Progress 07/01/07 to 09/30/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: We designed 2 questionnaires to assess perceptions of Oklahoma residents and agricultural producers to prescribed fire and eastern red cedar encroachment. To achieve this, we mailed 1,000 questionnaires to agricultural producers and another 1,000 to the general public. Follow-up phone surveys were obtained from 10 percent of all nonrespondents to assess bias. A paper to present these findings was presented at the 24th Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference and resulted in a peer reviewed paper. A poster was presented at the 2009 Society for Range Management Conference which is an international conference. Research results were also presented to the Noble Foundation Agriculture Division to aid them in their outreach efforts to private landowners within the state of Oklahoma. This will impact 47 counties in the Southern Great Plains. Based on the research results, we conducted multiple extension events to educate landowners and land managers. These included: two summer fire field days which were attended by over 100 participants, nine land management field days (over 350 participants), and over 30 presentations to various audiences in Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Kansas. These included presentations at the Nebraska State Habitat Meeting, Oklahoma Chapter of The Nature Conservancy Board of Directors Meeting, National Farm Bureau Young Farmer Meeting, Oklahoma Wildlife Management Association Annual Meeting, Pheasants Forever Annual Meeting, National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative Meeting, NRCS Fire Trainings, and an NRCS webinar. Additionally, we disseminated information to resource professionals in the state of New Mexico to assist with their prescribed fire program. We created three new fact sheets, a new fire effects video, and a new community of practice for eXtension. We used a combination of presentations, fact sheets, web sites, and circulars to disseminate information from this work. All outreach was directed based on survey research results. Thus, the entire project is based on Oklahoma stakeholder responses. PARTICIPANTS: The Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Council was our primary partner. This group includes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, The Nature Conservancy, the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, the Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, and the Samuel Roberts Nobel Foundation. Additionally, we worked with Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Pheasants Forever, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Farm Service Agency. All of these groups are utilizing data collected from our research to better conduct outreach in natural resources. Finally, participants included landowners and land managers who have actively participated in field days, workshops, and presentations. TARGET AUDIENCES: We had 3 target audiences for this project. The first were agricultural producers. Information gained from our survey is being used to better educate agricultural producers on appropriate land management. From this education we anticipate a change in behavior that will improve natural resource stewardship. Our second target audience was the general public. We have modified our extension efforts as survey results dictate so that the public will understand and support land management actions that are necessary to maintain biological diversity. Our third target audience was other natural resource agencies. Information from this project is vital to these groups as they engage stakeholders in Oklahoma regarding land management activities. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
The lack of prescribed fire has been identified as a major natural resource concern in Oklahoma. OCES has spent significant resources to address this issue. However, information on public attitudes and perceptions was lacking to direct these outreach activities. Thus, our survey was designed to gather the necessary information to provide to resource agencies so that their effort is directed appropriately to achieve an increase in prescribed fire acreage and an increase in public acceptance of fire as a management tool. Our general findings were that landowners were most concerned about liability, 70% were not aware that prescribed fire associations existed, and do not burn during the growing season. Specific impacts from our outputs are detailed below. The Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Council is initiating a state-wide liability insurance program which should be available for 2013. This should significantly decrease liability concerns for landowners in regards to prescribed fire that were identified from our research. Three additional fire associations have been formed in Oklahoma based on work to increase knowledge of their benefits. One of the more significant changes in condition over the past five years is that the use of prescribed fire is now being considered beyond the typical dormant season. This will allow more land area to be properly managed. Multiple Wildlife Management Areas in both Oklahoma and Kansas have now implemented a summer fire program as a result of OCES outreach. Additionally we have directly increased the knowledge level of over 1000 resource professionals and land managers. Specific areas of knowledge impacted include: general attitudes of residents concerning fire, redcedar, smoke, and liability; amount of prescribed fire conducted within Oklahoma; constraints to using prescribed fire; and reasons for carrying out various land management decisions. We have also started a Prescribed Fire Community of Practice (CoP) in eXtension which will increase awareness of the role of prescribed fire nationwide. This CoP is supported by professionals from seven states. Additionally, we were able to modify CRP policy in Oklahoma to allow for fire disturbances closer to historical frequencies. This impacts over 1,000,000 acres of land in Oklahoma. We also were able to work with resource professionals in New Mexico and start a prescribed fire council there that is similar to the one present in Oklahoma. This will enhance the cooperation between resource agencies in that state.
