS), Randy Brents (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission), and Gabe De Jong (TNC). They will briefly discuss the history of the partnership, lessons learned from building and sustaining it, and an overview of the current state and future direction the partnership is seeking.
The majority of the webinar will be spent on an interactive panel discussion. Participants can pre-submit questions through this form or submit questions live during the webinar. Contact Laurel Kays (laurel.kays@tnc.org) with any other questions. Register here.

Virtual Workshop - From Flames to Forests: Past, Present, and Future Fires for Sustaining Our Forests and Wildlife
2022-06-07 11:00 - 14:00
Virtual Workshop
From Flames to Forests: Past, Present, and Future Fires for Sustaining Our Forests and Wildlife
Presented by the Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society
June 7, 2022
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM ET
From Flames to Forest: Past, Present, and Future Fires for Sustaining our Forests and Wildlife

Registration link: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/from-flames-to-forests
Continuing Education Credits (pending approval) Society of American Foresters, Wildlife Society, USDA-NRCS

Agenda
Tuesday, June 7th from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
11:00 AM – 11:10 AM: “Welcome and Introduction” Charlie Faires, Forester, Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society
11:10 AM – 11:35 AM: “Fire History Paradigms: What’s “Natural”?” Dr. Kevin Robertson, Fire Ecology Research Scientist, Tall Timbers Research Station
11:35 AM – 12:00 PM: “Forest and Fire Ecology: Understanding the Relationship Between Forests and Fire” Dr. Heather Alexander, Assistant Professor of Forest Ecology, Auburn University
12:00 PM – 12:05: Break
12:05 PM – 12:30 PM: “Disturbance Dependent Wildlife: Fire as a Tool for Wildlife Management” Dr. Ben Jones, President and CEO, Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society
12:30 – 12:55 PM: “Managing Forests with Fire: Fire as a Silvicultural Tool” Dr. Tara Keyser, Research Forest and Director of the Center for Forest Restoration and Management, United States Forest Service
12:55 PM: Break
1:00 PM – 1:25 PM: “A Community of Practice: Implementing Prescribed Fire at Scale” Adam Warwick, Southern Blue Ridge and Fire Leaning Network Project Manager, The Nature Conservancy
1:25 PM: Panel Discussion with Lecturers

SFE Partner Webinar: Introducing the North American Tree-Ring Fire-Scar Network
2022-06-08 14:00 | Virtual
Webinar: Introducing the North American Tree-Ring Fire-Scar Network

When: June 8, 2022 at 12:00-1:00 pm central time
Presented by: Dr. Ellis Margolis, Research Ecologist, USGS Fort Collins Science Center and Dr. Christopher Guiterman, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) University of Colorado at Boulder, and NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)
Hosted by: Joint Fire Science Program’s Fire Science Exchange Network
Register: https://umsystem.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJArd-qurDgjE9bW2ACpjzczxSc6LIqsZkr0
Abstract: A recent collaboration by ~90 tree-ring and fire-scar scientists has resulted in the publication* of the newly compiled North American Tree-Ring Fire-Scar Network (NAFSN), which contains 2,562 sites, > 37,000 fire-scarred trees, and covers large parts of North America. In this publication, authors investigate the NAFSN in terms of geography, sample depth, vegetation, topography, climate, and human land use.
In this webinar presenters will present major findings from the publication, demonstrate data accessibility, highlight management applications, and discuss future steps planned for the NAFSN.
* Margolis, Q. E, Guiterman, C. H, …L. L. Yocom. in press. The North American tree-ring fire-scar network. Ecosphere.

