MPFC Quarterly Meeting - March 12, 2024

Michigan Prescribed Fire Council Quarterly Meeting

March 12, 2024

Online

Attendance:

Stephanie Diep (Kalamazoo Nature Center)

Jack McGowan-Stinski (Lake States Fire Science Consortium)

Julie Mclaughlin (DNR-Contractor)

Ben Savoie (District Forester)

Andy Henriksen (FPAC-NRCS, MI)

Dr. Greg Corace (Alpena Montmorency Conservation District)

Jarod Reibel (Ed Lowe)

Nathan Jeruzal (NWS Grand Rapids)

Frye, Amy (FPAC-NRCS, MI)

Jeb Barzen (WI PFC)

Laura Judge (FPAC-NRCS, MI)

Michele Richards (DMVA)

Mark Sargent

Steve Woods (Huron Pines)

Darwin Schultz

Vic Bogosian

Todd Aschenbach (GVSU)

Tina Stephens (Ann Arbor NAP)

Reviewing By-Laws Section 1:

One of the long term strategies is MPFC will partake in policy governance, reviewing a portion of the bylaws at each quarterly meeting and revising as necessary.

Jarod Reibel proposed to dissolve Article 1 and replace the objectives in the By-Laws with the objectives revised in the Strategic Plan just for reference but recognizing that objectives are not part of the By-Laws. We will also add wording in the By-Laws to refer to the Strategic Plan. The By-Laws are how we do business; the Strategic Plan lays out our goals for the next 5 years and how we plan to get there.

Richards, Michele (DMVA) Makes motion for changes.

Frye, Amy - FPAC-NRCS, MI seconds the motion.

An official vote for adoption of changes will take place during the next quarterly meeting.

Burning Issues Recap
Jarod Reibel
But overall, I think it was a really good event. We had a good turn out both online and in person. I feel like we had less virtual hiccups than we did last year. It shows where we're improving and growing on kind of how we're doing that overall. Feedback I heard was really positive from both the kind of content.

But overall, like I said, I feel like all the all the speakers were great as much planning as it takes to stand up that event. It's nothing without the presenters volunteering their time and knowledge.

Frye, Amy - FPAC-NRCS, MI
I would just say it's great to have some new people on board and thank you again to Ben for stepping up and joining a leadership role and yeah, great to see Nathan at the event as well as here now and anybody else who's just joining.

Jarod Reibel
A couple of years ago, I mean Lake States and and the tall grass have always been associated and have helped out a lot with the the burning issues and a couple of years ago they did kind of take a step back just from a logistical and and everything like that. And they are greatly missed. But we were able to kind of work through some things and they were able to be a big part of the planning team this year and I think it was a very healthy healthy relationship of the Council and the consortiums to where it was beneficial and show collaboration for for both aspects. So I talked with both Jack and Craig and they feel really well with kind of how that event when and I'm and I'm pretty positive that they'll be helping out in future years and and staying involved.

Jeb Barzen suggested working with universities to host annual meeting conferences as WI PFC has done.

Financial Update Quarter 2

Stephanie Diep: So the burning issues breakdown was the most successful event profit so far and the event profit margin is more than double the past two years. And I think that's mostly because the admin time took less time on my time. Now that I'm getting used to how it runs and had a lot of extra support this year from other people running ports of it and admin costs are being charged at half rate this year. So.

Stephanie Diep
And also know that 40% of our registrants made use of either our free promo code or half price promo code. So I think we should definitely keep providing those opportunities because they're definitely being appreciated and being used by people.

Subcommittee Updates

Outreach: Tina Stephens

Stephanie Diep: Meeting next week and if anyone is interested in joining that committee, let me know and I can put you in contact with Tina and they will be working a lot with our forest faucet grant and trying to see which organizations will partner with. We've already had a few organizations say they're interested in hosting learning burns and will cover most of the planning time, and so just mainly need some expenses covered. Maybe some supplies and volunteer time.

Tina: I'm gonna do a lot of brainstorming about what we as a committee wanna do and what we have the capacity for, and we've already had several requests for learn and burn, so that'll be one of the pieces of the business.

Training: Steve Woods

Some different irons in the fire.

First of all, it remind everyone about the prescribed fire training exchange that's gonna be taking place in May, May 5th to 15th. We filled the course with 35 people and we’re getting RSVP's from students.

Now each of the sections committees are meeting more regularly and you know, feel like things are on pretty well on course for that or by the end of this week, I really need to get together a list of sort of where our different training locations are and from that, uh, we'll, I'll be setting up time to go and visit with each of the landowners or property managers for the lands that will be involved in the training.

A lot of those are going to be locations for burning, but potentially there will also be some learning that we can do from by looking at sites that had burned prior to the TREX in in the spring.

Huron Pines in collaboration with the MI Prescribed Fire Council, have been working on establishing the Northern Michigan prescribed fire collaborative. And so the Michigan prescribed Fire Council as a named partner in that and trying to get all of our NGOs in the northern lower kind of together and elevate their level of literacy around fire and training. So, uh, incorporating Fire into their management plans, getting training for their staff basic, you know, 130/190 type training and doing consultations about where they can use fire on their properties and then ultimately implementing fire. So that MOU is being circulated for signature right now and then the next step is to develop a mobile fire cache.

So we've been actively buying tools and equipment for that mobile fire cache and kind of my first big benchmark with that is we're going to put on a Fire field day on May 30th at the Chippewa Nature Center near Mount Pleasant. I'll be sending out a save the date soon to everybody. Depending on response, we're gonna have to give some priority to people who are members of the collaborative, but I think that we're going to be able to get a good full class of people for that.

The other big initiative of the training and Qualification subcommittee is the training and qualifications MOU. If everyone has had the opportunity to review it and comment on it and it will facilitate anybody who signs the MOU participating in training and qualifications activities, including prescribed fire for the purpose of people gaining additional qualifications. Umm, so uh that is going to be uploaded to DocuSign by the end of this week and sent out to or a bunch of partners. I'll say that managing the signing process is an absolute bear. So, uh, just bear with me or us as we work through that.

The Forest Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service and DMV a have all indicated that they will sign the document, though that may take some time.

And then we would also like to have all of our prescribed Fire Council member organizations as many as possible, sign the document. So for each organization, I'm going to have to get the name and email address of who would be signing it as well as sort of a point of contact because often the executive director doesn't know anything about the training and qualifications or the Michigan prescribed Fire Council. So we kind of need an advocate within each organization to help usher the document through the signature process.

Steve Woods
And I guess I’ll introduced the idea now and you know it would be good to have some significant time on the agenda at our next meeting to probably discuss it in more detail. The number of us have talked about, you know, all along whether the Council itself should be a nonprofit and for reasons that we need to continue to remind ourselves that, you know, one of the advantages of not being a nonprofit was to help have better involvement from the agencies, namely (DNR) Fish and Wildlife and Forest Service. And so we made the decision not to. And one of the consequences of that is that. I'll we aren't eligible to apply for grants, and right now there's lots and lots of money out there for fire stuff. And you know, kind of the idea about whether the Fire Council should is really needs to do lots of things on their own or whether they're we serve as a supporting function for other organizations who are doing Fire related work, prescribed fire related work.

We, you know, some of us have had conversations about how we may be missing out on opportunities, we can't really have much staff capacity. Everything that we're doing is on a volunteer basis. How much activity we can kind of take on?

And you know the Kalamazoo Nature Center has graciously had staff involved in Stephanie as Administrator at a discounted rate and served a fiduciary role for the Council, but you know that's a local organization and we're a statewide organization. And so there's a little bit of misalignment with that, umm, so. We've, uh talked a little bit in in steering committee meetings before about the idea of having a nonprofit collaborator and one of the things that I've heard loud and clear from all agency partners is that there's a need for a nonprofit collaborator in fire in Michigan. And umm, there aren't very many organizations who are well positioned to be to operate at a statewide level and really be a nonprofit collaborator on fire and. In a lot of places, The Nature Conservancy serves that role. In Michigan. That's they've expressed that that's not going to be their role in Michigan, at least now. One organization that does that is tall Timbers Research Institute. And I reached out to some of the folks there to discuss whether they would have any interest in partnering with the Fire Council in that regard and they didn't say no, so it went up to their CEO and he's, you know, they kind of said, well, we would have to really gauge what that might look like and and what the Fire Council would want and that sort of thing. And so there's really two things. One is the administrative side of it in terms of being a fiduciary agent, being able to apply for grants and manage those, and the other is like on the operational Fire side of things, which is why having an organization that has a real backbone and fire is important.

There's all these things like incident qualifications, tracking and insurance and you know, knowing what the different training standards and options and obligations are and things like that.

So I guess where I left it I was working with their director of Private Lands and Umm, he said that this would kind of fall in his camp through their organization and that we should if we're interested in pursuing that start to put together kind of an idea of what that might look like and how.
Uh, we would ideally like to see a group like that support the Council and a growth plan kind of thing.

Jack McGowan-Stinski: The Coaliton of Prescribed Fire Councils is going to be available as a 501c3 fiduciary organization for any State councils. They are working on hiring a CEO now. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes now to make this happen with the Coalition of Prescribed Fire Councils going to be that umbrella organization. It goes beyond Tall Timbers private lands. Minnesota’s fire council is also not a 501c3 which has been a hold up.

Jeb Barzen
Umm it's it's hard to know how much of how you're configuring yourselves is just, you know, states just differ from each other in terms of assumptions, restrictions, laws, you know, you name it. So I don't know if this will apply or not, but in Wisconsin we have we are the Wisconsin prescribed Fire Council is a 501C3. And we have MOU's now with the Department of Natural Resources and with the Forest Service and with the NRCS. So I'm not sure how being a nonprofit will bar you from, you know, those sorts of interactions, but things might be different in Michigan, but they have not been a barrier for us in terms of doing the kind of work that we want to do. So I'd encourage you to maybe look into that a little bit more.

We have Forest Service grants through The Nature Conservancy in Wisconsin as sub-grantees. They’re getting money for it and we’re improving their grant by being a collaborator with it. So they're showing that they're working with other groups which are Forest Service likes to see they have a better chance of getting the grant and then their administration of the grant, they have to do it anyways. And so we just have to follow their rules, which you know is just reality.

So rather than having kind of an asking a big ask which is an organization to be your overall fiduciary for a nonprofit organization, we're asking the we're asking TNC to help us with a specific grant that they're involved with that we're also involved with. So it's kind of a a smaller ask and they get more benefit out of it. So they might be willing to consider that smaller ask and be willing to to work with you, but you can't do that unless you're a A501C3.

