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This page contains information about nine workshops conducted since the Network’s inception in 2001.
Southern Mexico Fire Forum, 6-8 March 2001, Chiapas, Mexico
The Southern Mexico Fire Forum focused on the ecological and social role of fire in tropical ecosystems of southern Mexico, with particular emphasis on the effects of the devastating fires of 1998. The goals of the meeting were to review lessons learned from the 1998 fire season, which threatened ecosystems in several large protected areas, and assess fire management planning, training and implementation needs from both social and ecological perspectives.
A series of plenary presentations by fire ecologists from the United States and Mexico provided a conceptual overview of ecological fire management planning based on natural fire regimes. Then, breakout groups focused on the specific fire management issues and needs at several protected areas in southern Mexico, including El Ocote and Sierra de Manantlán Biosphere Reserves. The breakout groups provided a forum for peer review of fire management plans and activities, and identification of best practices for managing fires. Finally, a field trip to El Ocote Biosphere Reserve provided participants with a close-up view of the effects of the 1998 fires and the fire management needs in the region.
• Participant list (Spanish)
• Workshop summary (Spanish)
Northern Mexico Fire Forum, 16-18 April 2002, Sonora, Mexico
The Northern Mexico Fire Forum focused on the fire ecology and management of temperate ecosystems in northern Mexico. Fire experts from the United States and Mexico provided the conceptual scientific framework for ecological fire management, with emphasis on the fire regimes of specific ecosystems in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. Discussion also focused on fire management planning and the ecological effects of fire suppression. Then, a series of breakout groups focused on the fire management issues and needs at a variety of protected areas in northern Mexico, with particular emphasis on Ajos-Bavispe, Sierra de Manantlán and Sierra de la Laguna.
• Participant list (Spanish)
• Workshop summary (Spanish)
Fire Ecology of Tropical Pineland Ecosystems, 7-9 May 2002, Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area, Belize
This workshop focused on the ecological role of fire and fire management planning needs in Caribbean and Central American pineland ecosystems. The meeting began with a series of plenary presentations on fire management, the ecology of fire-adapted ecosystems, fire effects on animals, and pine savanna restoration. Then, reserve managers provided an overview of fire management issues and needs at several conservation areas, including Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area (Belize), Madre de las Aguas (Dominican Republic), and the pine forests of Andros, Abaco and Grand Bahamas Islands (Bahamas). Breakout groups then focused on developing draft conceptual ecological models of the fire-adapted ecosystems in these conservation areas.
• Participant list
• Workshop summary
• Workshop summary (Spanish)
Prescribed Burning & Fire Behavior, 16-21 February 2003, Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area, Belize
This workshop focused on basic fire management planning, including prescribed burning. Fire ecologists and expert fire managers from The Nature Conservancy and the U.S.D.A. Forest Service presented the conceptual scientific framework for ecological fire management, focusing on fire weather, fire behavior, fire ecology and fire effects, and prescribed fire planning and implementation. Then, the group successfully planned and executed four prescribed burns in the pine savannas of the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area.
• Participant list
Integrated Fire Management in Montane Ecosystems of Latin America,
22-26 March 2004, Constanza, Dominican Republic
The Nature Conservancy, in conjunction with the Dominican Republic Country Program, the Fundación Moscoso Puello and the United States Forest Service International Programs, presented a four-day workshop for 59 participants from 10 countries.
Fire experts discussed the role of fire in both fire-maintained and fire-sensitive ecosystems and how fire can influence the dynamic relationship between the two. Concepts and elements of Integrated Fire Management were discussed as well as their application to specific protected natural areas. Using the Dominican Republic as an example, and integrating information presented about protected natural areas in other countries, participants developed a fire management strategy for montane ecosystems. The strategy can be modified for different situations in other countries.
• Participant list (Spanish)
• Workshop agenda (Spanish)
Introduction to Prescribed Burning in Natural Protected Areas, 6-11 February 2005, Hill Bank Field Station, Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area, Belize
The Nature Conservancy, in conjunction with Programme for Belize and the U.S. Forest Service, invited 29 participants from 10 different countries in an all "Spanish Language" workshop. Instructors from the Dominican Republic, the United States and Mexico were instrumental in the overall success of this workshop.
The goal of this workshop was to train participants to recognize the appropriate uses of fire in the conservation areas in which they work. Each participant was trained in identifying planning and implementation needs and how to pursue further training and experience to effectively integrate prescribed burning into their management actions and plans. Live fire practices were used in this workshop.
• Participant list (Spanish)
• Workshop agenda (Spanish)
Training Course for Instructors of Commuity Based Fire Management Programs, November 7-18, 2005, Hill Bank Field Station, Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area, Belize
21 participants from 10 different countries took part in this training course for community based fire management instructors. The focus of this course was the development of a training and evaluation model for community based fire management programs.
The goal of this United Nations (FAO) sponsored course was to achieve a compilation of actual experiences from the participants about community fire management and apply and implement these experience into a useful fire management training model. There will be a 6th month survey following this course to evaluate it's efectiveness.
Fire Control and Management Workshop, September 5, 2005, Paraguay
This workshop counted with the participation of 27 people from 3 institutions in Paraguay: one person from the volunteer fire department (C.B.V.P.D.M.A.), five individuals from the Itaipú Binacional (I.B.) and 21 personnel from the Fundación Moisés Bertoni (FMB).
The Moisés Bertoni Foundation has the objective to develop and Integrated Fire Management program for the Natural Forest Reserve of Mbaracayú (RNBM). The plan will consider the reserve in its totality and focus on fire management actions in the mountain range of Aguara Ñú. It will consider under its fire management objectives the need to apply prescribed burns. The actions suggested by the participants of this workshop for the implementation of an Integrated Fire Management plan can be found in the following evaluation summary:
- Evaluation Summary (Spanish)
Introduction to Integrated Fire Management Workshop for the Buffer Zone of International Park La Amistad, Costa Rica and Panama, January 16-20, 2006, Buenos Aires, Costa Rica
29 participants from Costa Rica, Panama and Peru visited Buenos Aires for this workshop. The humid tropical forests that exist in the International Park La Amistad is being threatened by forest fires that originate in its buffer zone. These fires are primarily escaped agricultural fires that negatively impact the vegetation of the montane forest that is sensitive to fire. As a result there is a loss of forest and it's biodiversity and damage to the watersheds.
The goal of this workshop was the understanding and recognition by the participants of the concepts of Integrated Fire Management and the appropriate uses of prescribed burning in the areas in which they work. The focus was on working together with surrounding communities and farmers to better use fire; pursue training and experience in order to effectively integrate all aspects of Integrated Fire Management in future management actions and plans.
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