Partner Webinar: National Academics Climate Conversations Wildfire Webinar
2022-08-25 15:00 - 16:00
Climate Conversations Webinar: Wildfire
August 25 | 3:00PM – 4:00PM EDT
Register to join the webinar
Climate change is increasing the frequency, severity, and extent of area burned by wildfires in the U.S., putting more people at risk of exposure to fire itself and to smoke, which can travel thousands of miles and affect the health of millions of people. A.R. “Ravi” Ravishankara (Colorado State University) will moderate a conversation between Sarah Coefield (Missoula City-County Health Department) and Erica Fischer (Oregon State University) about how planners and decision makers are coping with these challenges and working to protect the built environment and human health.
The conversation will be webcast on the Climate Conversations: Wildfire webpage on Thursday, August 25, 2022 from 3-4pm ET. Closed captioning will be provided. The conversation will include questions from the audience and will be recorded and available to view on the page after the event.
Climate Conversations: Pathways to Action is a monthly webinar series from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that aims to convene high-level, cross-cutting, nonpartisan conversations about issues relevant to national policy action on climate change.

SFE Webinar: New Research Towards Improving the Wildland Fire Shelter
2022-08-31 13:00 - 14:00
A free one hour webinar from North Carolina State University, the Southern Fire Exchange, and the University of Florida.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.
Presenters:
Dr. Roger Barker, Burlington Distinguished Professor of Textile Chemistry, North Carolina State University
Dr. Joe Roise, Professor of Forestry, Operations Research and Fire Science, North Carolina State University
Webinar Description: For the wildland firefighter, deploying a shelter is the last thing they want to do – it’s the final resort, the last line of defense. While there’s no such thing as ‘fire-proof,’ NC State University researchers are seeking to develop new fire shelters that can buy more time. They were able to demonstrate that new fire shelters could increase the time to failure by as much as 30 seconds – time that could be critical for survival. This webinar will discuss the recent science in the design and structure of wildland fire shelters. Following the presentations there will be time for audience Q/A with the speakers.
Registration: https://ufl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uQRCFhrRSo2y8YPydd_CvQ

SFE Live from the Field: Protecting Giant Sequoias
2022-09-09 12:00 - 12:30 | Online, United States
SFE Live from the Field: Protecting Giant Sequoias from the Ground Up
Let’s take a field trip out West! Join us this Friday, September 9th from 12:00 – 12:30 PM ET for our first SFE Live from the Field with Ludie Bond, Florida Forest Service Public Information Officer and Gretchen Fitzgerald, Sequoia National Forest Ecosystem Staff Officer.
Ludie Bond is a long-time friend of the Southern Fire Exchange currently assigned to support the Giant Sequoia Emergency Response effort on the Sequoia National Forest in California. She and Gretchen Fitzgerald will explain current and ongoing efforts to protect giant sequoia from wildfire and return prescribed fire to the groves.
Register here.

Partner Webinar: SFE FireMap 2.0
2022-09-20 14:00 - 15:00 | Virtual
SE FireMap 2.0 Webinar:
Tuesday, September 20th
2:00 PM ET
Free and open to all.
Register now for a free and open webinar on the Southeast (SE) FireMap on Tuesday, September 20th!
Join us to learn about the SE FireMap and what we’re doing to make this decision-support tool even more useful for resource managers. Led by USDA-NRCS, Tall Timbers Research, and USGS.
Expanding & Updating the SE FireMap
When: Tuesday, September 20th, 2022
At: 2 PM US/Eastern
Where: On Zoom – Register here
Webinar Description:
The SE FireMap is a fire mapping system that uses remote sensing to track prescribed fire and wildfire activity throughout the southeast. A beta version of the SE FireMap was released in early 2021 and an expanded SE FireMap 2.0 will be released by Spring 2025. SE FireMap 2.0 will provide annually updated information to increase the effectiveness of fire planning and conservation practices.
During this webinar, we will walk through SE FireMap 1.0, discuss the development of SE FireMap 2.0, and outline ways users can provide input on its development. Q&A will follow a brief presentation. The SE FireMap was developed with funding from USDA-NRCS.
Registration is required on Zoom