You know our nonprofit organization, so there might be ways of of working around, but I, you know we've we've benefited greatly for from the non or being a nonprofit, but we are slowly trying to build our capacity to try and start hiring staff because the other part of what I'm hearing behind all your statements is that this is all hell of a lot of work and to do it as a volunteer is harm and and Steve, I bet you're putting in 10 hours a week or 20 hours a week on this kind of stuff and you. Know that's not a sustainable thing as a volunteer. By and large, you know, we gotta kinda get that stuff done. And so at some point you do have to, you know, consider getting more staff to try and do some of this and figuring out how to pay that staff as a volunteer nonprofit organization is no easy task.

So there's no free lunch, but umm, we're we're at least finding that being a nonprofit is is certainly creating more opportunities than it is, umm, creating more obligations that we have difficulties meeting.

Richards, Michele (DMVA): So you know that I work for Army National Guard and each state has their own Army National Guard.

And it's under the governor. And when they get federalized, they become actual army people. But the governor has an army. And what we're we all function underneath state laws and the, you know 10,000 foot perspective of that work is that you know there's 54 States and territories and 54 different ways of doing things. I think that applies to The Nature Conservancy as well. There's been a political uh issue inside of our TNC for a long time and it is really unfortunate because it has stymied the Fire programs inside of that organization that, you know, sometimes it looks like there's sunshine, sometimes it doesn't. But TNC is not an option for us and I think we could reopen the conversations with our our agency partners. It was primarily (DNR) and Forest Service who were big.

Jarod Reibel: It’s a good Ave to continue to talk about in June. I'm hopefully when everyone's got their voices and we can kind of research into this a bit more. But yeah, definitely something to to consider and kinda dig deeper into moving forward. So I'll get that added to the agenda for June and we'll

Strategic Plan – Tribal Acknowledgement

Jarod Reibel
And then I did have a spot for the strategic plan, even though it was adopted and it was just last month. But we did kind of leave it open ended and knowledge that we have to kind of work on some of the tribal aspects of that.

Mark Sargent
At the burning issues, I talked to a couple people and said. More or less, this may not be my strong suit to reach out to the tribes and was trying to find somebody who might step up to do that. I have heard no response yet, so it's probably at the point where I need to reach out to them a little bit more and say hey, have you thought about that? It will not be a simple commitment. To reach out to all the tribes and interact and try to format an item that they all can agree upon. And in what direction that goes, I don't know.
So the group and the comments from our membership wanted to make sure that we strategically strategically outline that we are gonna outreach to the tribes. We want to make sure they have a chance for input.

Hopefully we can make it simple, but we're gonna have to reach out to a dozen plus tribes to find out what their input is and what their concerns and issues are and how we would describe that action item, that objective that they feel supportive of.

Stephanie Diep
Part of it, too, is acknowledging the historical use of fire on the landscape by tribes historically as well.

The Nature Center has gone through a process with some of the local tribes around here to create a Land Acknowledgement Statement. So I do have the procedures and process that they went through for that which might help inform whenever we start that process as well.

Richards, Michele (DMVA)
I would just second Mark's assessment on the level of time that it takes to do the engagement. Definitely finding someone who has the chops and the time to do it is important and it will take a lot of time.

Mark
I will add that. We're walking into prescribed burn season. We're walking into the TREX training. I don't think our bandwidth is wide enough to address this probably until June. If we could get a champion by June, I would be tickled pink.

Jarod Reibel
So this is probably gonna take time, which is OK, we're in the process of of, of working on it.

DNR Burn Boss Program Update

Jarod Reibel
Basically it happened while we were at burning issues or I guess just after, but the (DNR) had created their fire specialist position, prescribed fire specialist position which to my understanding is gonna basically also serve as a member to the Council. They'll be with us and that was named as Jeff Corser. So hopefully that means that the certified Burn management program is kinda gonna get some feet and and get going here and the near near future.

I did reach out to Jeff just by Email. I'm kind of congratulating him on the new gig and looking forward to working with him. So he has every intentions of coming to future meetings with him, kind of having previous roles in there being some gaps within the (DNR) that is gonna need filling. It does sound like it's going to be a bit of a transition to things he's covering. But I would imagine, hopefully by June Jeff will be able to start joining us at some of these meetings.

Mark
So for those that don't know, Jeff, he's early on and I'm not gonna go through his whole career, but he early on. He was a wildlife assistant for wildlife management at Saint Charles and was really active with our wildlife burn program. And then went over to of FRD and got involved with their burden program and got up. To be what we call 50, which is our regional for force Fire person, he's a go getter.

Hard driving. Really really supports the use of prescribed fire, so I think they picked a good candidate and I think at some way we can really strongly work with. So kudos to the (DNR).

Weather Protocol

Partner Updates

Nathan Jeruzal-NWS Grand Rapids
I just wanted to kind of throw out there to everybody that we had our fire weather partner agency meeting coordination meeting couple weeks ago with all the state and federal agencies in lower Michigan and one of the things that came out from that that I think everybody should be just kind of aware of is that red flag warning criteria is going to be adjusted a little bit for lower Michigan and how that's going to be adjusted is essentially we're going to be taking the temperature criteria out of the criteria. And it was suggested by the Forest Service and we all agreed upon it.

OK, So what the thought is this is a chart that was developed just by experience from the Forest Service, the Manistee National Forest. And you know, it's essentially a chart with sustained wind speeds at the top and then RH values on the left side. And you can see, you know it goes from green that you know, usually that's not a concern at all.

1To elevate it, fire conditions in the yellow and in the red that would be red flag warning criteria.

So instead of just, you know three, you know, distinct criteria, you know, 20 mile per hour winds, 75 degrees and RH is 25% or less. It's more of a, you know, variable chart here and I want to, you know, stay this with the caveat that the emphasis will be much more on the fuel conditions and will be coordinating the fuel conditions with those agencies before red fight morning or a fire.

Weather watch would be issued so you know it's gonna be a little bit of a change and it's kind of a test period this year, but we've all, you know agreed that you know this is the good way to move forward this year and then we'll evaluate it at the end of the year.

Jeb Barzen
But that's always the challenge is that you know, right when we're being able to get some of the fire effects that we want all of a sudden there's a red flag warning and everybody shut down. And so it's a constant engagement that we have with in our case (DNR), but presumably as well as with federal UM laboratories in terms of uh, how we go about dealing with this. And in part, our certification program is intended to try to adjust that of developing more professional prescribed fire practitioners so that they can interact more with (DNR) and perhaps broaden that zone in which prescribed fire is allowed. You know, as opposed to shutting down for people who are not certified but allowing certified burners to continue burning to some extent.

Nathan Jeruzal-NWS Grand Rapids (Guest)
And you know, essentially what we've decided is that we really need to put a bigger emphasis on the coordination with the agencies. And so hopefully you know that with if all the coordination is going on, as should you know, be that nobody should be surprised by anything coming out or you know anything like that.

I'm definitely up for feedback or any kind of comments that you know there are on this though.

Michele Richards

Why was temperature taken out as a criteria?

Nathan Jeruzal-NWS Grand Rapids (Guest)
And so what is gone on the last few years is that the Forest Service and the DNR has gotten kind of antsy, you know, as we approach criteria and, you know, the question always, I don't know what that was with, you know, they've gotten concerned as we approach criteria, but we weren't hitting it.

And so then, you know, with our pre coordination meetings each year or preseason coordination meetings each year we we ask you know is there a need for a change in the red flag conditions.

And I think with you know, turnover in the agencies and some you know thoughts on you know that it was decided that you know it's actually we would go to this new set of criteria and one of the things that was brought forth by a couple people is that they kind of surveyed all the Great Lakes states, all the neighboring States and what they found is that only Michigan and Wisconsin have the temperature criteria and you know again with discussions with the partners you know this was totally a partner thing.

It's not the Weather Service trying to, you know, change things, but that it was decided that, you know, we should give this a try this year, so. And you know, it's good to have any kind of feedback from all of you too, cause and that's you know why I'm, you know, bringing this to everybody.

Richards, Michele (DMVA)
And also, as I'm sitting there reading the information in in your document, it makes me wonder you guys use the National Fire Danger Rating system, right as you?

Nathan Jeruzal-NWS Grand Rapids

Well, officially we do. But you know, with the coordination with the agencies, as you guys probably know, that it's a lot of the Canadian fire danger system that they use, you know, for their fire danger each you know day and how they make decisions just because of the lay of the land here in Michigan compared to you know further South. And so you know, that is something that is considered, you know, in the whole process and again hopefully you know, I feel confident with the people that we coordinate with from those agencies that they have, you know, good heads on their shoulders and you know, looking at realistic situations and common sense and things like that versus just kind of pie in the sky type stuff. So.

Mark
I feel it's a little bit of forest driven, northern driven. And our light fuels, I think tincture has a little more impact than soils.

Nathan Jeruzal-NWS Grand Rapids

If there's concerns, we definitely wanna know and take those things into consideration so.

Mark

My my other comment is in Southern Michigan, most of our permitting is issued granted from the (DNR) to the local fire department.

So I think if they're, if you're calling in to do a burn and they're looking at this chart and they see green, they'll be like, ohh Yep, green good. And if they see red, they'll be like, don't red’s bad? I saw that you had RX and the yellow where it was like a subclause like our ex would be OK in the yellow.

I just don't know what those look local fire departments are gonna do with that. And they have been a a hindrance for professionally and trade prescribed fire folks to get work done.

I I'd love to test this, but I also want to make sure that we're getting good feedback from a variety of people and and modifying and and then I don't know how to do the training cause in some cases it's well my my local fire department is Charlotte is 8, paid professionals in 29 paid volunteers.

Nathan Jeruzal-NWS Grand Rapids
Right. You know, I totally hear what you're saying about, you know, that it might be more forest geared.

Umm, one of the things that we definitely talked about and this this goes with the fuels discussion is that you know the fuels are gonna be determined by the different regions.

And for example, last year when we had the smoke issues when it was really dry, you know in June, you know we were kind of in drought conditions, we weren't issuing red flag warnings and that was, per the (DNR) enforce service for like the Southern 2/3 of Lower Michigan because they were not concerned about the fuels at that point.

But they were concerned about the jackpine, and so the red flag warnings. We're really, you know, limited to where that jackpine is.

