Fire Ecology
Fire effects monitoring in the Central Great Plains is a collaborative effort between the Midwest Region Fire Ecology Program, the Heartland I&M Network (HTLN), and Missouri State University (MSU). The Fire Ecology Program provides funds to expand vital signs monitoring in parks with active fire programs and to conduct focused analysis of vital signs data for fire effects. MSU provides scientific and administrative support.
Importance
Tallgrass prairie is an endangered ecosystem in the Midwestern U.S. Formerly, grasslands stretched from the west coast to the east and from Mexico to Canada. The Central Grasslands region or Eastern Great Plains, prior to European settlement, was a vast sea of prairie with scattered savannahs and woodlands intermixed. Grasslands in the central U.S. are maintained by an interaction of disturbances such as fire, grazing/browsing, drought, wind, and ice storms. Fire, historically and currently, occurs via lightning strikes as well as from human sources.
Fire Ecology is the study of the effects of fire on living organisms and their environment (National Wildfire Coordinating Group/Fire Research and Management Exchange System). Many grasslands in the region would become degraded without these disturbances, especially without fire. For example, once established in a prairie eastern redcedar can become a thicket within 20 years if left unchecked. When applied at appropriate return intervals fire can maintain grasslands by controlling woody plant invasion, recycling nutrients, and stimulating plant reproduction. Grassland plant and wildlife communities are dependent upon each other. Hence, fires support healthy plant communities which also benefit wildlife. The fire ecology program of the Heartland I&M Network primarily assists parks in the Central Grasslands region which have grassland resources.
Parks serviced by the HTLN program are in highlighted blue on the map of fire ecology networks.
Coordination
Management staff within this region often encounter similar management challenges and the fire ecology program serves as an information sharing link between these parks. The fire ecology program strives to provide feedback to resource managers on the use of fire in achieving management goals, as well as providing input on the development of fire related program goals. Analysis of fire as a management tool can also help us understand observed patterns in grassland plant and wildlife monitoring data.
Reports
| Ozark National Scenic Riverways Resoure Brief | |
| Smith, A., D. Swanson and S. Leis. 2008. The fire ecology of Ozark National Scenic Riverways. Natural Resource Report NPS/HTLN/NRR- 2008/031. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. | |
| Wilson's Creek National Battlefield Resoure Brief | |
| Leis, S.A., and K. James. 2008. Effects of multiple intense disturbances at Manley Woods, Wilson's Creek National Battlefield. Natural Resource Technical Report NPS/HTLN/NRTR- 2008/123. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. | |
| Herbert Hoover National Historic Site Resource Brief | |
| These brief reports describe the events occurring during a prescribed fire including a narrative, maps, weather, smoke, and fire behavior data. (NPS only). | |
| Fire Resource Kit - Resource Brief | |
The prescribed fire resource kit is a collection of information resources relating to tallgrass prairie fire ecology. It includes summaries on fire history, managing for heterogeneity, exotic species and woody plant control as well as links to helpful websites, and an annotated bibliography. A companion document, available by request, includes seminal research articles some of which are cited in the kit. This document is intended to be occasionally updated with new information. |
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This site bulletin can be customized for your park. It can be distributed to visitors during prescribed fire season or remain in the racks all year round. A site bulletin template for customizing this example for a park is located on the HTLN Intranet (NPS only). |
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| This notice has been used in the past to notify park neighbors of the upcoming fire season, but could be distributed to any interested persons. It is customizable and a map of the prescribed fire locations could be posted on the back (prints on standard letter sized paper). A fire notice template for customizing this example for a park is located on the HTLN Intranet (NPS only). |
Protocol
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DeBacker, M.D., A.N. Sasseen, C. Becker, G.A. Rowell, L.P. Thomas, J.R. Boetsch, and G.D. Willson. 2004. Vegetation Community Monitoring Protocol for the Heartland I&M Network and Prairie Cluster Prototype Monitoring Program. National Park Service, Republic, MO. (PDF).
References
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Stewart, O.C. 2002. Forgotten Fires: Native Americans and the Transient Wilderness. H. T. Lewis and M. K. Anderson, editors. University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. Pp 364.
Links
- National Park Service fire information including research, monitoring handbook and links to other fire related materials.
- Midwest Region Fire Management (NPS Only)
- Fire software and publications developed by Systems for Environmental Management
- Oklahoma State University Rangeland Extension. Information and links to fire ecology, patch burn grazing, and heterogeneity management. Pdfs of published works available.
- Fire Research and Management Exchange System with research reports on fire effects, tools for fire software and links for other fire related websites.
- Fire Effects Information System. Lots of information from invasives, plants, animals, to fire regimes. Publications can be ordered for free.
- International association of wildland fire. Many links to fire related materials.
- Oklahoma prescribed fire council. Links to related fact sheets from various sources.
- Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy. Fire ecology conference publications, research, and information.
- Wildland fire assessment system includes weather information, drought maps, indices, ect.
- Greater Yellowstone Learning Center information on fire effects in the Yellowstone area.
- Northern Great Plains Fire Management unit of the National Park Service includes links to park management plans, weather, training, and monitoring results.
- The Use of Fire as a Tool for Controlling Invasive Plants (2.56 MB PDF). Published by the California Invasive Plant Council.
Contact Information
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Sherry Leis
Fire Ecologist (417-836-8919)