Talk of threats posed by climate change and global warming is not new. Most have heard how emissions from cars, industry and even wildfires affect the atmosphere. What many don’t know is there is a significant difference between emissions from prescribed burning and wildfires.

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Georgia Forestry Commission and the U.S. Forest Service are working to ensure that prescribed fire has as little impact on air quality as possible.

Prescribed fire, one of the most effective and economical ways to manage Georgia’s forest lands and ecosystems while also minimizing the risk of wildfires, is a safe way to apply a natural process that in turn benefits habitat restoration and species recovery.

“In a nutshell, prescribed fires help a forest to absorb more CO2 while a wildfire’s destructive intensity results in forests losing more carbon than they take in through tree growth,” said Steve McNulty, a Forest Service research ecologist, describing impacts involving carbon dioxide.

“Climate models for southeast Georgia predict that area is going to get hotter and drier, and that risk of wildfire damage will increase,” McNulty said. “Controlled burning is one of the principal controls of wildfires. When wildfires occur, forests that have previously been managed using controlled burning have less ground fuels to support the wildfires. Therefore, the fires burn less intensely and are easier to control and extinguish.”

Prescribed fires also release nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium by which trees use to increase their growth and carbon sequestration, or storage of carbon dioxide.

“Global warming is making wildfire inevitable in most of Georgia. Prescribed fire is really the only chance we have to prevent these catastrophic wildfires,” said Nathan Klaus, a senior wildlife biologist and burn boss with the DNR Wildlife Resources Division.

“When we conduct a prescribed burn, we release much less carbon into the air than a typical wildfire. At the same time, we are protecting our best tool to absorb atmospheric carbon – a healthy forest.”

It’s not only a global warming issue but also one involving safety and stewardship, according to Klaus.

“Wildfires consume everything. … Even worse, they often destroy the forest itself, crippling the Earth’s ability to absorb CO2. So the net effect is that there are higher outputs of greenhouse gases with wildfires as opposed to prescribed fires, and wildfires also impact our ability to capture CO2 into the future.”

The 2007 wildfires that burned along Interstate 75 from Valdosta to northern Florida consumed more than 500,000 acres and caused damages estimated at more than $100 million. For Klaus, the choice seems clear: Burn on our terms with controlled burning or on nature’s terms with wildfires.

Georgians can help conserve fire-dependant wildlife and other animals not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as native plants and habitats, through buying wildlife license plates featuring a bald eagle or a ruby-throated hummingbird. They can also donate to the Give Wildlife a Chance state income tax checkoff. Both programs are vital to the Nongame Conservation Section, which receives no state funds.

Visit www.georgiawildlife.com for more information, or call Nongame Conservation offices in Social Circle (770-761-3035), Forsyth (478-994-1438) or Brunswick (912-264-7218)

Other Cool Stuff On Domka Outdoors

• Video Of The Day – I think we have a blood trail..
• National Pheasant Fest
• Remington® Introduces Model R-15 VTR™ – Byron South Edition The Ultimate Predator Hunting Rifle
• Video Of The Day: Crazy Bucks Fighting In A River
• WANTED : WOMEN HUNTERS !!!
• Fly fisherman’s Chippewa River catch confirmed as world record
• Make your mount look like new
• Funny Hunting Prank
• WINNERS OF THE OUTDOOR CHANNEL’S 9TH ANNUAL GOLDEN MOOSE AWARDS
• Two Michigan State Police Troopers Admit To Deer Poaching
• Update on Chronic Wasting Disease in MI