And so that that is gonna be, you know, definitely taken into consideration that and I think with the (DNR) involved with this, they'll know you know what, we're not worried about the, you know, grasses down South yet, but the Jack pine is, you know more susceptible more you know volatile right now or you know different situations.

And so it's going to be a very dynamic decision and that's where the coordination is going to be very important when you know we and the Weather Service might see, you know, concerning weather conditions.

But the, you know, fire agencies will say, you know what, the fuel conditions are just not right for, you know, High fire dangers. So don't go with the red flag warning or the fire weather watch.

So I think those things are definitely, you know, taken into consideration and you can't just go by the chart, you know by itself so.

Nathan Jeruzal-NWS Grand Rapids

And you know, this is an opportunity for us to, you know, move forward and see if it's, you know, a good way to, you know, kind of change things up or if we find that it just doesn't work, you know, then we can, you know, discuss that at the end of the year and everything.

Mark
I'm gonna go in there in a little bit different direction and maybe it is, but is that something that we could put on out? Is there any way we could get on Thursday afternoon and just get the a 5 minute?
This is what the weather forecast is for the next week. This is what we see for fire weather and maybe that's available already. I don't know about it or is it something we could create?

Nathan Jeruzal-NWS Grand Rapids

Let me check into that I have to make sure that I follow the laws and regulations that the federal agencies love to have. The other thing that we may be able to get around that is that we may be able to, you know, we always send out the briefing afterwards.

Maybe they're even might be a way that we could post it to the web and then we get around it that way. I definitely wanna help everybody out as much as possible, you know, cause I'm here to, you know, be a good partner and team member with everybody and we'll see what we can do.

So I will, I will look at that as I'll take that as an action item and look into making something happen. So that's made available somehow within the laws and regulations, so.

And you know, again, once once it's out of our hands to our partners, you're able to do whatever your agency says you can do so.

Jarod Reibel
So yesterday I drove up to Lansing, and Ben Beeman of Pheasants Forever and Adam Bump with the (DNR) or bumpa are basically kind of standing back up.

What I think originally was the Michigan doesn't restoration initiative.

It sounded like you were probably involved in that Mark, but they've kind of shifted that gear to be the Michigan Grassland coalition to kind of sorry talking about some grass and then shoes and make some goals.

And this was the first meeting of that I've attended.

I think it was their second one, but just kind of hearing what a lot of people are saying is, yeah, there's a lot of people that are may not be a part of the Council, but when it comes to grassland management and burning, a lot of people are are talking about just capacity issues.

So I think a lot of the stuff that we're trying to do, whether it be with training or or different avenues I think is gonna help a lot of folks.

So just kind of wanted to share share that there's other stuff going on.

It sounds like we'll probably meet quarterly or a couple times a year to kind of start talking about that.

I think he's kind of considering like, yeah, how to how to get Pheasants Forever more involved and and try and get some some fire on the ground where I think there could be some.

Mark
So what I'm once I retired, I was able to shift some of my interest to some other things, including the Prescribed our Council, but to my county funds forever.

Who they do 8 to 15 burns a day a year and they have they have no process procedures, no PPE's.

I mean, really pretty much some good guys working hard with a backpack sprayer and a torch.

Ohh so I'm bringing them up to speed and there is a there is a PF national policy that they have to meet six or seven requirements to fall under the national Pheasants Forever liability clause and one is 13190.

So Eatontown is going through that, but I'm gonna promote that broader with other county chapters.

So prescribed fire Council is a big process that they may will be there for Field courses.

Get more training etcetera. So.

It might be a new Ave to bring new partners into the fold.

And Bruce Miller, I just talked about it the other day because he's been approached as well from uh, went away county Pheasants Forever and the other item I had my list was I think I look forward to our discussions about going towards a nonprofit organization.

I do think we should take a little bit time to figure out what the pros and cons are.

Uh for some agency people that once you become a nonprofit, the agency cannot be an active member.

If I remember right and I don't know if those were personal judgment calls or those were actual agency.

Protocol, but we might wanna wear that.

Puts a mirror into having that discussion to make sure that, yeah, we get grants, but it also means then the military or (DNR) or the Forest Service can no longer be a member.

Think it's something we should really put some thought into as we go forward?

Next meeting in June hybrid with in-person somewhere in Northern Lower.

MPFC 24th Annual Meeting Notes - Feb 7, 2024

Social Hour and Silent Auction at Burning Issues Workshop 2024

Attendance

Online: Bruce Miller, Cathay Mathews, Becky Hand, Joel Campbell, John, Jack McGowan-Stinski, Natasha Sokolow, Glenn Palmgren, Mike Smalligan, Julie McLaughlin

In-Person: Amy Frye, Jarod Reibel, Stephanie Diep, Travis Wilcoz, Jeffery Plakke, Lee Osterland, Ben Savoie, Craig Maier, Steve Woods, Michele Richards, Paul MacNellis, Mark Sargent, Jacob Gowkowski, Kyle Martin, Tyler Allyn-White, Daniel Judd, Briant Eddy, Dave Crockett, Dave Borneman, Ryan Koziatek

Members

Acknowledgement of long-term and new members.

If you are a long-term member and did not appear in this list or you would like to become a member, please fill out the form at firecouncil.org/connect and join our email list as well. Membership is free. 

Leadership Positions

Amy Frye steps down from Chair.

Jarod Reibel steps up from Vice Chair to Chair.

Amy Frye nominates Ben Savoie, Barry Conservation District - District Forester for Vice Chair

Jarod Reibel seconds the motion. 

Unanimous aye by attending Steering Committee members.

Strategic Plan

Mark Sargent reveals the final draft of the five year strategic plan (2024-2029). Rounds of comments from inside and outside entities have occurred. Edits have been adopted including a statement to emphasize the value in collaborating with tribal entities. More work to be done to flesh out a tribal recognition statement outside of this plan. 

Paul MacNellis proposed motion to adopt document in current state.

Michele Richards seconds the motion.

Unanimous aye by attending Steering Committee members.

Comments from members to keep up accountability with this document with regular reviews during quarterly and annual meetings. All subcommittees and members should refer to the strategic plan when making decisions for focus of programs and outreach.

Dates for Quarterly Meetings 2024

Continue with hybrid meetings, rotating the in-person meeting around the state. 

2nd Tuesdays from 11am-2pm, hosting locations may choose to serve food for lunch any costs should be charged directly to in-person attendees by the host or absorbed by the host, MPFC will provide hosts with RSVP numbers for in-person attendees prior to the event (on average 5-20 people)

March 12: Lansing, MI (Andy Hendrickson) 

June 11: TBD (Mt Pleasant, Huron Pines, Ann Arbor, or Washtenaw)

Sept 10: Upper Peninsula (Amy Frye)

Dec 10: SW MI Edward Lowe Foundation (Jarod Reibel)

Updates from Subcommittees

Education and Outreach (Tina Stephens)

• An form has been created to accept applications for organizations to partner with MPFC to host Learn & Burns. MPFC may be able to provide funds from the Forest to MI Faucet grant over the next 3 years to assist with outreach, training, and public fire demonstrations. The grant focus is on reaching private landowners to inform them of how managing forest ecosystems with prescribed fire helps water quality. 

• Anyone interested in partnering for an event or helping with the grant can contact Tina or Stephanie Diep (info@firecouncil.org) 

Training Subcommittee (Steve Woods)

• MOU sent out by Huron Pines for collaboration to support fire trainings for non-agency folks to increase trained/experienced workforce capacity since many individuals need NWCG certifications and live fire training experiences for task book sign offs

• MPFC has signed onto the MOU, several agencies are reviewing the MOU with plans to sign it including Fish and Wildlife Services, MI DNR Forest Service, USDA NRCS, Michigan Army National Guard

• Once agencies sign on it will be open to all organizations to sign on in batches

• The Northern Michigan Fire Collaborative is working on collaboration for trainings and fire implementation between non-profits, tribes, and other organizations in that region.

• Huron Pines will be hosting a FFT2 training on May 30, max capacity of 30 registrants, details will be distributed by MPFC once ready

• May 5 a FFT2 field day will be offered in the southern lower peninsula for TREX participants and open to non-TREX folks as well. Details will be distributed once ready.

Updates from Members

Ryan Koziatek, Kalamazoo Nature Center

• KNC received a USDA Forest Service Grant that will be used to hire a Fire Specialist position tasked with discussing/exploring what it would take to build a successful SW MI Fire Collaborative to increase fire capacity with strategic planning and long-term funding.

• The grant also has an emphasis on mapping private lands in SW MI (maybe beyond if feasible) to assess fire needs and climate impacts

• Part of the grant will also fund a shared fire equipment/tool cache for SW MI

Tyler Allyn-White, Ottawa County Parks

• Tyler hopes to build a burn team program for Ottawa County Parks and appreciates any insight other members can share on how to get this started

Stephanie Diep, Kalamazoo Nature Center

• The exhibits staff at KNC attended Burning Issues last year and wanted to extend their gratitude for the wealth of information they received that helped inform the Fire: Rekindling Land and People exhibit. Feb 7, 2024 is the last day that this exhibit is open. If you mentioned you are from MPFC or Burning Issues, you can get in for free today to see the exhibit. 

Quarter 1 - MPFC Council Meeting Notes 12/5/23

Date: 12/5/2023

Location: Hybrid - Kalamazoo Nature Center

Attendees:

In-Person (6): Jarod Reibel (Edward Lowe Foundation), Dave Brown (SWMLC), Mary Ellen Miller (MI Tech), Stephanie Diep (KNC), Dave Borneman, Stuart Goldman (MNA)

Online (21): Ryan Koziatek (KNC), Glenn Palmgren (MI DNR), Katie Carlisle (Huron-Clinton MetroParks), Brian Hintz, Vic Bogosian (Pokagon Band Potawatomi), Gary Werner, Amy Frye (NRCS), Joel Campbell, Elysia Detweiler, Bruce Miller (TNC), Chuck Vannette, Robert Johnston (Stantec), Jeb Barzen (WI PFC), Steve Woods (Huron Pines), Tina Stephens (Ann Arbor NAP), Buffy Dunham, John Taylor (Ball State Univ), Andy Henriksen (NRCS), Steve Cross, Julie McLaughlin (DNR), Mark Sargent

Opportunities discussed during this meeting:

• Call for a new vice chair!  Experience is great, but not necessary.  Grow with us!