Partner Webinar: The Chemistry of Fires at the Wildland Urban Interface
2022-09-20 15:00 - 16:00 | Virtual
Report Webinar: The Chemistry of Fires at the Wildland-Urban Interface
3:00 – 4:00 PM ET Tuesday, September 20, 2022
Register for the webinar here
Hosted by the US National Academies of Sciences
Wildfires in America are becoming larger, more frequent, and more destructive, driven by climate change and existing land management practices. Many of these fires occur at the wildland-urban interface (WUI), areas where development and wildland areas overlap and which are increasingly at risk of devastating fires as communities continue to expand into previously undeveloped areas. Unlike conventional wildfires, WUI fires are driven in part by burning of homes, cars, and other human-made structures, and in part by burning vegetation. The interaction of these two types of fires can lead to public health effects that are unique to WUI fires.
This report evaluates existing and needed chemistry information that decision-makers can use to mitigate WUI fires and their potential health impacts. It describes key fuels of concern in WUI fires, especially household components like siding, insulation, and plastic, examines key pathways for exposure, including inhalation and ingestion, and identifies communities vulnerable to exposures. The report recommends a research agenda to inform response to and prevention of WUI fires, outlining needs in characterizing fuels, and predicting emissions and toxicants.
Join project staff and members of the committee for a public release webinar about the new report on Tuesday, September 20th from 3:00PM to 4:00PM EDT.
Join this public release webinar for the new consensus study report, The Chemistry of Fires at the Wildland-Urban Interface Report.

Partner Webinar: Bladen Lakes Isolated Wetlands Restoration Workshop
2022-09-21 13:00 - 16:30
Bladen Lakes Isolated Wetlands Restoration Workshop
Sept. 21, 2022
1:00 – 4:30 PM ET
Online (Sept. 21) and Optional In-Person (Sept. 22)
Note: This hybrid workshop consists of two parts, a webinar (Sep. 21, 2022) and a limited capacity (30 participants) field tour in the Bladen Lakes, NC region (Sep. 22, 2022). The field tour will visit Suggs Mill Pond game land, the Broadwell property, and Bladen Lakes State Forest. To register for the webinar please click on “Register Now”. To register to participate in the limited capacity (30 People) field tour email Julian Wilson, julian.wilson@ncagr.gov. Field tour participation will be capped at 30 participants on a first-come basis. A waiting list will be maintained.
Isolated wetlands are critically important to conserving ecosystem biodiversity in the Southeast. They provide many ecosystem services, to include improving water quality. They are a vital natural resource, important in maintaining biodiversity and essential for wetland-dependent wildlife. Participants in the webinar will learn about restoration of isolated webinars. Presenters will discuss priority amphibians, plants, and natural communities, and will review restoration needs and strategies, including the use of fire in wetlands.
Register for the webinar
Webinar Agenda

Welcome, introduction, and participant poll – Jeff Hall (NCWRC), Julian Wilson (NCFS)
Importance of Bladen Lakes region for wetland restoration – Jeff Marcus (TNC)
Splendid Isolation: The importance of isolated wetlands to herpetofauna in North Carolina– Jeff Beane (NCMNS)
Rare Plants of Isolated Wetlands in Southeastern NC – Katherine Culatta (NCPCP)
Isolated wetland natural communities– Mike Schafale (NCNHP)
Habitat degradation, restoration strategies, & examples from FL – Mike Sisson (NCWRC)
Examples of wetland restoration in NC – Jeff Humphries (NCWRC)
Fire and wetland management – Ken Shughart (NCWRC)
Round Robin overview of key conservation lands in region

Bladen Lakes State Forest – Hans Rohr (NCFS)
Bay Tree Lake/Jones Lake/Singletary Lake State Parks – Ed Corey (NCSP)
Suggs Mill Pond & Whitehall Game Lands – Ken Shughart
Key private lands (Broadwell/Bayfields) – Richard Broadwell

Overview of field trip logistics and objectives
Closing remarks

Partner Webinar: National Wildfire Resilience Public Opinion Research Briefing
2022-11-02 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual
