ACR Conservation Talk: Fire Ecology

AUDUBON CANYON RANCH
Martin Griffin Preserve
ACR Conservation Talk: Fire Ecology

Description

Fire plays an integral, yet complicated role in our California landscapes. ACR, through its new Fire Ecology Program, is taking a leadership role in the North Bay working with various agencies and land managers to address hazardous fuel loads and declining ecosystem health through the coordination of cooperative, ecologically planned, scientifically monitored, and safely implemented controlled burns. In this presentation, we’ll discuss the role of fire in the landscape, how California’s ecosystems coevolved with fire, and how fire suppression has changed our landscapes. We’ll discuss the differences between wildfire and prescribed fire, learn about intricacies of fire behavior, and how prescribed fires are manipulated, controlled, and monitored. Finally, we’ll present the program’s specific short- and long-term plans, objectives and rationale, and how these will be achieved.

Speaker's Biography:

Sasha Berleman, Ph.D., Fire Ecologist at Bouverie Preserve, joined ACR in October 2015. Sasha is the lead for the new Regional Prescribed Fire and Fuels Management Program. She recently completed a PhD in Scott Stephens’ world-renowned wildland fire science research lab at UC Berkeley. She conducted her PhD research on prescribed fire use in California landscapes for restoration of ecosystem health. She has been an active participant in Prescribed Fire Training Exchange (TREX) programs every year since 2010, with most being located in Northern California (Mt Shasta and Klamath regions). She is a certified firefighter with “Fire Effects Monitoring” and “Squad Boss” qualifications and over 600 hours of hands-on prescribed fire experience. In addition to her PhD work, she has been actively involved in fire ecology and fire-use in the North Bay region since 2011, planning prescribed fire and monitoring projects with managers at Mitsui Ranch of Sonoma Mountain Ranch Preservation Foundation and at Pepperwood Preserve. In her time at ACR, she has already implemented monitoring protocol and trial experiments for future prescribed fires, and has begun bringing together diverse stakeholders to evolve a stronger and safer community for fire use, fire ecology, and fire safety.

Tickets: $20 non-member / $15 member or student / FREE for children under age 18. Fees support the preservation, education and conservation science programs of Audubon Canyon Ranch. Learn more about membership.

Cancellation and refund policy: Fees for public programs help fund the programs and preserves of ACR, a non-profit organization. Unfortunately, we are unable to provide refunds for programs cancelled by program attendees. If this event is cancelled by ACR due to heavy rain, high winds or any other reason, we will notify you by email by 8:00 p.m. the night before. A full refund, including all Eventbrite fees, will be credited back to you within 5 business days, depending on your bank. Light rain does not cancel.

ACR offers a limited number of fee waivers upon request. Please email support@egret.org and reference the event title and date in your request for a fee waiver.