• Volunteers for Burning Issues event, contact Jarod or info@firecounil.org 

• If interested in working with education/outreach subcommittee, reach out to Tina Stephens (tstephens@a2gov.org) or info@firecouncil.org

• Steve Woods and the MI Cohesive Strategy Meeting to get agency leaders together...if you think you could provide assistance with this, reach out to Steve (steve@huronpines.org) or info@firecouncil.org

• Mary Ellen Miller looking for land managers to meet with NASA and Forest Service to discuss solutions to problems that remote sensing/modeling could help with (related to fire, invasives, or other land management needs) contact memiller@mtu.edu 

• DNR Rx Burn Specialist - includes representative to MPFC in description - Closed 12/4/23

• https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/michigan/jobs/4280327/forester-12-forest-management-specialist-13-rx-burn-specialist

Meeting Time: General consensus that 11am-2pm meeting time has been working, like hybrid option with rotating regional hosting org each quarter, agreement that hosting org can provide lunch and in-person participants will RSVP in advance and contribute to cost of food if they would like food provided OR they will pack a lunch (or lunch out after meeting)

Call for interest in developing a regional cohesive fire strategy for Michigan and MOU’s for regional partnerships between organizations, agencies, etc. Steve Woods is interested in discussing with others interested. Need someone well positioned between agencies and other orgs to coordinate/lead efforts. Need outline for initial discussion/meeting and desired outcomes from a meeting. Can a meeting be hosted at Burning Issues or at a NE-MW Regional Fire Council Exchange meeting? KNC will have a new staff that will be positioned to assist with this type of effort within the next year. MI DNR is hiring a new staff that will be managing the Burn Manager program and should be involved.

Burning Issues Update (Jarod Reibel):

• Scheduled for Feb 6 & 7, 2024 hybrid at Fort Custer Training Center Augusta, MI or online. Registration open!

• In-Person only pre-workshop hosted in partnership with Lake States Fire Science Consortium Smoke TOOLS Workshop Feb 5 limited capacity, non-refundable registration, register with Burning Issues registration

• Speakers and session schedule is almost confirmed and will be posted some time in January. 

• We need more sponsors! Contact info@firecouncil.org for more info on sponsoring or contributing to the silent auction.

• Will call for additional volunteers during the event. Look for emails in the future. 

Training Committee Update (Steve Woods): 

• TREX is coming up in May 6-15 at Fort Custer Training Center

• We would like to share more training opportunities on our Events page and Training page at firecouncil.org - Send details for events to add to Stephanie at info@firecouncil.org

• Steph will work on tinkering with the visual of the Events page and see about an embedded Google calendar

• Huron Pines is hosting a Fire Field Day in April

• Ball State University is hosting S130/S190 and fire manager trainings in Feb and March

Education and Outreach Update (Tina Stephens):

• Tina Stephens is our new lead for this subcommittee focused on public outreach such as Learn and Burn events

• Working with Laura Judge (MACD) on planning a learn and burn

• Contact Tina if you are interested in joining this subcommittee tstephens@a2gov.org

Strategic Plan Update (Mark Sargent): 

• Subcommittee has drafted a strategic plan for MPFC

• Draft will be sent out to all MPFC members via email for review mid-December with comments/edits needed by Jan 12 {VIEW DRAFT HERE}

• Find Review Survey Here

• Will unveil the final version at the annual meeting in February

WI PFC Update (Jeb Barzen):

• WI PFC is in a similar situation as MI PFC and looking at many of the same issues/tasks

• Measurable goals for WI PFC include increasing a certain amount of statewide burned acreage annually in alignment with the fire needs assessment

• We need to train more burn bosses and squad bosses in order to achieve more burn capacity/burned acreage

• They have hired a part-time staff dedicated to training and certification coordination

• They hope to hire 2 full-time staff for WI PFC 

• Every burn conducted should involve learning, training, and mentoring

• Lessons learned: 1) Don’t overthink things.  2) Consider multiple pathways to achieve goals/objectives.  3) Try to avoid ‘one off’ type events…build in longevity when possible.

Program Specialist Position Open for Applications WPFC Is Hiring! - Wisconsin Prescribed Fire Council

Finance Update (Stephanie Diep):

• Merchandise stock is good, may need to order more stickers prior to Burning Issues

• So far a few merchandise sales and two sponsors for Burning Issues (Dave Borneman Restoring Nature with Fire, LLC and Blue Heron Ministries)

• Mostly admin expenses so far but KNC is offering Steph’s rate at 50% up to 10 hours per month

• Forest to Michigan Faucet grant from US Forest Service is prepared to give MPFC $50k over 2024-2025 to use for fire trainings and public outreach. Leadership will be meeting to discuss details.

• Breakdown of training expenses/budget needs to be determined (how much per training, what type of training, etc.) 

The proposed budget includes a new 3 year grant to cover costs of public outreach and training events. Administrative time is being charged at half rate. The total projected revenue after expenses is expected to be $5k to stay under taxable profit.

The current quarter has not had many financial transactions with the Administrative labor being the main expense and a few merchandise sales and Burning Issues sponsors as income. Most expenses and revenue for the year are expected in the coming quarter around Burning Issues in February.

In-Person attendees had the opportunity to see the KNC Rekindling Fire and People Exhibit.

KNC Rekindling Fire and People exhibit will be up until sometime in January (depends on schedule for floor renovations). Stop by and check it out when you are able before it is gone! Contact Stephanie or Ryan Koziatek if you want a tour. Exhibits - Kalamazoo Nature Center

9.5.23 Quarterly MPFC Council Meeting Notes

Quarterly Michigan Prescribed Fire Council Steering Committee Meeting
September 5th, 2023
11am – 2pm ET
Hybrid (Teams + in person @ Escanaba Bio Innovation Center)


Welcome and Introductions Bruce Miller TNC, Steve Woods - Huron Pines, Dave Borneman – private contractor, Amy Frye USDA-NRCS, Jarod Reibel – Ed Lowe Foundation, Mark Sargent, Glenn Palmgren, Zach Parmentier Hiawatha USFS, Mike Smalligan, Vic Bogosian Pokagon Band of Potawatomi NR, Craig Maier, Megan Hoffman MDNR Huron Pines Americorp member FRD, Eric Britzike USFS, Jack McGowan-Stinski LSFC, Nathan Holoubeck - WPFC, Todd Aschenbach – GVSU, Michele Richards - MIANG Fort Custer

General Updates

·         NE-MW Regional Rx Fire Science and Management Workshop in Madison, WI: Aug 29-31, 2023

MI PFC did a $500 sponsorship to get our name out to the guests and support the collaboration efforts.

Amazing event, lots of connections, Tribal centered. 33 states attended. Lots of great talk about a whole variety of things fire. Networking was super helpful. Steve discussed with George Jensen and Zach regarding administration of MPFC and there are two different answers. Zach said we should talk about it. See if there’s a chance for some alignment. The idea of a non-profit associated with the Fire Council, people thought it was a good idea to give us access to funding and have continuity over time. The perfect solution was not yet found. Forest service is looking to treat 50 million acres in the next ten years, but they need partnerships. Cultural use of fire was a huge takeaway. How much recent science and studies have been going on to figure out fire history in the east. Hiawatha and Ottawa doing a lot with that with agreements with Tribal Communities up the in the UP. USFS can’t do this alone, it has to be a team effort. Planning team looking for suggestions on what to change or keep.

·         Administrative rates update:

o   Currently pay $60/hour for admin work. Newly proposed $30/hr for up to 10 hours a month is the short-term fix for reducing the cost of our administration. Will reassess in one year August 2024.

·         Upcoming MPFC leadership opportunity:

o   In February Jarod Reibel will be the chair, and we will be looking for a new vice chair. Planting seeds for finding new candidates for the Vice Chair position.

o    

·         Forest to MI Faucet project:

o   MI DNR is acquiring a grant to show the impacts of forests on drinking water quality. Perhaps we can work together on this project. It’s focused on water quality, but opportunities to explore fire as a land management tool is providing water protection as well as ecological integrity. $50,000 over three years for training and talking about prescribed fire and its positive impact on forests and water. Private lands focus. Federal dollars through forest stewardship program. Trainings to increase prescribed fire on private lands. Negotiating with NFWF for funds. Contract with MPFC starting in October 1 for three years, related to training and technical assistance to private landowners. Mike Smalligan needs match. Use of fire foam, fire breaks, lots of overlap with water issues. MIARNG has match. This can cover admin costs, too. Federal funding hitch, this is a congressional earmark. She’s trying to save Lake Erie. Can only use south of the 43rd parallel. Emphasis on this region, southern half of lower peninsula. It would be valuable for MPFC to have a synthesis of the research between prescribed fire and water quality. Mike has other projects in northern MI. USFS is exploring the connection between wildfire versus prescribed fire and its impacts on water quality. Maximum fire return intervals of 15 down to 6 years, tied to cultural burning materials at the conference. Bay Mills and Sioux Tribes among others. They’ve done an adaptive fire management plan with Tribal members. Many medicinal plants that live in the peat and pine island ecosystems that were fire adapted.

o   Jessica Miesel might give us a primer on research and where to start on this topic. Jack says there’s a synthesis of the fire history research forthcoming.

o   Vic down in Pokagon land that has a consultant with a minor botany celebrity. Not a plant that he doesn’t know. Fall burns, Native Americans burned everywhere they could as often as they could. Pre-European presence, forest biomass was 50% reduced. Most of our southern forests are now not only mesic, but increases water runoff instead of aquifer research.

o   Strategic plan will talk more about human health, a note about pfas foam and firefighter safety.

Updates from Subcommittees

·         Burning Issues 2024 Planning Updates (Jarod Reibel)

o   Moving it to FCTC, Feb 6&7, save the date out in a week or so. Integrating with KNC Damien Panek as Terry Todd speaker on 8 Feb.

o   Keep it at same price as last year, $90, with discounts for students and potentially others.

o   Some of our topics will overlap with NE-MW Workshop, but that’s not a bad thing. Cultural Burning (Ferin from NEMW), Objectives and Outcomes, Canadian wildfire smoke, fire and wildlife (bats and herps), and invasive species case studies. Brainstormed potential speakers and starting outreach to those folks.