Publications
- Weir, J.R., R.D Elmore, T.G. Bidwell, D.M. Engle, J.D. Carlson, and S.D. Fuhlendrof. 2009. Oklahoma prescribed burning handbook. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. Circular E-1010. Elmore, R.D., T.G. Bidwell, and J.R. Weir. 2009. Perceptions of Oklahoma residents to prescribed fire. K.M.Robertson, K.E.M. Galley, and R.E. Masters (eds.). Proceedings of the 24th Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference: The Future of Prescribed Fire: Public Awareness, Health, and Safety. Tall Timbers Research Station, Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
- Weir, J.R. and R.D. Elmore. 2012. The Effects of Fire. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. VT-1139
- Weir, J.R., R.D. Elmore, R.F. Limb, D.M. Engle, B.W. Allred, T.G. Bidwell, and S.D. Fuhlendorf. 2011. Burning in the Growing Season. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. Circular E-1025.
- Burton, J.A., R.D. Elmore, J.R. Weir, and T.G. Bidwell. 2009. Managing oak forests with fire. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. Pamphlet.
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Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: During the preceding year the primary focus of OKLO 2645 was to disseminate information based on research results. The data was presented to both professionals and land owners at various events which are described below. All of our outreach was based on data collected from local stakeholders by OCES personnel. Based on the research results, we conducted multiple extension events to educate landowners and land managers. These included presentations at Pheasants Forever National Meeting, two landowner field days, and two NRCS Fire Training schools. We also produced one extension publication related to prescribed fire (Burning in the Growing Season) which has been distributed throughout the Great Plains. Five presentations and trainings regarding growing season fire were given in Nebraska and Oklahoma during 2011. A new fire effects video has also been created in 2011. Finally, a new web site for eXtension was prepared for launch in 2012. We continue to use a combination of presentations, fact sheets, web sites, and circulars to disseminate information from this work. All outreach was based on survey research results. PARTICIPANTS: The Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Council is our primary partner. This group includes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, The Nature Conservancy, the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, the Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, and the Samuel Roberts Nobel Foundation. Additionally, we worked with Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Pheasants Forever, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Farm Service Agency. All of these groups are utilizing data collected from our research to better conduct outreach in natural resources. Finally, participants include landowners and land managers who have actively participated in field days, workshops, and presentations. TARGET AUDIENCES: We have 3 target audiences for this project. The first are agricultural producers. Information gained from our survey is being used to better educate agricultural producers on appropriate land management. From this education we anticipate a change in behavior that will improve natural resource stewardship. Our second target audience is the general public. We have modified our extension efforts as survey results dictate so that the public will understand and support land management actions that are necessary to maintain biological diversity. Our third target audience is other natural resource agencies. Information from this project is vital to these groups as they engage stakeholders in Oklahoma regarding land management activities. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
The lack of prescribed fire has been identified as a major natural resource concern in Oklahoma. OCES has spent significant resources to address this issue. However, information on public attitudes and perceptions was lacking to direct these outreach activities. Thus, our survey was designed to gather the necessary information to provide to resource agencies so that their effort is directed appropriately to achieve an increase in prescribed fire acreage and an increase in public acceptance of fire as a management tool. Our general findings were that landowners were most concerned about liability, 70% were not aware that prescribed fire associations existed, and do not burn during the growing season. We have several specific impacts to our outreach from 2011. The Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Council is initiating a state-wide liability insurance program which should be available for 2012. This should significantly decrease liability concerns for landowners in regards to prescribed fire that were identified from our research. Two additional fire associations have been formed in 2011 in two states based on work to increase knowledge of their benefits. One of the more significant changes in condition over the past two years is that the use of prescribed fire is now being considered beyond the typical dormant season. This will allow more land area to be properly managed. Multiple Wildlife Management Areas in both Oklahoma and Kansas have now implemented a summer fire program as a result of OCES outreach.
