Why is your fire regime important?

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Which fire regime is your land?

Credit: David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

The frequency and severity of fire in a particular location molded how and whether plants and animals survived there. If fire came frequently, some animals–like those that lived in burrows underground–would have an advantage over those that did not have ready cover. Certain plants would also benefit because they were more fire resistant, or their seeds were more prone to take root after a fire. If fire was rare, a whole different suite of species would benefit. In this way, fire and especially the local fire regime played a fundamental role in the ecological make-up of every landscape.

For your woodland, fire regimes are important to understand because they help explain how fire interacts with and shapes forest character and sustainability. Fire will inevitably play a role in your woodland. If you know the fire regime of your forest you can more easily and successfully guide management actions to ensure that fire does the most good and least harm for your woodland.