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Thread: How Big Should Wildlife Habitat Burns Be?

  1. #1
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    How Big Should Wildlife Habitat Burns Be?

    Another great conservation article from Mark LR Hall.



    http://hunterconservationist.ca/how-...lly-effin-big/


    What Can Conservationists do to Help Advocate for Effin Big Fires on the Landscape?

    Always be engaging your local habitat biologists to help them identify critical areas for habitat burns (draw really big circles on their maps).

    Demand habitat biologists responsible for prescribed burns either go big or go home.

    Demand that habitat biologists demonstrate how habitat burns are linked to firm population objectives (no wishy washing stuff).

    Become familiar with your local Wildfire Center’s Fire Management Plan because it should show areas where the fire management objectives call for “modified responses” – aka let-burn-but-keep-an-eye-on-it approach. Hold fire managers accountable to letting fire burn where the objective is to let it burn. Tell them there will be no sneaking in to put out fires in those areas just because fire crews are on overtime.

    Help support habitat projects and contribute third party funding to effin big habitat burns. Boycott funding for micro burns.

    Engage your local politicians and government decision makers to educate them about the benefits of effin big burns. Help build their confidence in B.C.’s wildfire management experts’ abilities to execute effin big habitat burns. Tell them effin big habitat burns help protect communities from nasty wildfires. Tell them effin big fires will increase wildlife populations which will help get them re-elected.

    Use social media and local newspapers to praise habitat burns (yes even micro burns).

    Counter people who are complaining about smoke from habitat burns and tell them it’s the sweet smell of biodiversity. Super Natural B.C. = smoke once and while.

    Be like a woodpecker looking for a grub deep inside a dry snag and relentlessly pound away on all the above items. The future of healthy wildlife populations depends on your hammering away at making effin big habitat burns a reality. Failure here is not an option folks.
    WSSBC Monarch Silver Member
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    RMGA Life Member


    The mountains are calling and I must go - John Muir

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  3. #2
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    Re: How Big Should Wildlife Habitat Burns Be?

    Would have to make sure they do not spray them afterwards

  4. #3
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    Kamloops Country just south of Heaven
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    Re: How Big Should Wildlife Habitat Burns Be?

    I think the shape of the finished burn wood B more important than size for animal habitat and protection.
    1. Too open when a great big block cut on a mountain side, make it a different shape to allow a corridor of trees on a ridge or gulley to be left for cover when going in and out and around for feed.
    Jel -- The shape more important than size for proper wildlife protection - don't need a P.H.D. to figure that out, just hunting experience over the decades ..

  5. #4
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    Re: How Big Should Wildlife Habitat Burns Be?

    Spray them? Spray them with what?


  6. #5
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    Re: How Big Should Wildlife Habitat Burns Be?

    Yeah, he cranks out good stuff. Thanks for posting. One observation that pops out at me (and which I wish more policy makers understood):


    • Predation or hunting might not be limiting population growth when poor nutrition is affecting the population.
    • Conversely, predation or hunting may be very strongly impacting wildlife populations when the habitat is severely degraded.
    Rob Chipman
    "The idea of wilderness needs no defense, it only needs defenders" - Ed Abbey
    "Grown men do not need leaders" - also Ed Abbey

  7. #6
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    Re: How Big Should Wildlife Habitat Burns Be?

    "Become familiar with your local Wildfire Center’s Fire Management Plan because it should show areas where the fire management objectives call for “modified responses” – aka let-burn-but-keep-an-eye-on-it approach. Hold fire managers accountable to letting fire burn where the objective is to let it burn. Tell them there will be no sneaking in to put out fires in those areas just because fire crews are on overtime."

    I can tell you from experience that this is critical for the enforcement of modified fire management policies.

    Back in 2015 a lightning strike started a fire deep in the Wilmore Wilderness Park in early June.

    Within hours of the fire being reported, an Immediate Action by Alberta Wildlife was taken to put the fire out. Firefighters were ready to start work, as there was nothing else to do. "Fortunately", the efforts to kill the fire one day one were not successful.

    Parks sat back and made media bites regarding the progress to extinguish the fire.

    Trying to put this fire out didn't sit well with many. We felt that the vast research done in this area showing the negative effects of a century of fire control was competent, and this area needed to burn.

    I dug up the Wilmore Fire Mangagement Plan, and low and behold, this area was in a designated "Natural Fire Zone". Wildfires are to be allowed to burn!

    It took many calls to various government departments, and probably most importantly letting the public know through social media. Alberta Parks and Alberta Wildfire fought to divert attention away from the Park's Wildire plan, claiming the fire must be put out for the caribou, for the grizzlies, for the White Pine.... Then relented.

    Those within the government either were ignorant or complacent in ignoring the fire policy. It took public knowledge and shaming to allow this fire to burn.

    I am happy to report the fire covered over 14000 hectares, and the sheep, goats, caribou, bears and plants are loving it!

  8. #7
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    Re: How Big Should Wildlife Habitat Burns Be?

    Most parks in BC don't have such management plans, informal means non-committal
    OMP was supposed to get a plan after the wildfire, so far no commitment to maintaining the bighorn habitat
    Never say whoa in the middle of a mud hole

  9. #8
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    Re: How Big Should Wildlife Habitat Burns Be?

    Always be engaging your local habitat biologists to help them identify critical areas for habitat burns (draw really big circles on their maps).
    And to identify areas where wildlife should get priority over resource extraction ( timber, grazing, residential development etc)
    Never say whoa in the middle of a mud hole

  10. #9
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    Cranbrook BC Where The Elk Are..
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    Re: How Big Should Wildlife Habitat Burns Be?

    There is no wildlife left to eat the habitat in the EK shoot a wolf save prey....
    Hunting Elk Is All About Finding Them ,If You Can't Find Them Keep Trying ..

  11. #10
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    B.C CANADA
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    Re: How Big Should Wildlife Habitat Burns Be?

    Quote Originally Posted by hunter1947 View Post
    There is no wildlife left to eat the habitat in the EK shoot a wolf save prey....
    ditto in the WK , and the numbers in N OK are dismal as well ..... far more habitat than wildlife .

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