Making a Difference
2013 – 2014
Natural Resources and Environmental Management
Program Focus Team
Grand
Challenges
K-State Research
and Extension:
providing education
you can trust to help
people, businesses,
and communities
solve problems,
develop skills, and
build a better future.
Carol Blocksome
Range Specialist
785-532-0416
blocksom@ksu.edu
Walt Fick
Range Specialist
785-532-7223
whfick@ksu.edu
Joint-Agency Burn Workshops
Situation
Prescribed burning is a recommended practice to maintain grassland productivity and
reduce encroachment of woody plants. Safety and smoke management guidelines are
additional concerns. Coordinating workshops with other agency partners ensures that
producers hear the same message, whether they are doing Conservation Reserve Program
maintenance burns or grazing land treatments.
What We Did
K-State Research and Extension range management specialists and agents take the lead
each year to organize prescribed burning workshops. They work with representatives
from the National Weather Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Kansas Forest
Service, and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. Seven workshops were
held in central and eastern Kansas during January and February of 2014, attracting a total
237 participants. Topics presented at the workshops included current regulations, liability,
equipment needs, planning, and conducting the burn.
Outcomes
Surveys were distributed at three of the workshops, with 67 responses collected. Results
indicated that 99 percent of respondents felt more confident conducting a prescribed burn
after attending the workshop. The majority
(58 percent) indicated they planned to conduct a burn on their property later in the year.
Specific learning outcomes reported included:
•
Participants know where to look up daily temperature and humidity forecasts and
current conditions.
•
There is no set best time to burn.
•
There are different reasons for prescribed
burns.
Success Story
Participants responded:
“I learned more about preparation of burn plans
and the recommended compositions of teams
to manage controlled burns.”
“Prescribed fire can be a win-win situation and
is something to be encouraged.”
– Anthony Ruiz
Workshop participants use a model to
plan a controlled burn.
Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.