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

EricH@nrpsforesters.com

www.NRPSforesters.com

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