·         Strategic Planning Updates (Mark Sargent)

o   Had three meetings via web-conference. Evaluated last strategic plan. Brainstormed new ideas and concepts. Feel it’s ready for review. Used a jam board to help develop different ideas and concerns from the group. Then we did live editing.

o   Not sure of what process to gather input from other folks. Moderate sized group or send it out to all the membership.

o   Group reviewed briefly all together during meeting.

o   Creating a culture of prescribed fire strikes a chord – the resurgent focus on Tribal lands. Replace creating with restoring. Distinction between cultural burning and prescribed fire (under vision). ...continue a culture of prescribed fire and embrace cultural burning knowledge...

o   Values – add environmental to ecological in second bullet

o   Do we want to consider that it’s not just beneficial but essential to meet our long-term ecological needs.

o   Comments and input would be incorporated in November, and in December present a final document for approval and adoption, then February present to the entire MPFC at the annual meeting.

Present update of Strat plan to steering committee                                                                           Sept 5th

Send proposed strat plan to all member for review and input                                                        Sept/Oct

Bird Hunting Season                                                                                                                                        Sept/Oct

Edit proposed strat plan                                                                                                                                Nov

Present final proposed strat plan to steering committee/or subset                                              Dec 5th

Present Strat plan to all members                                                                                                              Feb 2024

Click button to view in new window or download, send comments to Mark Sargent

o   Curious about the sub-committee(s) for safety and research? Or two new subcommittees? If those tasks might be functions of the existing committees or something. explanation of need and purpose would help. Do we have the willpower and strength to broaden that given the level of effort we currently count on. Maybe safety ends up being a function of training and quals. Fire Science Consortia does the research portion – is there a different function we would serve? Do a synthesis ourselves? Having a forum for discussing research?

·         Training and/or TREX Updates (Steve Woods/John Taylor/Michele Richards)

o   Training side – one of the important parts of facilitating TREX and all training is to have clarity in who does what and participates on what. MOA fully drafted. The idea says that we all agree training is important to support prescribed fire and we agree to collaborate to increase the amount of training. Provides people cover who field questions about whether or not their agency supports their time to serve as cadre or send students to training. Defines what responsibilities, minimum training standards, etc.

o   TREX had a couple of planning calls, Michele and Steve discussing with TEA. Cleared the air on some things and moving in a good direction. They heard us that it was necessary for us to have continuity with their staff participation, and we are filling some of those issues with having Steve manage some of the networking responsibilities.

o   Three 130/190 trainings in northern Michigan in the next two years will be offered via Huron Pines. Mt. Pleasant, Traverse City, and either Cheboygan or Alpena. First one would be in the first week of April.

o   Fire collaborative has an MOU circulating, initial review Sag-Chip Tribe, Headwaters Collaborative and GTLC. Once signed by enough participants they will build mobile fire cache for use by signatories.

o   Huron Pines hosting a workshop for peer-to-peer learning on fire in the jack pine ecosystem. Multiple agency partners participating. Van tour. Should start to set in motion of doing a TREX in northern lower in two years.

o   Huron Pines asked their invasive species lead to host a workshop with all the other CISMA coordinators in MI focused on using fire for invasive species control. Hungry for something besides spraying chemicals all the time. Lots of talk about integrated management but not a lot of using those tools. Hopefully involving an invasive species burn. Jack can provide old PPTs and other docs for this topic.

·         Education/Outreach Updates (Leadership role vacant)

o   Vacant at the moment. If interested in leading or ideas for outreach contact info@firecouncil.org

Partner Updates:

·         WI Prescribed Fire Council (Nathan Holoubek representing)

o   Forest Service and TNC grants will allow them to hire a program specialist to hire staff to take on aspirations. Working on training and prescribed fire/burn boss certification duties. Potentially looking at a very part time executive director, too.

o   MOU signed with NRCS

·         Tallgrass and Oak Savanna Fire Science Consortium

o   HANDS-ON FIRE SCIENCE METHODS WORKHOP April 7-12, 2024 round three of these workshops can be found here: http://www.tposfirescience.org/fire-sci-methods-workshop

Financial Report (Amy on behalf of Stephanie)

Project summary of funds spent from White Oak Initiative. Grant completed but $720.00 paid ahead for admin time to work on a S-130/S-190 Field day training in Spring 2024 (on deferred revenue contract at KNC).

$14,455.11 current MPFC bank account balance.

Do we start offering more training to increase revenue/use grant funds? More discount rates for students to widen reach/work towards accessibility opportunities?

Upcoming Events

• MPFC Annual Meeting and Burning Issues Workshop in Feb 2024, stay tuned for registration and details coming in next few months.

• Kalamazoo Nature Center “Rekindling” Fire exhibit still open to public until May 2024

Open Floor

Someday have a place to put all our burns in a map. MDNR has some opening for federal data. Not sure if that going to be something that will be robust yet. Work is ongoing with this. Glenn will update as progress is made.

Conclusion

Next Quarterly Meeting will be:
Tuesday, December 5th, 2023
Ed Lowe in Cassopolis, MI

Quarterly MPFC Council Meeting 5.30.23

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

11:00 AM -  2:00 PM

Photo of Lupine flower by Nora Duncan, property of MI PFC

Attendance: Kevin Butler, Tina Stephens, Andy Henriksen, Dave Borneman, Amy Frye, Jarod Reibel, Jeb Barzen, John Fomusa, Mark Sargent, Katie Carlisle, Jack McGowan-Stinski, Stephanie Diep, Bruce Miller, Todd Aschenbach, Joshua Wissinger, Craig Maier, Kevin Butler, Tyler with Huron Metroparks

AGENDA/NOTES

Welcome and Attendance Call (Amy)

Membership Clarifications (Steph)

No separate memberships for steering committee members versus regular membership. No different tiers of membership. Membership remains free. 

o    Dave brought up concerns about having the Council open to anyone may make the Council vulnerable to hostile takeover. Years back discussion of who have voting rights in organization. Roll into discussion for Strategic Planning committee task. 

Subcommittees

o    Training subcommittee - lead: Steve Woods and John Taylor, currently working on regional MI MOUs

o    Outreach subcommittee - need a new outreach leader (Tina Stephens?) to schedule and set up meetings and help decide and allocate tasks 

o    Burning Issues subcommittee - request for involvement to start planning for 2024

• first meeting in June (Amy will work to schedule), lead needed Amy willing to lead if no one else is able to

• Steph will still assist with logistics when given clear instruction but will not be in all planning meetings to help alleviate admin expense.

• KNC will have Damon Panek (wildfire operations specialist for Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa) coming to talk in Kalamazoo in February in conjunction with the fire exhibit and would love to incorporate Burning Issues with this event if possible

o    Temporary Subcommittee for updating MI PFC mission/vision. Mark Sargent volunteered to lead. 

o    Anyone who expressed interest on the membership form should hear from the subcommittee lead. If you want to be on a subcommittee and did not express interest yet, please contact info@firecouncil.org to be put into contact with the correct lead.

TREX update and needs: May 6-15 2024 (Michele)

o    IMT set up from Army National Guard

o    Will send open slot needs to council members

o    Hand tools needed and other equipment for incident cache

• Discount admission for fire engines brought to use

• Concerns about damages compensation, insurance? Will look into.

o    New Ember Alliance contact: Greg Gilbert 

o    Save the Date going out soon

Quarterly Financial Review (Steph)

• ~$3,600 profit

• ~$15,000 in bank account

• About average with where the council usually falls. Admin expenses are a bit higher than years past. Lack of revenue since not doing fire trainings.

• First year we asked for sponsors at Burning Issues, was helpful for the finances and should be continued

Produced by Stephanie Diep, MI PFC Treasurer

·         Discussion on how council will prioritize spending funds:

#1 Administrative Expenses, 

#2 Burning Issues and Annual Meeting, 

#3 Training Materials and Tools

• Need more S130/190, especially for non-agency folks and seasonally. Tyler (Huron-Clinton Metro Parks) may have some help to offer with people and logistics.

• Jan-March 1-2 day training ideal for nonprofit & NGOs, week-long GVSU course often too expensive and too long for many interested individuals

• March best to avoid Burning Issues and not too much snow

• TNC can assist with planning and leadership

• DNR often able to provide leadership in cadre in winter 

#4 Education/Outreach Events
* some grants will limit what funds can be spent on

Updates on White Oak projects (Steph)

COMPLETED:    

• Reimbursed Oceana Conservation District Intro to Fire Workshop ($300) 15 attendees, Steve Cross presentation

• $513 towards Burning Issues Oak panel and fundraiser outreach materials

• $1,746 towards Admin time (~31 hours)

• 3 practice fire shelters purchased (housed at KNC)

• No Fire History or Field Tours (postponed until Aug/Sept or 2024 if different funding available)

• What to use remaining $2,890 for?

CHOSEN IDEAS:

·         $2,000 with 1:1 match ($2,000) to Steve Woods for fire cache tools for Northern Lower MI 

·         $890 for Admin time to help conduct Learn & Burn or S-130/S-190 training at FCTC

OTHER IDEAS:

• Purchase more equipment for training cache? (Steve hand tools for Northern Lower and potentially UP)

• Pay a facilitator for a S-130/S-190 before July 24?

• Public fire demo at FCTC or private landowner before July 24? 

• Admin time? To do a specific task? Develop oak mgmt with fire outreach content…assistance from MSU or other university or consortia staff? Start a MI regional burn map?

• Private landowner fire needs assessment/WOI & fire resource sharing postcard and online survey. Get private landowner mailing lists from SAF, NRCS, etc. in SW MI. Survey land type, acres, fire rotation needed, has been burned/not, contractors or other help/not, interest in personal training/collaboration. Compile stats in report that can be used for evidence to support future grants by all orgs statewide. Offer MI PFC SWAG prizes to first 10 landowners to complete survey. Make sure contractors list is up to date on website prior to distribution. 

• Partner with KNC fire exhibit to do a speaker event on oak mgmt with fire? 

• L-280 Fire Leadership Training course or book club discussion (pay/reimburse for books and have hybrid discussion after reading, or pay KNC staff to facilitate a L-280 course day virtual or in-person for MI PFC members who are fire leaders in their orgs)

  • PMS-449-2 Leadership Publication: $4.71 each or online free

  • NWCG Book Lists and discussion guides: https://www.nwcg.gov/wfldp/toolbox/prp 

  • The 5 Graces of Life and Leadership by Gary Burnison $16 each RE:quick read, overview leadership skills

  • The Resilient Life by Dr. Susan Biali Haas $17 each RE: mental health/stress

Upcoming partner events?

o    June 21, 9am-5pm White Oak Initiative Symposium at Kalamazoo Nature Center (Stephanie Diep, Jarod Reibel, and Mark Sargent can represent MI PFC depending on how many needed)

o    June 3, 2023 “Carrying the Torch: Rekindling prescribed fire in Michigan’s prairie peninsula” public art exhibit by Gillian Moore

o    June 24, 2023 Kalamazoo Nature Center “Rekindling: Fire, Land and People” public exhibit opens featuring Ethan Turpin's immersive art installation, “Walk Into Wildland Fire,” placing the viewer at the heart of a wildland fire.

o    The FIRST NE-MW Regional Prescribed Fire Science and Management Workshop will be held in Madison, Wisconsin at The Madison Concourse hotel on August 29 – 31, 2023
What does the committee think of sponsorship? Anyone interested in going to table? comes with 1 free admission.

