They are only undertake during optimal weather conditions and with the utmost safety protocols in place. Prescribed fire is a tool that allows forest managers to mimic the historic benefits of wildfire, while maintaining a safer, more controlled strategy. Visit Michigan State University Extension to learn more about forests and forest management. This article was published by Michigan State University Extension.
The role of fire in forest ecosystems. Did you find this article useful? Please tell us why Submit.
Apply Today. BeLeaf It or Not! In this way, healthier, post-burn plant populations generally have broad food web effects that trickle up to the foragers and other animals in the ecosystem. Similarly, animals that use pine trees for their homes benefit from the germinating powers of fire. Perhaps surprisingly, the animal casualties from wildfires are low—animals survive by burrowing into the ground or fleeing to safer areas. Conversely, fires can help rid an ecosystem of invasive species that have not adapted to regular wildland fires.
While animals and plants within fire-prone ecosystems have adapted to thrive within a cycle of wildfires, invasive plants and animals are less likely to recover and could thus be controlled or even eradicated from the ecosystem they invaded. Moreover, prescribed burns are well established as a way to prevent more devastating naturally occurring fires.
The buildup of decaying organic matter on the ground is fuel for wildfires. Without periodic fire to clear this out, a naturally occurring fire may grow and move quickly, doing much more damage that a prescribed burn—and without its safety parameters. In the end, it is true that the burden of preventing uncontrolled wildfires lies with humanity.
But suppression is not enough. Nature needs fire, and ecologically benefits from periodic burning. In fact, suppression alone might make matters worse, depriving nature of its equivalent of spring cleaning and leading to hotter, larger blazes when built-up forest decay finally catches flame.
Understanding and appreciating the benefits of fire is the only way to truly keep our homes, population , and ecosystem safe from its dangers. The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit.
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Biodiversity is restored, and the ecosystem is thriving! Tens of years will go by until this natural process of fires will occur again. One in three homes are now in the WUI. This number is continuing to grow as more people want to live in and close to nature. But this can cause problems. Fires are naturally occurring events. We need fires to have balanced forest ecosystems.
But houses and communities are in areas that need to burn. As the cycle continues, no forest fires hurt the once balanced ecosystems. Follow our social media platforms. Ocean Blue Project works with governments to ensure wildlife and humans can coexist. OBP can keep you informed on our projects in the local community and see how you can get involved!
This way we can make informed decisions on our lifestyles. Wildfires may have a negative connotation in the news. Now we know that some ecosystems need fires to stay balanced and thrive. We want to enjoy the benefits nature brings to our lives. But when humans leave plastic debris in forests, oceans, rivers, and streams, they provide flammable materials that can intensify fires.
By eliminating single-use plastics, you can help contribute to balanced ecosystems. Making Ocean Blue Project your Amazon Smile donation recipient will allow purchases you are already planning to make to have a positive impact on the environment.
Go into your account and change the settings. Then each time you make qualifying purchases on Amazon, they donate a portion of their profits to Ocean Blue Project. Were you surprised to hear that forest fires can actually help ecosystems thrive?
Share this post on social media so others can learn as well. She is a postdoctoral researcher at a firefighter research institute studying how fires impact our environment.
Share on facebook. Share on google. Share on twitter. Share on linkedin. Fires and Our Past. Imagine this: An environment without forest fires.
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