Great Plains Published
Researchers have established that fire and grazing in-fluence structure and function of rangeland ecosystems. Fire’s effects in combination with grazing management varies throughout the Great Plains.
2015-04
Read MoreLand managers and the public often have the perception that, although prescribed fire assists in management of fire-dependent landscapes, it presents greater risks than the use of other land management tools, such as mechanical removal.
Read MoreOn nearly every continent, prior and current cultures have practiced land management using fire. This publication compares fire practices in these traditional fire cultures and how they differ from the way modern management uses fire.
Read MoreGrasslands have supported a broad array of life over the millennia. Not only have they supported rich biodiversity, but also they shaped the region’s stream flow and groundwater hydrology, contributed to carbon sequestration, and offered many environmental benefits. Additionally, grasslands have provided the basis for agricultural and livestock production.
Read MoreMost of the world’s grasslands evolved with fire, whether ignited by lightning or people. For millennia, flames burned regularly though small patches and vast stretches of prairie landscapes, restoring and sustaining an enormous variety of native grassland plants.
2013-01
Read MorePrescribed fire liability standards vary from state to state and legal terms can sometimes be confusing. This fact sheet describes the different standards of care applied in prescribed burning‐related lawsuits.
Resistance to the use of prescribed fire is strong among many private land managers despite the advantages it offers for maintaining fire-prone ecosystems. Often, managers who are aware of the benefits of using prescribed fire as a management tool avoid using it because of fear of liability for damages that may result from an escaped fire or smoke.
2016-07
Read MoreThe ecological value of shortgrass prairies in North America has become increasingly evident as populations of prairie dog (Cynomys spp.) and burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) begin to decline.
2015-08
Read MoreThe varied regions of the Great Plains share a history of fire, for example, the mixed‐grass prairies of the Dakotas, tallgrass prairie of Kansas, and cross timbers of Texas all evolved with periodic burning.
2013-29
Read MoreAlteration of grassland disturbance regimes has greatly diminished grassland structural complexity and is likely a contributing factor to the decline in grassland bird populations.
2015-13
Read MoreConducting planned burns and lighting unplanned fires carries some inherent risk for injury. Even though firefighters train and plan in an effort to reduce risks on the fireline, accidents still happen.
2013-27
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