Publications
- Weir, J.R., R.D. Elmore, R.F. Limb, D.M. Engle, B.W. Allred, T.G. Bidwell, and S.D. Fuhlendorf. 2011. Burning in the Growing Season. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. Circular E-1025.
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Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: During the preceding year the primary focus of OKLO 2645 was to disseminate information based on research results. The data was presented to both professionals and land owners at various events which are described below. All of our outreach was based on data collected from local stakeholders by OCES personnel. Based on the research results, we conducted multiple extension events to educate landowners and land managers. These included a summer fire field day which was attended by 30 landowners representing over 100,000 acres of land, four land management field days (over 250 participants representing over 15 states), and 15 presentations to over 600 people. These included presentations at the Nebraska State Habitat Meeting, Oklahoma Chapter of The Nature Conservancy Board of Directors Meeting, National Farm Bureau Young Farmer Meeting, Oklahoma Wildlife Management Association Annual Meeting, Pheasants Forever Annual Meeting, National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative Meeting, an NRCS Fire Training, and an NRCS webinar. We used a combination of presentations, fact sheets, web sites, and circulars to disseminate information from this work. All outreach was based on survey research results. PARTICIPANTS: The Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Council is our primary partner. This group includes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, The Nature Conservancy, the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, the Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, and the Samuel Roberts Nobel Foundation. Additionally, we worked with the National Farm Bureau, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Pheasants Forever, the U.S. Forest Service, the Farm Service Agency, the National Association of County Agricultural Agents, and the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative. All of these groups are utilizing data collected from our research to better conduct outreach in natural resources. Finally, participants include landowners and land managers who have actively participated in field days, workshops, and presentations. TARGET AUDIENCES: We have 3 target audiences for this project. The first are agricultural producers. Information gained from our survey is being used to better educate agricultural producers on appropriate land management. From this education we anticipate a change in behavior that will improve natural resource stewardship. Our second target audience is the general public. We have modified our extension efforts as survey results dictate so that the public will understand and support land management actions that are necessary to maintain biological diversity. Our third target audience is other natural resource agencies. Information from this project is vital to these groups as they engage stakeholders in Oklahoma regarding land management activities. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The lack of prescribed fire has been identified as a major natural resource concern in Oklahoma. OCES is spending significant resources to address this issue. However, information on public attitudes and perceptions was lacking to direct these outreach activities. Thus, our survey was designed to gather the necessary information to provide to resource agencies so that their effort is directed appropriately to achieve an increase in prescribed fire acreage and an increase in public acceptance of fire as a management tool. Extension is serving as a central partner in this project as one of the founding members of the Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Council. This group is assisting in disseminating information and coordinating planning at the state level and OCES will remain central to this outreach. OCES supports all web outreach for the Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Council and additionally provides most outreach material. We were able to have significant impact during the preceding year based on the research results from our survey. Over the past year we have directly increased the knowledge level of over 800 resource professionals and land managers. Specific areas of knowledge impacted include: general attitudes of residents concerning fire, redcedar, smoke, and liability; amount of prescribed fire conducted within Oklahoma; constraints to using prescribed fire; and reasons for carrying out various land management decisions. A prescribed fire handbook and a circular on management of oak forests with fire were created based on information gained from this research. We have also started a Prescribed Fire Community of Practice in eXtension which will increase awareness of the role of prescribed fire nationwide. We have been able to increase participation in prescribed fire associations in Oklahoma based on the fact that over 70% of landowners do not know fire associations exist. Thus we have significantly increased our outreach to promote these associations as a land management tool. Two additional fire associations have been formed in 2010 with a third in the process of formation. One of the more significant changes in condition over the past year is that the use of prescribed fire is now being considered beyond the typical dormant season. This will allow more land area to be properly managed. Multiple Wildlife Management Areas in both Oklahoma and Kansas have now implemented a summer fire program as a result of OCES outreach. Ten presentations in 4 states were given that addressed this issue. Additionally, we were able to modify CRP policy in Oklahoma to allow for fire disturbances closer to historical frequencies. This impacts over 1,000,000 acres of land in Oklahoma.
Publications
- Burton, J.A., R.D. Elmore, J.R. Weir, and T.G. Bidwell. 2009. Managing oak forests with fire. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. Pamphlet.
