Course Description - M-580 Fire in Ecosystem Management

April 11 -15, 2011

Target Group

In general the target audience includes individuals who do not have a comprehensive fire management or fire ecology background.

• Individuals involved with planning, implementation, and monitoring of fire and ecosystem management programs, i.e. natural/cultural resource management specialists, endangered species biologists, compliance specialists (NEPA, SHPO), and land and fire management planners.
• Individuals who need to communicate fire management and ecological principles and practices across diverse landscapes; such as public affairs, information officers, education and other specialists.
• Agency administrators, senior managers, and Tribal leaders.
• Fireline leadership, such as prescribed fire and fuels specialists, assistant FMO’s, and strategic operational planners.

Participants will include Federal, State, Tribal, local government, non-governmental organization representatives and all their partners.

Course Goals

• Convey the significant role of fire management across a diversity of ecosystems.
• Demonstrate the complexity and benefits of integrating fire and vegetation management with social, political, legal, economic and environmental factors.
• Provide participants with strategies, concepts, reference resources, and models to facilitate informed decisions on fire in ecosystem management.
• Review and reinforce fundamental ecological concepts as they relate to fire on the landscape.

Course Description

Through lectures, case studies, a field trip, and interaction between participants and faculty, the course:

• Explores the role of fire and fire management in ecosystem management.
• Examines historical, social, political, legal, economic, and environment factors critical to fire management.
• Provides the participants with concepts, technologies and methods to actively engage in fire in ecosystem management across the landscape.

Nationally recognized subject matter experts and practitioners serve as instructors in this course.

The course does not provide a “cookbook” for ecosystem management; rather this course provides concepts, and ecological - social considerations to assist the student with developing specific fire management programs. Local fire effects information and monitoring details are provided in other courses.

Important Dates

Nomination Due to NAFRI from Agencies and GACC's: November 8, 2010
Notification of Selection: December 13, 2010

Nomination Process

Please see the NAFRI nomination process available at http://nafri.gov/pages/nominationprocess.htm.

Course Coordinator: Deborah Corner (520) 799-8752; fax (520) 799-8785