private forestry update by: eric h. hoyer, c.f. and c.b.m. legacy forestry services, a division of...
TRANSCRIPT
Private Forestry Update
By: Eric H. Hoyer, C.F. and C.B.M.Legacy Forestry Services,
A Division of Natural Resource Planning Services, Inc.
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Background
• How is prescribed burning used by private foresters?
• Why they burn?• How much do they burn?• Who do they burn for?
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Survey• Not an official survey… wanted to include other
opinions & perspectives• Focuses on Rx burning for forestry purposes only
(in central FL)• Sent out to approx. 8 foresters• Private consulting companies• Own a business • Work for private landowners
• 4 respondents (50 % response rate)• Historical questions: last 5 years
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Location
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Source: Florida Forestry Service
Historical Average No. of Rx Burns / Year
6Respondents
Avg. Number Burns/Year
• Historically:
# 1: 10# 2: 66# 3: 3-5# 4: 5
• Last Year:
# 1: 2# 2: 84# 3: 5# 4: 10
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Average Number of Acres/Burn
•Respondent # 1: 25•Respondent # 2: 223•Respondent # 3: 50•Respondent # 4: 30
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Client Types• Historically:
– government entities • 60-90 %
– Private landowners• 10-40 %
• Currently:
– government entities• 60-90 %
- One respondent listed current governmental burns as 10 %
- Private landowners• 10-40 %
- Same respondent consequently listed current private burns as 90 %
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Do You Reduce Your Burning Costs for Governmental Entities?
Yes – 1
No - 3
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Demand
• Is demand for prescribed burning on forestry land increasing, decreasing or remaining the same?– Increasing (half of respondents) – Same (other half)
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Equipment Ownership
• Varies Greatly– Owned all equipment & do not rely on others
(25 %)– Primarily owned, but sometimes will contract out
for standby (25 %)– Uses a combination of both owned & contracted
equipment (25 %)– Primarily uses contracted equipment for standby
(25 %)
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Night Time Burning
• Three respondents said they do not do any night time burning
• One respondent does do night time burning
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Purpose of Burns
• Purposes Varied:– Fuel Reduction– Habitat Enhancement– Ecological Restoration– Hazard Removal
• 2 most common reasons:– Fuel Reduction– Ecological Restoration
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Concerns / Issues• Availability of suppression resources• Weather (esp. during droughty conditions).
- Difficulty meeting burning goals.• Increased urbanization & smoke management• Increased $ to conduct burns (esp. for 100 % mop up)• Safety to crew and to the public
- Government entities should consider if they want to close areas when prescribed burns are in progress/active
• Some public landowners and local fire rescue entities requiring “next day” patrolling for ANY residual smoke
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Additional Comments
• Enjoy what we do. • Positive impact - making urban areas safer• As demand increases, $ becomes increasingly competitive
despite increased safety concerns – Esp. as Florida becomes more developed
• Contract burns are typically the “problem burns”• Some local fire rescue entities feel they have authority over
wildland burning. – put pressure on landowners.
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Questions?
Thank you!
Eric HoyerLegacy Forestry Services, A
Division of Natural Resource Planning Services, Inc.P.O. Box 564
San Antonio, FL 33576(352) 588-2580
www.NRPSforesters.com
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