Jarod moved to sponsor the event. Amy seconds Jarod’s motion. All in favor, passed unanimously.

Wisconsin PFC update

·         Going through slow and long process of developing a certification program. Trying to ramp up training programs. Private landowner assistance is getting developed. Dual paths for training. NWCG is one path, but not available to all. Non-NWCG training is being worked on that meet the needs of different audiences, particularly private landowners. Finding it helps with NWCG training as well as other types of training. Revised rating sheet to evaluate fire complexity for specificity of where they’re training people to. Reduce jargon, make it more specific to rx fire not wildfire. Tools/firebreak construction are different. Willing to share those documents for beta testing in MI.

OPEN FLOOR

Bruce Miller, TNC: Tracking land burned somehow. Agency/Private/NGO. Maine has someone in their MDNR doing the information input. There were MI DNR folks and said they couldn’t do that as it would be overwhelming for that individual. Talking to State and Fed people in that meeting, hard to get info from outside agency due to data and security. MPFC is a good clearinghouse for this kind of information. Movement to get all that data in one spot. We would be the housing for that information.

Could CPBM be the person to do this? Getting through the IT security of getting our info to state system is the hardest thing to do.

How do we outreach to landowners to get their information into a system we set up? How do we make it user-friendly to non-professionals – keep info simple? Private lands will be hardest. Local government and NGOs and contractors won’t be as difficult to tie them in. Pheasants Forever may have some funding to manage this or assist in some way with private landowners?

Data sheet to fill out with information. Everyone submits to online form (Survey123). MI PFC would need a subscription for ESRI Survey 123 and Field Maps. $100 per year for non-profits. Stephanie and Bruce will work on this. Need to be clear on what we want to collect data wise. And make sure it’s something that would be helpful we need to do. Fire accomplishments map vs fire needs map. Michigan DNR fire needs map for state and federal lands should be completed this year. MNFI is doing a fire needs map for private lands after the state/federal study is done. One flaw in system is that CRP/converted farm lands doesn’t show up in the base data they’re using. Private landowner information is available via NRCS. Beware of private landowner privacy desires with geographic locations.

Action Steps:

·         Mark Sargent - setting up subcommittee meetings for strategic meetings and Burning Issues

·         Michele, Steph, Bruce Miller - S-130/S-190 scheduling FA24, admin time for billing in advance to KNC for WOI grant

·         Next WI PFC meeting June - Amy Frye and Jack McGowan-Stinski rep

·         Bruce Miller and Steph - ESRI subscription for MI burn accomplishment map (annual?) 

·         Steph - reach out to Steve Woods with offer of $2k tools funding with 1:1 match 

·         Steph - will see if any KNC want to rep an MI PFC booth at NE-MW Regional RxFire Workshop as part of MI PFC sponsorship $450

In-Person Hybrid Locations for 2023:

Sept 5 (11am-2pm EST): UP: Biomass Innovation Center, Escanaba, MI
(Pending confirmation that the facility successfully installed an internet connection. This is a somewhat remote site.  Work to do this was scheduled to start on May 24th, 2023.  Amy is in touch with facility and will develop an alternative location if needed.)

Dec 5: SW: Ed Lowe, Cassopolis, MI

2.28.23 Steering Committee Meeting Quarter 1

Feb 28, 2023

11am-2pm (EST)

Hybrid Steering Committee Meeting open to all 

In person location: 

City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation Office

3875 East Huron River DriveAnn Arbor, MI, 48104 

Photo by Nora Duncan

AttendAnce:

Laura Judge, Michael Hahn, Michele Richards, Amy Frye, Katie Carlisle, Tyler Micheal, Glenn Palmgren, Dennis Ireland, Jarod Reibel, Dave Borneman, Stephanie Diep, Brian Hintz (MSFA), Bruce Miller (TNC), Craig Maier (Tallgrass Fire Sci Consort), Jeb Barzen (WI PFC), John Fomusa (fire volunteer), Jack McGowan-Stinski (Lake State Consort), Lee Osterland (MI DNR), Mike Smalligan (MI DNR, SAF), Todd Aschenbach (GVSU), Vic Bogosian (Pokagon Band Potawatomi), Josh Wissinger (interest in volunteering Petersburg, MI), Tina Stephens 

________________________________________________________________________________

AGENDA

Welcome, introductions, and some quick ‘lay of the land’ updates (Amy Frye)

• Need one MI PFC rep at monthly WI PFC meetings: Amy attended Feb WI PFC, Jarod will attend March WI PFC

Burning Issues Review

• Finances/Registration Attendance (Stephanie Diep)

• Feedback Surveys (Stephanie Diep)

  • majority positive feedback and “excellent” ranked execution and material

• Comments from Council

• Overall things went well, a few technical issues that can be resolved next year

• More volunteers needed for small in-person tasks day of like sign-in, session moderators, coffee, etc. How best to communicate need? Sign-up Genius call for volunteers emails only got 3 sign-ups…despite multiple emails and targeted emails to Steering Committee for help.

Brief notes on Strategic Planning, Future Ideas for Membership, and Sub-Committee Outlook

• Summaries of Surveys (Stephanie Diep)

  • *See the BI Review Download for summary of results

• Discuss next steps

• Subcommittees: Training, Outreach, BI Planning, Legislative, Private Contractors (Dave Borneman), 

• Discuss current sub-committees and whether or not another one or more is needed at this time, either long term or temporarily.

  CURRENT SUBCOMMITTEES

  • Training/Certification (Lead: Steve Woods)

  • Public Outreach (public) (Lead: vacant.  Could use more active members.)

  • Burning Issues Planning (Could always use more active members, active Sept-March)

  • Legislative (Lead: vacant. Could use more active members.) - activate when needed, Smoke?, Cert Burn Boss?

    • Smoke Mgmt. Task Force is NOT NEEDED at this time.  Trent Wickman and Jennifer Dixon (EGLE) are working with DNR.  Fire council will share and promote use of the smoke management plan.

  PROPOSED NEW SUBCOMMITTEES

  • Strategic Committee (temporary/short term): (Lead: vacant.  Could use members)

  • Start Grants/Fundraising/Merchandise (Lead: Stephanie Diep. Could use members)

  • Private Fire Consultants – Dave Borneman

• update the Consultants List (many orgs are actively referring people there)

• Collaboration of other private consultants to share resources/advice

• Discuss ideas for membership: structure, requirements/expectations, benefits, to fee or not to fee?

• Membership free (this year forward) unless we have more consistent incentives to offer (such as early registration/discounts on trainings, continued education credits for burn boss cert, discounts on merch, etc.)

• General members need to apply once and will be included in the email list for notifications of events and resources, receive an email that says thank you for joining the council! Please follow us on social and share our posts and website resources with others. Optional donation of $25 to support the council. Need to set up a registration form.

• Steering Committee members will apply once or annually? (roll over active members who may forget), update list on website annually, Steering Committee members are allowed to vote on policy changes and annual budget, expected to attend quarterly meetings as possible(3 hours every 3 months), expected to promote and share email and social media events/resources, optionally can participate in subcommittees (1-4 hours per month meetings and assigned tasks as able), optionally lead a subcommittee (2-8+ hours per month for planning and running meetings and taking notes to share at quarterly meetings), Optional $25 donation to support the council? 10% discount on merchandise? Receive a free MPFC bumper sticker?

• Recognition of new members in quarterly and annual meeting

• Recognition of 5 year members: free piece of MPFC merch (hat) announced at annual meeting

• Recognition of 10 year members: free piece of MPFC merch (t-shirt, sweatshirt) announced at annual meeting

• Ideas for tiered membership for future with different pricing options. Having a fee would provide more stable income for support of administrative cost or for training/event costs. 

• MI PFC Leadership will discuss new proposed changes and membership expectations, vision/mission, and present at next quarterly meeting

Annual Finance Update (Stephanie Diep)

• Totals Summary

  • Quarter 1.5 (Oct 2022-March 2023)

  • Expenses YTD $12,037.43

  • Revenue YTD: $17,281.18

  • Net Profit YTD: $5,243.75

  • Current Bank Balance: $23,677.34

• Propose moving FY to Federal Oct 1st cycle 

• Admin was previously funded by a sponsor who can no longer fund this position. Admin rate has been raised from $55 to $60/hour. Expected 10-15 hours per month, $6000 for the remainder of the FY (until Oct). Roughly $1,200 available from White Oak Funds for Admin time. Remainder will need funded out of sponsorships/donations, additional training/event registrations, or the MI PFC coffers.

• Proposed 2023 Budget: note that we are already partly into the fiscal year and it includes this past Burning Issues but not next year’s Burning Issues, Items with * are full or partial distributions of the White Oak Grant funds

Partner Updates 

• MI Smoke Management Plan needs updates, determine task force to work on this (Jack described that Trent Wickman is working on legislation but needs assistance to push for enactment across the burn community).

• ACI (Accelerated Curtain Incinerator) issues with using in the State of Michigan (Brian Stearns)

White Oak Grant Funds Discussion

Funds remaining/increased (Stephanie Diep)

• Awarded $8,000 increased to $10,000 (all to be used by Aug 1, 2023 with 1:1 match if possible but not necessary)

• $6,149.02 remaining to be used

• Voted and passed the following distributions:

KNC Fire Exhibit (Stephanie Diep) 

• KNC was awarded $4,000 separate from MI PFC from the White Oak Grant for exhibit installation costs of ($10k)

• Walk into Wildfire traveling Exhibit coming to Kalamazoo in June for 1 year

• Features video footage and audio from within great lakes fires as an interactive, immersive exhibit

• Reach school groups, general public, private landowners

• Tribal perspectives and talk will occur in June, may be available for future Burning Issues (Damon Panek, Wildland Fire Manager for the Fond du Lac band of Ojibwe)

• KNC interested in collaborating with MPFC and having a targeted event for members to come (Network social hour?)

