** Archived Article - please check for current information. **

#05-218 October 17, 2005

‘Fire On The Landscape’ Discussion set at S.C. Prescribed Fire Council Meeting

"Fire on the Landscape" will be the theme for the second annual meeting of the South Carolina Prescribed Fire Council when it meets Wednesday, Nov. 16 at Riverbanks Botanical Gardens in Columbia. Anyone having an interest in prescribed burning is encouraged to attend.

Registration for the South Carolina Prescribed Fire Council's annual meeting begins at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16 in the Magnolia Room of Riverbanks Botanical Gardens at 1300 Botanical Parkway in Columbia, and the meeting is scheduled to conclude at 3 p.m. Lunch will be provided to participants. Those planning to attend are asked to contact Melinda Ottaviano of The Nature Conservancy in Columbia at (803) 254-9049, extension 20, or e-mail mottaviano@tnc.org. Responses should be received by Monday, Oct. 31. A fee of $15 will be collected the day of the meeting for those pre-registered, while late registration will be $25.

The mission statement of the South Carolina Prescribed Fire Council is to foster cooperation among all parties in the Palmetto State with an interest in prescribed fire to optimize burning opportunities, to encourage the exchange of information, techniques and experiences among practitioners of prescribed fire and to promote public understanding of the importance and benefits of prescribed fire.

Among the cooperators in the South Carolina Prescribed Fire Council is a collection of private organizations and individuals and state and federal agencies, including private landowners, The Nature Conservancy, S.C. Forestry Commission, S.C. Department of Natural Resources, Clemson University, U.S. Forest Service, National Wild Turkey Federation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Department of Defense, Nemours Wildlife Foundation, S.C. Forestry Association, Natural Resources Conservation Service, S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, National Park Service, Plantation Managers' Association and Association of Consulting Foresters.

Topics to be covered at the annual meeting of the South Carolina Prescribed Fire Council include: challenges of prescribed burning in South Carolina; growing-season prescribed burns; landscape-scale prescribed fire; a legislative perspective on prescribed burning; building a landscape-scale prescribed fire program; and the Indian Creek Partnership. Speakers include Dr. Ernie Wiggers, chair of the Prescribed Fire Council; Bob Schowalter, South Caroline state forester; Mark Hatfield of the National Wild Turkey Federation; Rick Anderson of the National Park Service; State Rep. William Witherspoon of Horry County; Joe Ferguson of the U.S. Forest Service; and Judy Barnes and Johnny Stowe, of the S.C. Department of Natural Resources.

Continuing forestry credits (4.5 hours: Category One) will be available from this meeting.

For more information on the South Carolina Prescribed Fire Council, contact Stephanie Beard, public information coordinator, at (843) 546-1013, extension 232, in Georgetown, or e-mail slbeard@clemson.edu, or visit the Prescribed Fire Council Web site at www.clemson.edu/rxfire.

- Written by Greg Lucas -

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