Fire as a Management Tool
Humans have made some major changes to ecosystems around the world. Restoration ecology is needed to reverse some of the problems and mitigate others. One of the tools used is controlled burning.
It can seem odd that fire is used as a management tool in ecosystems. After all, we hear all about the forest fires around the world and how dangerous they can be. Yet, it’s because of some of the issues humans have created that the forest fires are becoming so dangerous. Small, managed fires can help the situation.
There is a debate over how fires should be used. Should they encourage the ecosystems to return to pre-European inventions or should they go back to pre-human ecosystems?
Creating Habitats for Other Species
Many species have been negatively affected by humans. Our attempts to suppress fires have meant that some species of plants can’t grow and there have been problems for animals.
Through fire management, habitats can be created. In some cases, fires help to burn out the dead material and create a space for new materials to grow. There are some plants that need the fires to happen to be able to germinate and grow. They need the nutrient-less soil, adding nutrients through their growth, which can help other plants in the area.
Creating habitats for animals and plans is essential. Because of the suppression of fires, some habitats have been destroyed. This has led to a number of animals and plants dropping to dangerous levels of extinction.
Using Fire with Other Management Tools
Fire isn’t the only way to manage the ecosystems and restore them to what they once were. Part of the management involves a balancing act. For example, the grasslands will also need livestock grazing to help the ecosystem.
The problem is heavy livestock grazing and fire suppression has altered the entire ecosystem in the prairies and other grassland areas. Woody species have dominated, leading to fire-intolerant invasive species. The woody species don’t decompose that quickly, which leads to the soils not getting the nutrients needed for other materials. Fires helps to decompose the materials, adding more nutrients to the soils.
There are also some beetles and fungi that need the dead trees for survival. Overusing fire will lead to their extinction.
Fire management used with other methods to maintain ecosystems will help to repair the damage humans have done. For many, it’s returning to the pre-European periods, as Native Americans had an understanding about fires and management, setting fires in fall and winter to help create the best land for spring and summer.