The Prescribed Fire focus area promotes the use of prescribed fire on the landscape as a conservation tool for fire dependent ecosystems.

Currently, the Prescribed Fire focus area is led by Emilie Cooper. Emilie focuses on the following initiatives:

Conservation and Restoration of Longleaf Pine Habitat for the Gopher Tortoise:
Longleaf pine is a unique fire-dependent foresthabitat that once covered 90million acres in the South. This range has been reduced to less than 3 millionacres and as a result the numerous species that utilize this habitat, suchas the gopher tortoise, have experienced population decline. With private forestlands accounting for over 69 percent of land cover in the South, involvement of family forest owners is critical to restoration efforts.

Through outreach and education, such as demonstration field days and the development of a landowner-friendly management handbook, the Center aims to increase the number of family forest landowners who are actively managing habitat for the gopher tortoise and associated species and also encourage landowners to consider planting and managing longleaf pine.

The Center also partners with other organizations that promote longleaf restoration and active forest management on family forestlands. In collaboration with the Conservation Incentives programs, the Center also explores the role that market-based incentives may play in encouraging habitat restoration for the gopher tortoise. Read more about our work in Florida and Georgia.

Working Forest Conservation Easements and Family Forestlands
The South is facing increasing development pressures which may lead forest landowners to sell their property. Conservation easements can be an important tool to stopping the development of land but may not be attractive to forest landowners who are active stewards of their property and rely on occasional timber revenue.

Working forest conservation easements, which allow active forest management, for timber, recreation, and other ecosystem services, may have a broader appeal for some forest landowners. However, there is a limited understanding of the extent that these easements have been used, the interest or acceptance among the forestland owner community, and potential needs of both landowners and land trusts in considering if a working forest easement is appropriate.

To better understand the role working forest conservation easements can play in conserving family forestlands in the South, CCS conducted landowner and land trust surveys and social research. The compilation of results will guide pilot projects that can put lessons learned from the survey into action.

The Center will continue work with state and local resource agencies, as well as other nonprofits, to increase the access and use of prescribed fire for family forest owners.