 November 2013 Newsletter |
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Become a Member
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Becoming an AFE member is easy and affordable. All AFE members enjoy exclusive membership benefits, conference discounts, and can participate in the largest international professional society dedicated to the study and promotion of fire ecology. US Membership: $40 Student Membership: $20 International Membership: $20-$40
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Mission & Vision
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Mission: AFE is an organization of professionals dedicated to improving the knowledge and use of fire in land management through science and education.
Vision: The vision for AFE is that our membership of respected professionals from around the world together play a key role in wildland fire and fire ecology research, education, management, and policy, to enhance our knowledge and management of fire as a fundamental ecological process.
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Mike da Luz Memorial Student Scholarship Fund
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AFE is sad to announce the recent passing of our board member Mike da Luz on October 13, 2013. Mike has been instrumental in the financial growth and future visioning of AFE. His clear and intelligent analysis and wisdom will be greatly missed.
Mike's family is working with AFE to create "The Mike da Luz Memorial Student Scholarship" to help fund students travel to attend conferences and other educational events. We are very grateful to the family for this opportunity to honor Mike by continuing to foster his vision of knowledge transfer and fire ecology education. All donations will be used exclusively to support students in attending events. Visit our scholarship page to read more about Mike and to donate to this fund.
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AFE in ACTION
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Read about AFE members' activities on our website. Learn about upcoming events, opportunities,publications, media stories, etc. as well as how to submit your own newsworthy activity.
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UPCOMING AFE HOSTED OR SPONSORED EVENTS
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Large Wildland Fires: Social, Political & Ecological Effects. May 19-23, 2014. Missoula, Montana
The causes and effects of large wildland fires are the subjects of great debate. Are they unnatural events, causing great ecological harm, which should be suppressed at all costs? Or could they provide opportunities to reduce fuel loads, restore ecosystems, and improve resiliency in the face of ongoing climate change? What are the latest research findings, management treatments, and policy initiatives addressing large wildfires? Join us for this unique event co-hosted by AFE and IAWF, with support from JFSP. See our event website for information about workshops, field trips, sponsorship opportunities, and more.
Upcoming Deadlines:
Award Nominations: AFE is now accepting nominations for all 3 Lifetime Achievement Awards and 2 Student Excellence Awards.
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Fostering Resilience in Southwest Ecosystems: A Problem Solving Workshop. February 25-27, 2014. Tucson, Arizona
Ecosystems and fire regimes are moving into new domains as a consequence of climate change, disturbance, and other causes. Fire professionals and land managers in the region are confronted with new fire regimes, fire effects, and ecosystem recovery trajectories following disturbance. Join us for interdisciplinary roundtable sessions designed to help managers develop practical responses to novel ecosystem conditions, and measures that may be implemented prior to disturbance to maintain resilience and adaptive capacity. Sponsored by the Southwest Fire Science Consortium, with support from AFE.
TREE Student Travel Grants are available, contact Catia to request an application. Deadline is Jan. 1, 2014.
Travel Stipend Awards are available for up to $480, contact Barbara for more information.
For more information, including registration hotel reservation link, see the SW Consortia Website.
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Save the Date: Central Oregon Fire Science Symposium, April 7-11, 2014 Bend, OR
AFE is supporting this event ,along with the Pacific Northwest Fire Science Consortium. This regional symposium will include Rx-310 course (Introduction to Fire Effects) and the kick-off of the state wide Oregon Prescribed Fire Council. More details on this event to follow.
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Save the Date: 6th International Fire Ecology and Management Congress, San Antonio, Texas, USA. November 16-20, 2015.
This AFE sponsored event, held every three years, is one of the largest and most important fire ecology conferences in the world. The conference will be held at the beautiful Crowne Plaza Riverwalk Hotel in an exciting and historic part of San Antonio. Stay tuned for details.
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AFE Publishes New White Paper:
The Merits of Prescribed Fire Outweigh Potential Carbon Emission Effects
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This White Paper was developed by Association for Fire Ecology, International Association of Wildland Fire,
Tall Timbers Research Station, and The Nature Conservancy.
Executive Summary While North American ecosystems vary widely in their ecology and natural historical fire regimes, they are unified in benefitting from prescribed fire when judiciously applied with the goal of maintaining and restoring native ecosystem composition, structure, and function. On a modern landscape in which historical fire regimes cannot naturally occur due to fuel load build-up and resulting public safety concerns, the cornerstone ecological role of fire cannot be left to chance. Unintentional wildfires, which inevitably result due to fuel accumulation, are often ecologically disruptive and socially costly; yielding post-fire ecosystems with reduced ecological value (e.g., carbon sequestration, habitat for wildlife, etc.) and high vulnerability to insects and pathogens. While cessation of prescribed burning may seem appealing in the short term as a means of curbing carbon emissions and improving air quality, this perspective lacks long-term vision and ecological understanding. The overarching imperative for prescribed fire is that it can be used safely and responsibly to reduce hazardous wildfires, while perpetuating stable and resilient ecosystem with regard to ecosystem health, services, and lasting carbon sequestration. Read the full text here.
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Other Publications of Interest
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AFE regularly posts the monthly publication Current Titles in Wildland Fire from the Fire Research Institute. Click here to get links to the last 12 issues.
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