North Carolina has 18.7 million acres of forest. Only Georgia, Alabama, and Oregon have more forest land. More than one half of the land in Robeson County, almost 35,000 acres, is covered with forest.

Trees are amazing! They supply oxygen to breathe, cool the air in summer, hold soil in place, and help prevent flooding. They also provide homes and food for wildlife and people.

We build with trees, make all kinds of products out of them, eat their fruit, and extract energy from them. Some trees even provide important medicines. In fact, we use trees every day. Another terrific thing about trees is that they are renewable. We can use trees and still have future forests, because trees can grow back.

Last week, I attended a meeting in which one of the group exercises included discussion about preserving our natural resources. We were asked to list the things that should be done by private landowners to protect our natural resources, so they can be enjoyed by future generations. The group included a diversity of people, many of whom were residents of some of the major urban areas in the state with little knowledge of agriculture and natural resources. Comments from several of them were "no fires in our forests."

I overlooked the first negative comment about forest fires and shared my ideas about the many ways landowners and farmers can take advantage of conservation programs offered by various agents to provide wildlife habitats. But when the discussion began to focus on how bad forest fires are for the environment, I saw my opportunity to provide a little education to these city folks.

I shared that just last month there was a celebration in Raleigh recognizing Smokey Bear's 60th birthday. There is no doubt that Smokey Bear has had a tremendous impact on educating people about the devastating effects of wildfires, but unfortunately, the message that most people have learned from Smokey Bear is that all forest fires are bad.

This is far from the truth. Fires in our forests have been a natural occurrence since the beginning of time. It is natures way of maintaining a healthy forest environment both for the trees in the forest and for the wildlife that live in those forests.

But since most forests in the state are now managed by man rather than by nature, it is man's responsibility to use fire wisely. Controlled burns in forestlands are not only recommended they are encouraged by forestry experts.

There is no doubt that wildfires are bad. We see news reports on television and in our newspapers fairly often about wildfires that spread across thousands of acres of land destroying everything in their path, including homes. These fires do cause considerable damage, but primarily because the landowners in those areas were educated by Smokey Bear. They "prevented" forest fires over the years and allowed leaves, limbs, and other litter to accumulate under the trees. Then when a fire does start, it burns extremely hot from all the fuel and often gets totally out of hand.

The best way to prevent wildfires is to allow controlled burns to occasionally remove debris from the forest floor. If controlled burns are used as a forest management tool, they prevent excessive debris from accumulating under the trees. Then if a wildfire does get started, it does not burn so hot or so rapidly. In well-managed forests, wildfires can be controlled rather effectively.

Another comment often heard about fires in the forest is that they destroy all the wildlife and the food for the animals. Actually, just the opposite is true. Remember, fires in our forests have been a natural occurrence since the beginning of time. Extensive research, and evidence over time, has shown that mammals and birds can easily escape from fires. Reptiles and most insects can simply burrow into the ground for protection.

Leaves and other debris that litter the forest floor prevent small plants from establishing. Small plants are the main source of food for many animals. They eat the tender leaves and shoots as well as the seeds produced by these plants.

When debris is removed by fire, within a few months the forest floor becomes full of small plants which provide an abundant food supply for wildlife. In addition, this plant growth on the forest floor provides nesting places for wildlife as well as cover to help protect them from predators. Over time, debris from trees will again shade out the plants growing on the forest floor. That is when it is time for another controlled burn.

The winter and spring season is the ideal time for landowners to manage their forests with controlled burns. The forests are not as dry during these times, so fires are much easier to manage. Winds and other environmental conditions are also more ideal during these times of the year, so smoke from the fires will be less of a problem.

So when you see forest fires in Robeson County during the coming months, don't jump to the same conclusions as the people in my discussion group. Not all forest fires are bad. In fact, fire is a very practical and every effective forest management tool.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 9/30/04