Prescribed Fire in Athens, Georgia an Outreach Success
A Prescribed Burn at Sandy Creek Nature Center in Athens GA was an outreach success for all involved. The steps that SCNC took to achieve that success will be instructive for future efforts to burn on land reserved for environmental education.
SREF Extension Associate Leslie Boby on the Burn Site
Credit: Mike Wharton
This article by SREF Extension Associate Holly Campbell was adapted from a success story that will appear on the Southeast's National Cohesive Wildlife Management Strategy's website, southwildfire.net. All photos should be credited to SREF Director of Marketing and Graphic Design Laura Costa except where noted.
On February 19, 2016 SREF staff was present for a 30-acre prescribed burn at Sandy Creek Nature Center, a popular environmental education center and natural destination located 2 miles outside of downtown Athens, GA. The burn was a great success in terms of public outreach and communication and the steps that Sandy Creek took to ensure that success will be instructive for future prescribed burns on land reserved for environmental education.
Sandy Creek undertook the burn as part of a self-funded "managed forest project," the goal of which is to demonstrate to the public public how traditional forestry practices increase biodiversity, wildlife habitat,and forest health through the development of one hardwood and four pine tracts while incorporating timber harvesting and natural regeneration. Prescribed fire will be used at all stages of site preparation and understory management to provide information about the importance of prescribed fire in forest health and land management
As an environmental education center, Sandy Creek is well-positioned to teach the public about the ecological and economic benefits of forest management. For example, “saving the forests” is not always achieved by "leaving it alone." Instead, it is about well-planned and researched management choices that can benefit forest health and emulate natural processes. Sandy Creek uses the on-site demonstration forest to teach the public that several traditional forestry practices actually benefit wildlife and habitat.
Knowing that a prescribed fire at a popular destination for environmental awareness and also one so close to the city center could be problematic, Sandy Creek carried out a thorough outreach and educational campaign preceding the burn. Outreach activities included several news articles and radio announcements, mention in the Center’s newsletter and on the Athens-Clarke County website, a public forum, a "Forest Fun Day" open house, presentations to elected officials and public safety officials, and use of social media. Also, numerous signs were placed along trails describing the importance and purpose of the managed forest project.
On the day of the burn, social media and news articles were used to educate the public about the event; road signs were placed outside the park alerting drivers to smoke; and a drone was used to film the prescribed fire. A live video feed from the drone was projected into the A-CC Police Mobile Command Center which permitted emergency personnel to view the fire in real time from above and demonstrated the utility of such technology in emergency services.
In the months following the burn, kiosks will be placed at primary trail heads and throughout the park detailing how the prescribed fire will have positive influences on the forest ecosystem by increasing biodiversity and abundance of many plant and animal species. In subsequent years, one to two tracts will be burned every year. Though the entire project is currently only funded for 2 years, the Center’s non-profit partner, Sandy Creek Nature Center, Inc. continues to support the project. The managed forest project is projected to be a long-term management effort. The Sandy Creek prescribed burn is an excellent example of a wildland urban interface project that with sufficient outreach and education, achieves forest management objectives while educating the public on the importance of forest management.
View aerial footage from the drone shot by the UGA Center for Geospatial Research, Southeast Drone Services, and FlyWorx
About Sandy Creek Nature Center
Sandy Creek Nature Center's 225 acre property contains 4 miles of hiking trails through Piedmont forests and wetlands, providing a welcome reprieve to urban life. Additionally, an education & visitor center onsite contains interactive natural history exhibits (focused on the Piedmont landscape), a resource library, and native animals for educational purposes. Sandy Creek’s primary objectives are to educate the public on the natural environment, manage the health of the property’s landscape, and use the landscape as a living laboratory.
The National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy
The National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy is a national collaborative effort to bring a broad cross-section of stakeholders together to address wildland fire management challenges. Success stories serve to highlight regional wildland fire accomplishments that support implementation of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy in the Southeast. The stories demonstrate how the Southeast can improve its “fire resiliency” through technology, outreach and education, forest management, collaboration, and more.
For more information: hcampbell@sref.info | www.southernwildfire.net