- Weir, J.R., R.D Elmore, T.G. Bidwell, D.M. Engle, J.D. Carlson, and S.D. Fuhlendrof. 2009. Oklahoma prescribed burning handbook. Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. Circular E-1010.
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Progress 10/01/08 to 09/30/09
Outputs
OUTPUTS: During the preceding year the primary focus of OKLO 2645 was to analyze and summarize data from the survey conducted in the previous year and to begin dissemination of new information based on research results. The data was presented to both professionals and land owners at various events which are described below. All of our outreach was based on data collected from local stakeholders by OCES personnel. A paper was presented at the 24th Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference which was attended by resource professionals from around the nation. A poster was presented at the 2009 Society for Range Management Conference which is an international conference. Both of these events will help other agencies understand public attitudes toward relevant resource concerns which are national in nature. Research results were also presented to the Noble Foundation Agriculture Division to aid them in their outreach efforts to private landowners within the state of Oklahoma. This will impact 47 counties in the Southern Great Plains. Based on the research results, we conducted multiple extension events to educate landowners and land managers. These included a summer fire field day which was attended by over 100 participants, two land management field days (each with over 50 participants), and over 10 presentations to various audiences. Additionally, we disseminated information to resource professionals in the state of New Mexico to assist with their prescribed fire program. We used a combination of presentations, fact sheets, web sites, and circulars to disseminate information from this work. All outreach was directed based on survey research results. Thus, the entire project is based on Oklahoma stakeholder responses. PARTICIPANTS: The Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Council is our primary partner. This group includes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, The Nature Conservancy, the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, the Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, and the Samuel Roberts Nobel Foundation. All of these groups are utilizing data collected from our research to better conduct outreach in natural resources. Additional participants include the Oklahoma State Legislature who has been briefed on highlights of this research to aid them in serving their constituents. Finally, participants include landowners and land managers who have actively participated in field days, workshops, and presentations. TARGET AUDIENCES: We have 3 target audiences for this project. The first are agricultural producers. Information gained from our survey is being used to better educate agricultural producers on appropriate land management. From this education we anticipate a change in behavior that will improve natural resource stewardship. Our second target audience is the general public. We are modifying our extension efforts as survey results dictate so that the public will understand and support land management actions that are necessary to maintain biological diversity. Our third target audience is other natural resource agencies. Information from this project will be vital to these groups as they engage stakeholders in Oklahoma regarding land management activities. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
The lack of prescribed fire has been identified as a major natural resource concern in Oklahoma. OCES is spending significant resources to address this issue. However, information on public attitudes and perceptions is lacking to direct these outreach activities. Thus, our survey was designed to gather the necessary information to provide to resource agencies so that their effort is directed appropriately to achieve an increase in prescribed fire acreage and an increase in public acceptance of fire as a management tool. Extension is serving as a central partner in this project as one of the founding members of the Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Council. This group is assisting in disseminating information and coordinating planning at the state level and OCES will remain central to this outreach. OCES supports all web outreach for the Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Council and additionally provides most outreach material. We were able to have significant impact during the preceding year based on the research results from our survey. Over the past year we have directly increased the knowledge level of over 500 resource professionals and land managers. Specific areas of knowledge impacted include: general attitudes of residents concerning fire, redcedar, smoke, and liability; amount of prescribed fire conducted within Oklahoma; constraints to using prescribed fire; and reasons for carrying out various land management decisions. A new smoke management extension publication has been produced that is increasing awareness of how to safely deal with smoke from fire. We were asked to brief a special hearing in which we presented that 75 percent of Oklahomans believed prescribed fire was necessary to manage land and over 50 percent believed redcedar was a significant problem. This allowed policy makers to determine that their constituents were concerned. We have been able to increase participation in prescribed fire associations in Oklahoma based on the fact that over 70% of landowners do not know fire associations exist. Thus we have increased our outreach to promote these associations as a land management tool. One additional fire association has been formed, and another is planned. Through work with our partners we were able to provide input to the Farm Service Agency that resulted in more flexibility in using fire on Conservation Reserve Program Land. We have increased the allowable burn window from 4 months to 12 months for most of the state. This will potentially impact nearly 1 million acres in Oklahoma. The most significant change in condition over the past year is that the use of prescribed fire is now being considered beyond the typical dormant season. This is significant as it will over time allow more land area to be properly managed. At least 2 Wildlife Management Areas have now implemented a summer fire program as a result of OCES outreach. We also were able to work with resource professionals in New Mexico and start a prescribed fire council there that is similar to the one present in Oklahoma. This will enhance the cooperation between resource agencies in that state.
