Responsible Management of UWF Woodlands: Prescribed Burns

A multi-year program of prescribed burns of University forested lands is underway with the Division of Forestry.  This collaborative effort is an important part of responsible management of UWF’s forested property.  Two burns were conducted in January/February 2011. The burn program will resume in the winter of 2011-2012.

Prescribed burns provide these benefits:

• The trails and buffer zones that are cleared and mulched to serve as firebreaks during the burns will provide for improved access and usage of the lands.
• The current state of the woodlands presents a significant hazard both to University property and to our neighbors.  The hazards from an uncontrolled burn, such as from a lightning strike, are extremely high.  Prescribed burns thin the underbrush and help mitigate the risks from forest fires.
• Contrary to what one might expect, prescribed burns actually improve the forest habitat and improve conditions for wildlife and natural plants.  Periodic forest fires are part of the natural renewal cycle of the forest.  Humans have interrupted this natural cycle by artificially preventing forest fires.  Prescribed burns help restore the natural cycle of forest renewal.

As part of the collaboration between UWF and the Division of Forestry, faculty and students from UWF's Environmental Studies program have been provided the opportunity of conducting field research related to forest burns.

Brush Clearing on the UWF Campus

The University of West Florida is clearing various areas of dense underbrush on the UWF main campus.

Much of the UWF campus consists of woodlands, wetlands, and other natural areas.  Although our campus is quite large, many don’t realize that the buildable area of the campus is increasingly constrained due to the large amounts of unbuildable acreage devoted to natural habitat.

While our intent is to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of the campus and its heavily-wooded setting, it is important that the immediate environs of the interior developed areas of campus be more “park-like” and less “wilderness-like.”  Thus, we are cutting and clearing much of the dense underbrush in these areas that has developed unchecked over the years.  A variety of factors require this:

• Safety.  Dense underbrush near parking lots, walkways, residence halls, and other pedestrian areas creates a serious safety hazard.
• Way-finding.  Navigating the campus, especially on foot, is complicated by undergrowth that obstructs sight-lines to buildings and signage.
• Enhancement and enjoyment of the landscape.  Many of the beautiful natural features of our campus are in fact hidden by dense and messy underbrush, including many beautiful vistas over our hills and bluffs.  Likewise, many of these regions are made practically inaccessible except over limited footpaths due to the dense brush.
• Fire hazards.  The dense underbrush contributes to the risk of uncontrolled wildfires.  Our program of brush clearing in the developed interior of the campus, combined with a companion program of controlled burns in our undeveloped woodlands, will enhance the natural habitat for both humans and wildlife, and reduce the risk of uncontrollable wildfires.

It is important to note that “brush clearing” refers to removal of scrub growth and underbrush, not the destruction of mature trees and signature heritage plants. Regardless of their size, key native trees such as the sparkleberry are protected during the clearing process. See the brush clearing plan map for details on the areas being cleared of underbrush. For more information contact Mark Pursell at mpursell@uwf.edu.