Fire University

It's the first day of #WildTurkeyWeek and to kick it off, we've brought on Dr. Michael Chamberlain, leading wildlife ecology researcher and professor at the University of Georgia. In this episode, we dive into the latest science on wild turkey populations in the U.S., major problems they currently face, and what we as hunters, landowners, and conservationists can do to improve their habitat moving...

What interactions change in upland oak ecosystems when we expand the burn window into the fall? How does this change acorn preference of wildlife like deer and squirrels? In this episode of Fire University , Dr. Marcus Lashley sits down with deer biologist and old graduate student Moriah Boggess to discuss their recent study assessing the effects of fire on acorn consumer preference. This podcast...

How does fire regime affect seed production and dispersal in plants? In today's episode of Fire University, Marcus sits down with former graduate student Dr. Carolina Baruzzi and current PhD candidate David Mason, MSc to chat recent and ongoing research investigating how fire regimes affect plant investment in seed production and how wildlife responses to fire may be important for which plants col...

A common concern people have when it comes to using prescribed fire is if it will result in the unwanted encroachment of invasive species. In this episode, Dr. Marcus Lashley talks with Dr. David Coyle, assistant professor and extension specialist at Clemson University who researches the impacts of invasive species and forest health management. Join them as they dive into the relationship between...

We've all heard time and time again that the biggest problem a landowner faces is their neighbor. But what if instead of competing with your neighbor, you joined forces? Join Dr. Marcus Lashley and Dr. Bronson Strickland, hosts of Fire University and Deer University, as they sit down to discuss the benefits co-ops provide and how cooperating with your neighbor can give you a tangible return on inv...

Due to concerns of damaging tree productivity, most prescribed burning has become limited to the dormant season, a practice that is inconsistent with the historical pattern of lighting-initiated fire. How different are the effects of seasonal biennial burning and which factors play the biggest role in survival? In this episode, Dr. Marcus Lashley turns to experts Dr. Morgan Varner, Director of Fir...

What do you do if you can't use fire on your land but want to improve your deer and turkey habitat? In today's episode, Dr. Marcus Lashley inquires upon what landowners can do when faced with prescribed burn limitations. He turns to wildlife experts Dr. Bronson Strickland of the MSU Deer Lab and Dr. Craig Harper of UT Knoxville to discuss the factors and techniques that will help you get around pr...

We use fire to manage lands for specific species, but can this management technique also be used to alter the behavior of predators? Tune into today's episode as Dr. Marcus Lashley chats with Dr. Michael Cherry of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute and PhD student Marcelo Jorge of the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources as they discuss how fire can he...

In today's episode of Fire University, Dr. Marcus Lashley sits down with returning guest John Gruchy of the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks to discuss brood rearing and nesting cover of wild turkeys and northern bobwhites. Join them as they discuss what makes for good brood rearing and nesting cover when managing for turkey poults and bobwhite chicks. This podcast is suppo...

In today's episode of Fire University, Dr. Marcus Lashley sits down with Dr. Bronson Strickland of the MSU Deer Lab and Dr. Will Gulsby of Auburn University to chat about deer habitat, timing of fire, and all the nuances of using fire as a tool to manage for deer. Tune in to learn how using prescribed fire can help you create both high quality cover and forage for your deer! This podcast is suppor...

How can you use fire to manage plant communities for quail? This week, Marcus sits down with Dr. James Martin of the University of Georgia and Dr. Mark McConnell of Mississippi State University to discuss the best management strategies using prescribed fire. This episode covers the best management practices including spatial scale, seasonality, and frequency of fire for quail.  This podcast is sup...

In this episode, Dr. Lashley sits down with his previous graduate students Rainer Nichols, Moriah Boggess & Jacob Dykes to talk about what they learned about fire, wildlife habitat and wildlife behavior, and how that's prepared them for their careers now. This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources:  Epsiode Host: Dr. Marcus Lashley - @DrD...

Should we be burning while turkeys are nesting?  To cover this controversial topic, Dr. Lashley sits down with Dr. Mike Chamberlain of the University of Georgia and David Hawley of the Wild Turkey Report to discuss in detail the potential risks and benefits of burning during this time frame. Also, we cover burn window, scale of application, and influence on poult survival.  This podcast is support...

Taking the first steps into using prescribed fire can be daunting – Which tools are needed? How do you develop a plan? Where you can find help and consultation? Look no further! In this week's episode of Fire University, Dr. Marcus Lashley sits down with John Stivers and John Gruchy, both with years of experience helping private land owners get started with using prescribed burning, to discuss the...

Fire was playing an important role in upland hardwood ecosystems when the current mature oaks germinated a century ago. While those mature oaks are still common in the overstory, the next generation of oaks to replace them are not present across much of the central hardwoods and Appalachian regions. Instead,  fire exclusion over the last several decades allowed mesophytic (moisture-retaining) spec...

We may have more acres to burn than we have time, personnel, and resources to burn it. It is imperative that our tools become more efficient especially with ever-growing societal constraints and considerations. In this week's episode of Fire University, Marcus Lashley sits down with Dr. Kevin Robertson, Dr. Morgan Varner, and Kevin Hiers at the Tall Timbers Research Station where they discuss the...

Fire and herbivory have always been important disturbances in grasslands and their interaction may be particularly important for wildlife habitat. In this week's episode, we talk to Dr. Sam Fuhlendorf of Oklahoma State University and Bob Hamilton of The Nature Conservancy about using patch-burn-grazing to mimic that natural process. Strategic use of prescribed fire and cattle may lead to habitat i...

Knowing where to get information, training, experience, and help is critical to success in prescribed burning. In this episode of Fire University, Marcus Lashley talks with fire professionals Zach Prusak and Andy Rappe to discuss the tools and resources available to fire practitioners and private landowners no matter where you are and why collaboration throughout the fire community is imperative t...

In this episode of Fire University, Dr. Marcus Lashley visits some old friends Dr. Craig Harper, John Gruchy, and Jordan Nanney and discusses burning in upland hardwoods. The conversation focuses on habitat improvement for white-tailed deer and wild turkey, as well as implementation strategy to maximize success. This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this e...

Fire University is a science-based podcast covering the latest research in fire ecology and how it relates to management of wildlife and plant communities. In this first episode, Dr. Marcus Lashley sits down with communications specialist Charlotte Nowak to introduce this series on fire ecology. This podcast is supported by listener donations - thank you for being a part of this effort. Resources:...