General

• The Nature Conservancy Restores Fire to New Hampshire's Ossipee Pine Barrens. Read a press release about this Sept. 21 prescribed burn.
  (Posted 1 October 2007)
  
  
• Read About the Third-Largest Wildfire in Michigan's Recorded History. The Nature Conservancy's Michigan Fire Manager, Jack McGowan-Stinski, reflects on the fire-fighting efforts and ecological effects of the 18,000-acre Sleeper Lake Fire.
  (posted 1 October 2007)
  

LANDFIRE

• Rapid Assessment Report Released

The Global Fire Initiative’s LANDFIRE team recently completed an assessment of the ecological role and integrity of fire regimes across the lower 48 states of the U.S., and implications for conservation.

Based on newly available data from the LANDFIRE Rapid Assessment project, the analysis provides a broad-scale glimpse of the biodiversity health of U.S. forests, aridlands and grasslands. The technical report An Ecological Assessment of Fire and Biodiversity Conservation Across the Lower 48 States provides a series of recommendations for the Conservancy and its U.S. partners if we are to maintain and restore fire’s ecological roles in ecosystems, and, therefore, effectively conserve biodiversity. For the full text of the news release, click here for the TNC-LANDFIRE Newsletter page. Click on the title above to download the 66-page report.

(posted 20 April 2007; updated 23 May 2007)

• LANDFIRE Rapid Assessment Data Available

The first “coast-to-coast” data showing fire and fuels characteristics consistently across the lower 48 states has just been released by a multi-partner coalition of the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Department of the Interior and The Nature Conservancy. Congress, federal agencies and others will use this information—known as the “LANDFIRE Rapid Assessment”—to help set national priorities for treating landscapes with altered fire regimes.

(posted 12 July 2006)

• RA Rollout Conference CD Now Availabale

The first national Rapid Assessment Rollout Conference held in Memphis, TN on 28 February - 1 March, 2006 drew 93 participants from 29 states and Canada.  To receive a CD, contact Jeannie Patton.
(posted 3 May 2006)

• Rapid Assessment Vegetation Models

The LANDFIRE Rapid Assessment Team is pleased to announce the availability of the Rapid Assessment Vegetation Models at the following web site: http://www.landfire.gov/Products_Rapid_Assessment.html.

Here you can download the final VDDT models and model descriptions that were developed in the Rapid Assessment Vegetation Modeling Workshop series during 2004-2005. They are available in East and West packages, by model zone, or for individual Potential Natural Vegetation Groups. Geospatial data layers will be released in early 2006.

Please contact any member of the TNC LANDFIRE Team or the National LANDFIRE Helpdesk with your questions about the models or the LANDFIRE project.

(posted 9 December 2005, updated 7 April 2006)

 

Latin American and Caribbean Fire Learning Network

• New Spanish Language LACFLN Web Site. The Spanish version of the Network's web site was re-designed and re-launched on 22 March 2007. The web address is still http://tncfuego.org. Please contact Marie Aguirre if you have comments or questions about the new site.
  (posted 28 March 2007)
  

U.S. Fire Learning Network

• Bayou Woodland Ecosystem Restoration Article. John Andre, Mark Morales and McRee Anderson recently authored a Fire Management Today article featuring the USFS Big Piney Ranger District's efforts to restore fire-dependent woodlands. The USFLN is mentioned as a productive venue for developing the partnership involved in the restoration efforts.