Field Trip Educates About Prescribed Fire in ACE Basin

Private Landowners of the ACE Basin held their second meeting on June 6 to discuss the topic of prescribed fire in the Lowcountry. Thanks to the Colleton Clemson Extension and the American Forest Foundation (AFF) out of D.C. for presenting this meeting. The intention is to draw members from the ACE Basin Focus Area in order to promote conservation forestry practices and to recognize that timber production, wildlife habitat and rural aesthetics all play a role in the ecosystem. Landowners were present from Colleton, Beaufort, Jasper and Allendale Counties and heard talks from Pete Stuckey with the S.C. Forestry Commission, Travis Folk with Folk Land Management, Emilie Cooper from AFF. Jeff Dennis led a field trip to Snipe Hill to view the positive effects of regular prescribed fire practices. AFF brought a message describing Fire Co-ops, a new technique being used in the Midwest to gather community support to conduct more prescribed fire. The concept is that since the S.C. Forestry Commission is becoming overburdened with prescribed fire assistance requests, it will be necessary one day soon for landowners to pool their resources. Of course, the more lands that are treated with prescribed fire is directly proportional to the decreased chance of wildfire in that area - and no one wants a repeat of the recent Myrtle Beach blaze. The meeting concluded with a catered lunch from Polk Barbecue and a great discussion among like-minded landowners.

To view past blog entries about prescribed fire click here.

To view past blog entries about S.C. Tree Farm click here.

Photos By Jeff Dennis: A map of the ACE Basin Focus Area; Landowners attending the field trip to Snipe Hill, Spencer and Megan Clark show the adults that fun can come in the shape of a lean-to when visiting family-owned forests