Owners of even just a few acres can make a positive difference in their environment through planning and implementing simple stewardship practices learned in
The Nature in Your Backyard Series. This series of online webinars and field sessions is designed specifically (but not exclusively) for smaller landowners, with under 20 acres. Woodlots large and small can support wildlife, protect water quality, generate firewood and other forest products, and provide recreation and enjoyment. Whether you are interested in adding some native plants to your yard, enhancing habitat for birds, assessing the health of your trees, cutting trees for firewood, or just learning more about what’s around you, this series can help you become a better steward of your property.
About this Session:
Fire has long played a role in shaping New England’s forest, changing species composition and structure, and in turn influencing wildlife habitat. Paradoxically, fire suppression over the past 100+ years, combined with shifts in climate, weather patterns, and past forest management practices, has resulted in increased fuel loads and subsequent risk of wildfires.
In the first half of this session, we’ll delve into historical fire regimes and ecology to learn how fire—and its absence—has shaped our current forested landscape. In the second half, we’ll discuss why wildfire risk is increasing and offer actionable steps you can take to assess and reduce the risk of wildfire around your property and neighborhood while preserving forest and wildlife habitat benefits. Bring your burning questions and leave with a better understanding of the benefits and challenges of wildfire in our forests.
Recorded 5/21/25
