Abstract
Science continues to show the need for the use of prescribed fire in oak-dominated forests of the eastern United States. Fire is necessary to reduce competition by thin-barked species, allowing for the development of oak advance regeneration. Many agencies are beginning to apply this science by using prescribed fire to manage their oak forests. This paper examines the development of the Ohio Division of Forestry's prescribed fire management program. It outlines the experiences of the Division as it increased use of fire and began burning at the landscape level. Problems, challenges, and lessons learned during the growth of Ohio's prescribed fire program are addressed as well. Although this paper does not provide all of the answers for how to develop a prescribed fire program, it does use the experiences the Ohio Division of Forestry faced over the past 10 years to provide some idea of what expect.
Parent Publication
Citation
Bowden, Michael. 2009. Building a state prescribed fire program: experiences and lessons learned in Ohio. In: Hutchinson, Todd F., ed. Proceedings of the 3rd fire in eastern oak forests conference; 2008 May 20-22; Carbondale, IL. Gen. Tech. Rep. NRS-P-46. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station: 118-125.