• KNC request to use MPFC sand tables in exhibit (would not travel with the exhibit to next destination)

1:00pm Wrap-up

Next Steps: MI PFC Leadership will discuss new proposed changes and membership expectations, vision/mission, and present at next quarterly meeting

Membership and Steering Committee Registrations will be emailed out and posted on website soon

In-Person Hybrid Locations for 2023:

Feb 28: SE: City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation Office, 3875 E Huron River Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 

NEXT MEETING: May 30: Hybrid with in person SE: MetroParks, 13000 Highridge Drive, Brighton, MI, 48114 United States

Opportunity for burn unit field trip after meeting

Sept 5: UP: Biomass Innovation Center, Escanaba, MI

Dec 5: SW: Ed Lowe, Cassopolis, MI

11.22.22 Steering Committee Notes

Photo by Nora Duncan

Tuesday, Nov 22nd, 11am-1pm (EST) 

Hybrid, in-person location: Jay’s Conference Room 1151 S Otsego Ave, Gaylord, MI 49735

Introductions & Welcome

 Attendees: Dave Borneman (private contractor), Kevin Reese (USFS Huron-Manistee), Dennis Ireland (MI Fireman’s Assoc), Amy Frye (USDA NRCS - Marquette, MPFC Chair), Jarod Reibel (Ed Lowe), Stephanie Diep (Kalamazoo Nature Center, MPFC Admin/Treasurer), Todd Aschenbach (GVSU), Steve Woods (Huron-Pines), Brian Stearns (Huron-Manistee), Bruce Miller (TNC), Glenn Palmgrenn (MI DNR), Katie Carlisle (Huron-Clinton MetroPark), Jack McGowan-Stinski (LSFSC), Michael Hahn (Ann Arbor Natural Areas Program), Michele Richard (MIARNG), Vic Bogosian (Pokagon Band Potawatomi), John Fomusa

Note Taker: Michele Richards (MPFC Secretary) and Stephanie Diep (MPFC Admin)

MI PFC to join WI PFC? (Jack McGowan-Stinski)

Jack sitting in on this and WIPFC. Overlaps and differences between councils. WI folks suggested a swap to listen in and have delegates attend each other’s meetings. They have a fee ($100 org), but they are willing to waive the fee to let us attend meetings without other benefits. If we pay it and become a member org, then we get logo and link on their website, access to clients, early notifications of trainings/events, 3 discounted registrations to events each year. Not really stuff we need so let’s try for free collaboration to attend meetings only. 

Jack says some neat stuff going on with liability and considerations of how to run the council with a membership fee.

The WI chair is interested in being the delegate to our Council. Jeb Barzen is the current chair of WIPFC. 

If anyone is interested in serving as MI PFC liaison, contact Stephanie Diep via info@firecouncil.org. Steve Woods, Michele Richards, Stephanie Diep expressed interest depending on time commitment, maybe rotate who attends meetings?

Resource: WI PFC website see membership benefits, etc. to consider for MI PFC

Jack shared FYI that some consortias and regional collaboratives are working on a possibly 3-day  NE regional fire workshop in Either MSP, Madison or Milwaukee, WI August 14-18 (3 days) or August 21-25 (3 Days). More details to come.

NE-MW Regional Prescribed Fire Science and Management Workshop

Purpose: Provide a forum for all wildland fire management partners to share region-wide, science-based, fire ecology information oriented toward expanding and maintaining the use of prescribed fire across all landscapes, jurisdictions, and fire-dependent ecosystems. Provide an opportunity for scientists, managers, and practitioners across the 20-state region to share prescribed fire related experiences, successes, and potential solutions to implementation challenges. Provide an opportunity for agency leaders and managers to interact with state prescribed fire councils and other key partners. Serve has a model for future annual or biennial workshops.

Topic Areas: ½ day devoted to each area with an emphasis on presenting on-the-ground successes and/or lessons learned.

•Applied research and management practices

•Tools and Technology

•Prescribed Fire Programs Needs and Opportunities (Liability & Insurance, CPBMs, Training and Qualifications, PFCs and PBAs, etc.)

•Health and Safety

•Collaborative Planning & Resource Sharing

•Communication Strategies

Burning Issues Planning (Stephanie Diep/Michele Richards)

Updates from BI committee 

• Currently 10 registrants (2 of which will be online attendees, some are speakers), expect more registrants within next few months, deadline for in-person registration Jan 22, 2023, deadline for online registration Jan 29, 2023 

• All speakers for panels day 1 are confirmed, agenda is now posted on EventBrite and website and will send via an e-mail soon

• A printable flyer is available on the website and linked in these notes. Please distribute to your colleagues and like/share our social media posts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) as they come out leading up to the event! 

• Sponsor Letter Contacts: please share contacts for organizations you think would be interested in offering monetary sponsorship to the Annual Meeting with Stephanie Diep (info@firecouncil.org) and she will send them a formal letter. We have had one interest so far from Pheasants Forever, Inc. 

  • Sponsorship Levels:

  • Fire Cache Level (In-kind): donate an item for our silent auction (does not have to be fire related), your logo/name on item bid form

  • Drip Torch Level ($100): sponsor a student participant, your logo/name on sponsor slideshow

  • Backfire Level ($200): sponsor a speaker, custom slide on sponsor slideshow at event

  • Headfire Level ($500): sponsor a session, your logo/name on program material at event, name tagged on 1 social media post leading up to event, spoken recognition during a session, 1 free registration for your staff 

  • Burn Boss Level ($1000): event sponsor, your logo/name on program material at event, spoken recognition during event open/close, name tagged on all social media posts related to the event, 2 free registrations for your staff 

• Auction Items Needed! Silent auction fundraiser to be done during Burning Issues day 1 with winners announced day 2. Can be anything (handmade art/photography, recreational gear, plants, gift cards, fire gear, fire-themed items, games, baked goods, etc.) Smaller items will be bundled into baskets to encourage competitive bidding. Any contributor will receive up to $25 credit to use in the auction. Please submit your items to this FORM by JAN 30, 2023 so we have time to curate. You can bring your items to the event or to Stephanie or Michele prior to the event. If we get gift cards or something easy to mail, we may consider a silent auction or raffle for the online attendees on one item/basket separate from in-person. 

• Volunteers Needed: Sign up to volunteer

  • Breakfast/Coffee set-up and monitoring

  • Set-up/Clean-up both days

  • In-Person moderators: coordinate the panel discussion and feed questions from the audience to the panelists

  • Virtual moderators: monitor online attendees sharing links to resources from presenters, possibly progressing the slideshows, and fielding questions from online attendees to the in-person moderator, must attend in-person

  • Tech assistance to online attendees, help them connect, troubleshoot any issues day of

• Day 2 Introduction to 484-1 Burn Plan Writing with possibly a few follow-up virtual courses to flesh out skills and practice writing. Followed by MI PFC strategic planning workshop (what would everyone like to see addressed/discussed?) 

  • Revisit mission and solidify mission-focused thinking

  • Mission and By-Laws review 

  • Operation logistics/partnerships/steering memberships

  • Are there key things we can focus on to move the needle on getting more fire on the landscape?

  • Funding sources and annual budget

  • Events/Trainings (annual calendar/schedule)

  • Recruitment and training new generation

Edu Outreach updates (Stephanie Diep) 

1. Update Learn & Burn for Oshtemo Township Parks now spring 2023

   • MPFC table and resources at event, staffed by Stephanie Diep or another MPFC representative

   • Will use some White Oak Funds for coordination and snacks, not much

2. White Oak Funds about halfway through, ~$4,000 remaining, need used by 8/1/2023

   • Fire History Field Trip with Mike Stambaugh: Red Pine and Oak stands (funding researcher travel) 

   • Steve Woods and Jesse Lincoln presentation for Foresters and working on several field projects for potential field tour in Jack Pine and Oak stands and Brian Stearns Huron-Manistee may contribute as well

   • Michele Richards ($100 snacks and lots of match) Learn and Burn at FCTC 

   • Jack, Steve, and Michele will flesh out ideas and discuss with Stephanie to get plans in motion. 

Training Subcommittee updates (Steve Woods)  

• Steve Woods fire collaborative LSR grant plan just signed (provide NGOs and private orgs literacy of fire) using TREX at FCTC as Match with follow-up Camp Grayling TREX in a few years

• Next training subcommittee meeting Dec 1, 2023. Contact Steve Woods if you want to join or need details.

• Ed Lowe/GVSU S-130/S-190 or S-290 training slots for MPFC members, 0-3 slots usually available (Upcoming dates: S-290 March 6-10, 2023 cost $325; S-130/S-190 July 24-28, 2023 cost $350)

• Perhaps tie the Ed Lowe course to a Learn & Burn event there afterwards to encourage student participation on the ground

• Participation in this committee is hard because everyone is really busy. We don’t want involvement in T&Q as a subcommittee, but rather thinking of it as a part of what we’re doing in our jobs anyway. John Taylor and Jack and Steve discussed other ways to make the committee more efficient and organized. Need to see what we do in training where it fits in with whatever else is going on. Lots of opportunities just through the work that we do anyway.  

• Create a shared calendar of meetings/events (Steve and Stephanie will discuss)

• Learn & Burn viewing and interpretation, partner with training/field experiences for burning at same event (volunteer event for fire students, fire field day for S-130/S-190)

• (McGowan-Stinski, Jack) There are some great resources for Learn n Burns available from one of the last Forums by the NE MW Regional Prescribed Fire Council: NE-MW RX Council Forum September 28 2022 Recording

• Steve can help with event coordinations but would need support of equipment and fire personnel to run a fire in northern MI (Forest Service - Brian Stearns may be able to support if there is an MOU) 

• Vic Bogosian suggested doing some training videos during Learn & Burns for distributions after, GoPro during burns, Photographer Nora Duncan from last Learn & Burn also created Off the Trail podcast for KNC/FCTC and could be a good contractor if funding is available 

MI TREX @ FCTC Aug 2023 updates (Michele Richards)

• The whole point of TREX is that you train together and become a fire community. It’s telling that it’s so hard to stand this up in Michigan. Needs to be one or two people as cadre or participants in the TREX. Excited to have new participation. If there are ways that your organization can get involved, we really need you. USFWS, USFS, MDNR, etc. We still have help from TNC. Bruce has a couple of meetings in Dec., including some with Jeremy Bailey.

