The prescribed burning is designed to avoid brush fires such as this one on the UCF campus in June 2004. Photo by Jerry Klein.
National Wildlife Federation Honors UCF Prescribed Burn Program
By Kristi Bartlett (kbartlet@mail.ucf.edu)
ORLANDO, Dec. 9, 2005 -- The National Wildlife Federation has awarded the University of Central Florida a Campus Ecology Recognition for its prescribed burn plan. The award is given to universities that are committed to restoring wildlife habitat and slowing global warming.
The award acknowledges the success and importance of UCF's prescribed burn plan and recognizes the efforts of many participating agencies, including The Nature Conservancy, Florida Division of Forestry and the fire departments in Orange and Seminole counties.
UCF's five-year burn program consists of multiple controlled burns led by an Arboretum crew. From an ecological perspective, the burns improve wildlife habitat and restore vegetation diversity and health. The burns also limit the possibility of wildfires and make them easier to control when they do occur.
"Being recognized by the National Wildlife Federation is another step toward our goal of bringing UCF's campus to a nationally known level of environmental sustainability," said Martin Quigley, director of the Arboretum. "This is more than being responsible community members who recycle waste or conserve energy. It means building a beautiful, comfortable and magnetic campus landscape -- one that people remember just for having been here."
The prescribed burn has helped UCF strengthen relationships with the other agencies involved, and it aims to serve as a learning tool for the community. A curriculum is being developed to educate students on the advantages of prescribed burns.
UCF biology graduate students are designing master's projects around the burn plan. The team will maintain a staff of at least two graduate students, with the goal of adding more in the future. Eventually, a five- to 10-year plan will be developed using the students-research.
The initial burn in May covered 25 wooded acres on the east side of campus. Areas with the thickest vegetation will be burned in the cooler, moist weather during winter. The next prescribed burn is scheduled for January or February.
UCF's Department of Biology, Physical Plant and Environmental Health and Safety were part of the pre-burn process. Biology students tested and researched various effects of fire on different types of vegetation. The Seminole County natural land managers and the St. Johns River Water Management District also assisted with the burn.
For more information, please visit www.nwf.org/campusEcology/dspYearbook.cfm or www.environment.ucf.edu.
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