Habitat University – Details, episodes & analysis

Prescribed fire is crucial for managing fire-adapted ecosystems worldwide. To ensure this tool remains effective, the safety of those who use it and those nearby is essential too. In this episode, Adam talks with Jennifer Fawcett from North Carolina State University. Jennifer is the Prescribed Fire Work Group Coordinator for the Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS) and a forestry educator at NCSU. She assists landowners and foresters in the Southeast and beyond in managing their properties using fire. Listen along as Jennifer outlines practices and considerations to make sure you can keep using fire as the critical tool it is for years to come!

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Resources mentioned in the show:

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group is the main resource for agency professionals doing prescribed fire. You can check out their website here: https://www.nwcg.gov/

·       Watchout Situations: https://www.nwcg.gov/publications/pms118/18-watch-out-situations-pms-118   

·       Incident response pocket guide (IRPG) - https://www.nwcg.gov/publications/pms461

o   You can buy one here: https://www.forestry-suppliers.com/p/49218/39770/incident-response-pocket-guide?%26itemnum= 

Asynchronous Online courses to learn about prescribed fire:

·       eFIRE Equipment Videos – The eFIRE site guides prospective burners through the process of planning, conducting, and evaluating prescribed fire. The Equipment site includes videos about options for various parts of PPE.

·       Online course: https://campus.extension.org/ (search “prescribed fire”)

·       Rx Fire Training online course: https://ifas-cesrxfire.catalog.instructure.com/courses/wildland-fire-training 

Learn more about prescribed burn associations here: https://go.ncsu.edu/pba

Guidebook for Prescribed Burning in the Southern Region has tips for planning, implementing, and follow up on a prescribed burn that applies nationwide: https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1560&title=guidebook-for-prescribed-burning-in-the-southern-region  

Smoke Management Guidebook for Prescribed Burning in the Southern Region: https://bugwoodcloud.org/resource/files/18519.pdf

Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Prescribed Burn  Equipment Fact Sheet summarizes the different parts of prescribed burn equipment, including PPE: https://ucanr.edu/sites/forestry/files/283877.pdf

 

3-part blog post series on “Prescribed Fire PPE: Practical Options for Landowners”

o   Part 1: The first post in this series highlights practical personal protective equipment (PPE) pant and shirt options for landowners conducting prescribed fires. https://sites.cnr.ncsu.edu/southeast-fire-update/2019/09/09/ppe-for-landowners-practical-clothing-options/ 

o   Part 2: This post discusses options for other PPE items including head coverings, face coverings, and eye protection. https://sites.cnr.ncsu.edu/southeast-fire-update/2021/06/11/ppe-for-landowners-practical-clothing-options-part-two/ 

o   Part 3: This post addresses boots and shoes, gloves, and overall considerations for choosing PPE items.https://sites.cnr.ncsu.edu/southeast-fire-update/2021/06/29/prescribed-fire-ppe-practical-options-for-landowners-part-three/ 

 

Kestrel tool to take weather readings on site for a safe burn: https://www.forestry-suppliers.com/p/89574/38050/kestrel-3500fw-fire-weather-meter 

 

Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center: https://lessons.fs2c.usda.gov/ 

 

Nebraska Prescribed Fire Council has a bunch of resources on fire, including a nice practitioner-contributed section on “Lessons Learned” that are available on their website: https://www.nefirecouncil.org/

 

Nothing is more important in habitat management than the people doing habitat management! That’s why this month we’re focusing on the basics of habitat safety with a series of episodes featuring experts in the field. In this first episode, Adam and Jarred set the stage for the mini-series. Then Adam interviews Rich Gassman from Iowa's Center for Agricultural Safety and Health at the University of Iowa. Rich sets the stage for the series and challenges us to think about who we’re being safe for. Stay tuned for four more episodes in the mini-series coming this month.

 

Resources mentioned in the show:

Iowa's Center for Agricultural Safety and Health (I-CASH)

Twelve centers for agriculture safety in the U.S. are linked at this website. Find the one nearest you to explore their resources and programs: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/extramural-programs/php/about/ag-centers.html

National Farm Safety and Health Week is led by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) – Learn more about the 2024 week here: https://www.necasag.org/nationalfarmsafetyandhealthweek/

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In the final episode of our second season, Jarred and Adam review the conversations we’ve had on the theme of private lands habitat conservation, discuss some things “left on the bone,” and share with the listeners where Habitat University is heading in the new year! Be sure to check out the previous episodes in the podcast, including those from Season 2 discussed in this episode, and Season 1 if you haven’t already! And as always please help us improve the podcast by taking this Habitat University Listener Feedback Survey: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5oteinFuEzFCDmm

Resources mentioned in the episode:

Bird friend coffee: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/migratory-birds/bird-friendly

Bird friendly beef: https://www.audubon.org/conservation/ranching

Learn more about the Land sparing and land sharing debate with this article: https://e360.yale.edu/features/sparing-vs-sharing-the-great-debate-over-how-to-protect-nature

For a much more thorough treatment of the history of Native peoples’ relationships to much of what we today know as private land, check out the exceptional book: An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

We are joined this week by Matt Ross from the National Deer Association to chat about the importance of private lands and private land management for America’s favorite game species, the white-tailed deer. We discuss how whitetails can be a catalyst for private lands habitat management and all the work NDA does to assist private landowners.

