Enhancing North Carolina Forests: Veteran-Led Stewardship and Controlled Burns
On the International Day of Forests, International Paper (IP) and its longstanding partner, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), are recognizing and honoring the efforts of landowners across the U.S. South who manage non-industrial private forests through controlled burns. These burns play a crucial role in creating thriving habitats, fostering safer communities, and building more resilient forests.
Through the Forestland Stewards Partnership, a collaborative initiative between IP and NFWF, grants are provided to on-the-ground partners to support forest management practices and enhance the economic and ecological functions of working forests. One key strategy employed by NFWF and IP is the promotion and support of controlled burns, encouraging private landowners to participate. These controlled burns effectively reduce the risk of wildfires by managing potential fuel sources such as dead wood and debris, ultimately resulting in forests that are better equipped to withstand wildfires.
The Forestland Stewards Partnership extends its support to private forest owners throughout the U.S. South, including regions like North Carolina. Here, efforts to implement controlled burning are underway, thanks to collaborative partnerships involving organizations such as The Nature Conservancy in North Carolina (TNC), North Carolina State Cooperative Extension, North Carolina Forest Service (NCFS), and North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. These partnerships utilize various approaches, including Prescribed Burn Associations, to reintroduce controlled burns into the landscape.
Jeff Marcus, TNC North Carolina Longleaf Pine Applied Scientist, emphasized the historical significance of fire in shaping healthy landscapes in North America, particularly ecosystems like the longleaf pine. However, he noted a shift in our relationship with fire, with a tendency to prioritize extinguishing fires quickly rather than embracing controlled burns. Marcus highlighted the role of The Nature Conservancy and its partners in working with North Carolina landowners, supported by funding from the Forestland Stewards Partnership, to educate them on the benefits of controlled burns for their forests and the broader community.
Marcus cited the Pulp Road Wildfire in Brunswick County in June 2023 as a compelling example of why controlled burns are crucial for safeguarding both communities and habitats.
“The blaze burned more than 15,000 acres, the majority of which was a wetland called pocosin. Areas that had not burned in over 60 years burned intensely, while areas managed with recent controlled burns burned less intensely or not at all. Controlled burns conducted by The Nature Conservancy in the Green Swamp helped mitigate and control the wildfire by reducing thatch and woody material that made containment of the wildfire easier,” said
Marcus while adding, “These fire-managed areas served as important refuges for wildlife that live in the Green Swamp.”
The preserve is owned and managed by TNC, a nonprofit organization working to bring good fire back to forests and other ecosystems, including to longleaf pine forests in North Carolina.
Wayne Rider, a veteran of the U.S. Army and one among the 525,000 private, non-industrial forest landowners in North Carolina, shares ownership of 210 acres with his wife in Cumberland and Bladen counties. Their shared goal is to leave the land in better condition than they found it.
"Owning and responsibly stewarding a piece of land has always been a personal aspiration," Rider expressed. "Given the threat of wildfires in our area, engaging in controlled burns significantly reduces the potential damage to our land in case of an uncontrolled blaze."
To ensure proper implementation of controlled burns, Rider has participated in educational programs offered by the Bladen Lakes Prescribed Burn Association. He also obtained certification to conduct controlled burns after completing a 40-hour class facilitated by stewardship partner NCFS. Additionally, landowners have the option to hire certified burners and may be eligible for reimbursement of a portion of the associated costs.
Private landowners like Rider play a significant role in managing more than three-quarters of North Carolina's 18.7 million acres of forestlands. Collaborative efforts between organizations such as NFWF, IP, and other stakeholders aim to promote controlled burn management. This approach not only protects the economic investment of private landowners by mitigating wildfire risks but also contributes to habitat enhancement, restoration of endangered wildlife and plant species, and improvement of water and air quality through the maintenance of healthier forests. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement for all involved.
Through the Forestland Stewards Partnership, a collaborative initiative between IP and NFWF, grants are provided to on-the-ground partners to support forest management practices and enhance the economic and ecological functions of working forests. One key strategy employed by NFWF and IP is the promotion and support of controlled burns, encouraging private landowners to participate. These controlled burns effectively reduce the risk of wildfires by managing potential fuel sources such as dead wood and debris, ultimately resulting in forests that are better equipped to withstand wildfires.
The Forestland Stewards Partnership extends its support to private forest owners throughout the U.S. South, including regions like North Carolina. Here, efforts to implement controlled burning are underway, thanks to collaborative partnerships involving organizations such as The Nature Conservancy in North Carolina (TNC), North Carolina State Cooperative Extension, North Carolina Forest Service (NCFS), and North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. These partnerships utilize various approaches, including Prescribed Burn Associations, to reintroduce controlled burns into the landscape.
Jeff Marcus, TNC North Carolina Longleaf Pine Applied Scientist, emphasized the historical significance of fire in shaping healthy landscapes in North America, particularly ecosystems like the longleaf pine. However, he noted a shift in our relationship with fire, with a tendency to prioritize extinguishing fires quickly rather than embracing controlled burns. Marcus highlighted the role of The Nature Conservancy and its partners in working with North Carolina landowners, supported by funding from the Forestland Stewards Partnership, to educate them on the benefits of controlled burns for their forests and the broader community.
Marcus cited the Pulp Road Wildfire in Brunswick County in June 2023 as a compelling example of why controlled burns are crucial for safeguarding both communities and habitats.
“The blaze burned more than 15,000 acres, the majority of which was a wetland called pocosin. Areas that had not burned in over 60 years burned intensely, while areas managed with recent controlled burns burned less intensely or not at all. Controlled burns conducted by The Nature Conservancy in the Green Swamp helped mitigate and control the wildfire by reducing thatch and woody material that made containment of the wildfire easier,” said
Marcus while adding, “These fire-managed areas served as important refuges for wildlife that live in the Green Swamp.”
The preserve is owned and managed by TNC, a nonprofit organization working to bring good fire back to forests and other ecosystems, including to longleaf pine forests in North Carolina.
Wayne Rider, a veteran of the U.S. Army and one among the 525,000 private, non-industrial forest landowners in North Carolina, shares ownership of 210 acres with his wife in Cumberland and Bladen counties. Their shared goal is to leave the land in better condition than they found it.
"Owning and responsibly stewarding a piece of land has always been a personal aspiration," Rider expressed. "Given the threat of wildfires in our area, engaging in controlled burns significantly reduces the potential damage to our land in case of an uncontrolled blaze."
To ensure proper implementation of controlled burns, Rider has participated in educational programs offered by the Bladen Lakes Prescribed Burn Association. He also obtained certification to conduct controlled burns after completing a 40-hour class facilitated by stewardship partner NCFS. Additionally, landowners have the option to hire certified burners and may be eligible for reimbursement of a portion of the associated costs.
Private landowners like Rider play a significant role in managing more than three-quarters of North Carolina's 18.7 million acres of forestlands. Collaborative efforts between organizations such as NFWF, IP, and other stakeholders aim to promote controlled burn management. This approach not only protects the economic investment of private landowners by mitigating wildfire risks but also contributes to habitat enhancement, restoration of endangered wildlife and plant species, and improvement of water and air quality through the maintenance of healthier forests. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement for all involved.
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