Publications
- Elmore, R.D., T.G. Bidwell, and J.R. Weir. 2009. Perceptions of Oklahoma residents to prescribed fire. K.M.Robertson, K.E.M. Galley, and R.E. Masters (eds.). Proceedings of the 24th Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference: The Future of Prescribed Fire: Public Awareness, Health, and Safety. Tall Timbers Research Station, Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
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Progress 10/01/07 to 09/30/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: During the preceding year the primary focus of OKLO 2645 was to gather data on public perceptions and attitudes toward prescribed fire. We designed 2 questionnaires to assess perceptions of Oklahoma residents and agricultural producers to prescribed fire and eastern red cedar encroachment. To achieve this, we mailed 1,000 questionnaires to agricultural producers and another 1,000 to the general public. Follow-up phone surveys were obtained from 10 percent of all nonrespondents to assess bias. A paper to present these findings has been accepted at the 24th Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference which will result in a peer reviewed paper. Additionally, the information will be presented at the 2009 Society for Range Management Conference. During 2009, data will be analyzed, summarized, and disseminated through the Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Council and through OCES. PARTICIPANTS: The Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Council is our primary partner. This group includes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, The Nature Conservancy, the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, the Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, and the Samuel Roberts Nobel Foundation. This group will be used during the coming year to disseminate findings from the results of this research project. Additionally, the Farm Service Agency provided assistance with agricultural producer contacts. TARGET AUDIENCES: We have 3 target audiences for this project. The first are agricultural producers. Information gained from our survey work will be used to better educate agricultural producers on appropriate land management. From this education we anticipate a change in behavior that will improve natural resource stewardship. Our second target audience is the general public. We will modify our extension efforts as survey results dictate so that the public will understand and support land management actions that are necessary to maintain biological diversity. Our third target audience is other natural resource agencies. Information from this project will be vital to these groups as they engage stakeholders in Oklahoma regarding land management activities. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
The lack of prescribed fire has been identified as a major natural resource concern in Oklahoma. OCES and other resource agencies are spending significant resources to address this issue. However, information on public attitudes and perceptions is lacking to direct these outreach activities. Thus, we designed a survey to gather the necessary information to provide to resource agencies so that their effort is directed appropriately to achieve an increase in prescribed fire acreage and an increase in public acceptance of fire as a management tool. Extension is serving as a central partner in this project as one of the founding members of the Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Council. This group will assist in disseminating information and coordinating planning at the state level and OCES will remain central to this outreach. A total of 361 agricultural producer responses were obtained and another 185 responses from the general public. Accounting for bad addresses our corrected response rate for the general survey was 26 percent while the response rate for the agricultural survey was 37 percent. We found high support for prescribed fire with 72 percent of agricultural respondents and 74 percent of general respondents believing it was necessary to manage the land. Respondents also viewed the increase of eastern red cedar as a threat to urban areas due to volatile fuels. Despite this, 23 percent of urban residents indicated they had eastern red cedar within 50 feet of their home. When asked what specific concerns respondents had regarding prescribed fire, both groups indicated damage to private property, risk to human safety, and soil erosion as most important. Smoke, scenic quality and timber production were the lowest concerns for both groups. Only 5 percent of the agricultural respondents were aware of the Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Associations. These results indicate high support of prescribed fire and recognition that eastern red cedar encroachment is a concern. However, many residences appear to not have taken adequate steps to deal with volatile fuels. Concerns regarding prescribe fire indicate that more effort is needed to address liability issues within the state. As the Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Associations have been identified by the Oklahoma Prescribed Fire Council as a top priority, significant effort should be made to address the very low knowledge regarding the associations' existence. The results of this research will result in an increase in the use of prescribed fire in Oklahoma which will improve forage for livestock, decrease wildfire risk, and improve wildlife habitat.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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