Resources discussed:

National Deer Association – https://deerassociation.com/

2023 Deer Report - https://deerassociation.com/2023-deer-report/

Deer Steward Program - https://deerassociation.com/steward/

Land Certification Program - https://deerassociation.com/land-certification/

Cooperative Program - https://deerassociation.com/coop/

Golden, K. E., M. N. Peterson, C. S. DePerno, R. E. Bardon, and C. E. Moorman. 2012. Factors shaping private landowner engagement in wildlife management. Wildlife Society Bulletin 37:94–100. https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/wsb.235

Macaulay, L. 2016. The role of wildlife-associated recreation in private land use and conservation: Providing the missing baseline. Land Use Policy 58:218–233. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264837716306159

Mitterling, A. M., B. A. Rudolph, and D. B. Kramer. 2021. The Influence of Private Land Deer Management Cooperatives on Harvest Outcomes and Hunter Satisfaction. Wildlife Society Bulletin 45:456–464. https://wildlife.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/wsb.1209?af=R

Pruitt, H. P., B. B. Boley, G. K. D’Angelo, and M. D. McConnell. 2022. Deer management cooperative members’ likelihood of engaging in conservation initiatives: an importance-likelihood analysis. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 0:1–20. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10871209.2022.2077483

In this episode, Jarred and Adam explain the Wildlife Habitat Education Program, which engages kids from throughout the country in wildlife habitat management through 4-H and FFA. Adam and Jarred first discuss the structure of the program and how it’s implemented in states across the country, and then they explore the national competition, including featuring voices of competitors from the 2022 National Competition in Kentucky.

If you’re interested in starting a WHEP club in your community, you should reach out to your local or state 4-H or FFA leaders. Learn more about the program and how to get involved at the link below. 

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Resources from the episode:

Learn more about WHEP at: https://www.whep.org/

When it comes to getting boots on the ground for private lands conservation, Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever is a leader. This episode we are joined by Quail Forever Tennessee State Coordinator, Brittney Viers, to discuss all the work PF & QF does for wildlife on private lands. From Farm Bill Biologists to Precision Ag & Conservation Specialists, tune in to learn about the wide-ranging roles of PFQF employees, and how they work to create and enhance habitat on private lands.

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Resources from the episode:

Find your local Pheasants Forever or Quail Forever Biologist: https://quailforever.org/Habitat/findBiologist.aspx

Contact a Precision Ag & Conservation Specialist: https://www.pheasantsforever.org/Conservation/Precision-Agriculture/Contact.aspx

In this episode, we wrap our mini-segment on approaches to private lands habitat management with a visit to a state with only about 30% private land: Idaho! Sal Palazzolo is the State Wildlife Habitat Program Manager for the Idaho Department of Fish & Game. He works with staff and partners to manage habitat throughout the state on private and public lands and took Adam on a tour of the state and its diversity to admire their unique challenges and share some of their successes!

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Learn more about private land programs in Idaho here: https://idfg.idaho.gov/wildlife/lands

On this episode Adam is joined by Bill White and Lisa Potter from the Missouri Department of Conservation. Join them for a wide-ranging conversation about the MDC private lands program and how 80+ biologists work to get wildlife conservation done on private land. 

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Resources from the episode:

Missouri Private Lands Program - https://mdc.mo.gov/your-property 

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Enroll now in our free wildland fire course!

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Join Jarred from the Bluegrass State as he talks with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Private Lands Coordinator, Jacob Stewart, and Small Game Coordinator, Cody Rhoden. Listen in as Jacob and Cody discuss their philosophy on private lands conservation and how Kentucky is trying to make wildlife a by-product of everyday land management.

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Resources from the episode:

KDFWR Private Lands Program - https://fw.ky.gov/Wildlife/Pages/Improve-Your-Land-for-Wildlife.aspx

KDFWR Bobwhite Restoration Plan 2020 - https://fw.ky.gov/Hunt/Documents/QuailPlan2020.pdf 

Your Bluestem Grazing Resource - https://fw.ky.gov/Wildlife/Pages/bluestem.aspx

 

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State wildlife resource agencies are often on the front lines of wildlife habitat management and conservation on private lands by providing technical expertise and custom-tailored programs to help wildlife and people. But each state has its own unique approach. To learn more about these approaches, we’re going to be taking a tour of state-led private land programs around the country in the next few episodes! To get us started, Adam visited with Ray Aberle, the private lands program manager with the Colorado Division of Wildlife and the director of the Private Lands Working Group of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. Ray shared some really interesting insights about the approaches states use across the country for private lands work and then discussed the specific programs he oversees in Colorado.  

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Resources and references mentioned in the episode: 

Learn more about AFWA and the Private lands working group here: https://www.fishwildlife.org/afwa-acts/afwa-committees/private-lands-working-group  

Learn more about the variety of private lands programs in Colorado that Ray mentioned here: 

https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/PrivateLandProgramsResources.aspx 

Ray mentioned Rick Knight at Colorado State University—find his work here: https://sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu/richardknight/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/02/CV.pdf  

 

Ray mentioned the Meadowlark Initiative in North Dakota. Learn more here: https://gf.nd.gov/meadowlark-initiative