• We need to keep the fire conversation alive in northern Michigan. 

• First planning meeting in first week of Dec

• Working on scholarships for indigenous peoples and college students

• Funding and paperwork all set to go

• Partnership with Ember Alliance

• Need to keep partners engaged and active to continue offering TREX in MI

• Todd Aschenbach could create tuition credits for students who commit to participate in TREX

• Maybe some Urban WildFIRE students for part of TREX as well

MPFC Financial update (general overview of account & expenses YTD) (Stephanie Diep) 

1. Historical inaccuracies clarifications: last meetings notes have been updated to clarify that historical trend graphs may have some inaccuracies due to missing data but can still be considered for general trends/planning, Stephanie is keeping better records 2019 to current but an annual budget with confirmed categories will also help with long-term trend tracking

2. Review Budget to date (same as quarter 2 but some expenses/income from Burning Issues starting to come in, budget created to try to get close to 0 profit margin, can have up to $5,000 profit before needing to file taxes) and budget for BI23 (aimed $5,000 profit for annual spending with aggressive fundraising beyond admission) 

3. Suggestions for income opportunities 

   • Burning Issues Sponsors (see above BI update)

   • Silent Auction (item/monetary donations really needed, see BI update)

   • Grant applications: 

     • White Oak grant $4,000 remaining for outreach/education events to promote fire in MI in 2023

     • Kalamazoo Nature Center tried for an AIM grant working in some money for supporting MI PFC Admin role but was not selected for the award. 

     • If you are working on grants for your own org, consider working in task items that align with MI PFC missions to do joint events/projects and increase capacity for MI PFC projects/collaboration. 

     • Keep in mind that MI PFC cannot apply for grant funds, must go through a non-profit org as fiscal sponsor such as Kalamazoo Nature Center 

     • Keep in mind that time/resources paid for by Federal money cannot be used as match value for federal grants 

4. In-kind time/fees reporting form

   • By tracking time contributions to MI PFC (planning/meetings/events for MI PFC) we can better understand time needs/capacity for MI PFC to function. Can help us see where funding needs are and how much. 

   • Form access: https://forms.gle/WBLhV2gRr1CTi24f8 

   • Please specify if it is time funded by federal money or used as match already so we can parcel out if using for grant match, but still report so we can see capacity needs.

   • Form asks to report your billable rate (contracted rate for your time, not the amount you are paid, includes fringe/overhead) if known otherwise we can use State/Fed volunteer rates. 

   • Keep organization contributions confidential or only within Steering Committee discussions. Some grant match reporting may require signed forms by each volunteer/contributor. White Oak can be general reporting of match. 

   • Do not need to fill out for attending Quarterly Steering Committee Meetings. Steph will keep track of this time from meeting notes. Do let Steph know if your time paid during the meeting is federally funded or counted as match for another grant.

   • This process still needs refined and can be revised as needed, but it is important to track. 

2023 Quarterly Meeting Schedule 

Next Meeting: Feb 28, 2023

Don’t forget to promote and attend the Annual Meeting Feb 7 & 8! 

• Fully virtual? Field trips planned several months in advance or more, for committee members only, costs?   

  • Mostly southern MI participants, a map of our members might be helpful, 1-2 hour drive okay with in-person hybrid, set calendar in advance needed

  • Hosting locations can consider doing a field tour after the meeting with in-person participants 

• Last/First Tuesdays 11am-2pm every 3 months: Set calendar of dates: Feb 28, May 30, (avoid Aug TREX) Sept 5, (avoid Thanksgiving) Dec 5 

Jarod has an OWL camera and speaker from Ed Lowe Foundation, Michele Richards has a Jabra speaker, coordinate for people to take tech to meetings prior to, in-person sign-ups include phone numbers and dietary restrictions, budget for lunches or have all in-person bring cash to contribute

Will solidify plans/calendar during Annual Strategic Meeting

• SE: City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation Office, 3875 E Huron River Drive, Ann Arbor, MI 48104 (Feb 28) - Michael Hahn

• SE: MetroParks, Kensington (May 30) - Katie Carlisle

• UP: Biomass Innovation Center, Escanaba (Sept 5) - Amy Frye

• SW: Ed Lowe (Dec 5) - Jarod Reibel 

23 AUG 2022 - Quarterly MPFC Steering Committee Meeting Notes

23 August 2022

MPFC Steering Committee Meeting

Tying in! Tapping of the drip torches at the Pierce Cedar Creek Institute Learn and Burn spring 2022. Photo by Nora Duncan.

Attendance

ONLINE: Amy Frye (USDA), Steve Woods (Huron Pines), Michael Hahn (City of Ann Arbor), Vic Bogosian (Band of Potawatomi), Mary Parr (Pierce Cedar Creek Institute), John Taylor (Ball State University), Kristina Kennedy (MUCC)

IN-PERSON (Rose Lake Shooting Range, East Lansing): Stephanie Diep (Kalamazoo Nature Center), Michele Richards (MI Army National Guard), Bruce Miller (TNC), Jimmy Provost (Huron-Clinton Metro Parks), Katie Carlile (Huron-Clinton Metro Parks), Dennis Ireland (MSFA), Glen Palmgren (MI DNR), Jarod Reibel (Ed Lowe)

Vote Chair/Vice Chair

Chair: Amy Frye nominated by Stephanie Diep, Glenn Palmgren seconded.

Unanimous yes vote.

Vice Chair: Jarod Reibel nominated by Michele, seconded by Amy Frye. Unanimously voted in.

Keep Amy through 2024 BI, Jarod will take over then and we elect a new vice chair at that time.

Burning Issues Planning

SAVE THE DATE: 23rd Annual MPFC Meeting and 9th Annual Burning Issues Workshop will be Tuesday and Wednesday February 7 & 8, 2023

Abundant yes to in-person option. Hybrid might be possible, Mary Parr/PCCI said they have pulled it off. Hybrid works best for some people because of travel. Could potentially waive fee for using the space at PCCI (Mary to check). Option for speakers to remote in for presentations. Option to share recordings of sessions free online after event if online attendance isn’t possible.

Workshop online was not as good, talks online were okay. Aim for in-person with hybrid.

Michele Richards will contact Wally to set it up at Camp Grayling for digital

We’ll plan for one day, but keep it flexible to potentially do a two day. Social evening between events.

Day two a “robust fire council” annual meeting – strategizing session for steering committee members.

Planning team for speakers for BI: Stephanie, Jarod, Amy, Michele, Lee, Dennis Ireland has a little time to help us,  Lee Osterland may have some time, and Craig and Jack may be able to help find speakers but will not be involved in planning this year. View letter from TPOS/Lake States.

Approximately $1000 (~18 hours) will be spent out of MPFC funds to support Stephanie’s time for planning/admin support for BI.  

Any suggestions for topics or speakers?

·         484-1 important components of a burn plan and examples.

·         Research people have been doing on post-burn monitoring.

0900 12 September 2022 BI planning meeting virtual contact Stephanie Diep (info@firecouncil.org) for link if you want to join

Outreach and Education subcommittee update (Stephanie Diep)

Brochures printed for MPFC available from Stephanie Diep. Electronic copy on website.

Kalamazoo Nature Center will be doing a burn under contract for Oshtemo Township in October. Three small rain garden plots in Flesher Field, Oshtemo Township Parks potential for a small learn and burn event. Have it as an option to have MPFC’s name on it and a booth at the event. Funds from White Oak Grant can be used for this event, as well. Committee agreed good option to pursue, more details to come.

$4000 left in white oak grant that goes into next year.

Training subcommittee update (Steve Woods)

Not a lot of participation/meetings recently. Regrouping on TREX training. Our participation from other agencies was not what we hoped it would be. Making TREX sanctioned by the MPFC would make it easier for folks to justify their time for it.

Steve’s Landscape Scale Restoration Grant has been funded, and USFS is about 4-6 months behind schedule to get agreements in place. That will help to be able to plan and fund some of these training experiences. Overcoming Barriers in Prescribed Fire and Northern Michigan Prescribed Fire Collaborative. Training NGO/private land holders in fire (S130/190, fire field days) may get some help from USFS. Hoping to do some experiences on state-owned land at CG.

Revisit creating training calendar conversation. How do we maintain it? What format does it take? How does it get updated and maintained? Steve envisions a regional calendar. Maybe we can lean on the regional association of prescribed fire to help us with that. Zach Prusak might be willing to support us in that.

What we do is an altruistic thing, and it’s good to acknowledge that.

Burn plan writing workshop is a great fit for an initial action in the Landscape Scale grant. Learn and Burn workshops are supportable in the northern lower. Same for 130/190.

Bruce Miller TNC will support TREX, TNC has to justify their time, but they have more time to give us.

Non profit leadership in MI fire is a limiting factor. Really hoping to pull MDNR and USFS folks in. TREX appears quite hopeful.

Treasurer’s Report (Stephanie Diep)

Stephanie gave a nice presentation regarding our finances. Note that historic data was pulled from records within the MPFC hard drive but appear to be lacking total accuracy. The Historical Data charts should be used to see general/overall trends not specific numeric totals.

Majority of expenses so far in FY22 were reimbursed by White Oak Grant.

Most years MPFC profited slightly over expenses. Revenue mainly came from trainings and annual meeting/Burning Issues. Some years of high expense such as 2018 were for one-time purchases such as a screen and projector. *Note data may be lacking or inaccurate for years prior to 2020.

Revenue flows mainly came from S-130/S-190 trainings and annual Burning Issues Workshops. Merchandise brought in a decent amount in 2021 but can not be relied on for generating annual revenue. Finding other stable sources of income such as grants or sponsors/donors would be beneficial. *Note data may be lacking or inaccurate for years prior to 2020. Such as Annual Workshops were held 2013-2018 but no data was recorded specifically for them. These charts are meant to show overall trends not specific numbers.

MPFC does not bring in enough to fund the admin for the time needed (3hrs/wk). Current funding for the admin has come from a sponsor organization but they cannot continue to invest so much moving forward. Learn & Burn event planning/coordination of admin was funded by White Oak Grant. White Oak Grant only goes through 2023. Council agreed upon MPFC funding admin for BI23 planning and coordination for this FY22 as that is the bulk of admin time, estimated 18 hours $1,000. The rest of the MPFC admin time will be funded by the sponsor until we revisit revenue options such as grants.

One revenue model was asking donations from supporters for annual meeting ($300-$500 lump sum each). Stephanie attended very informative forum about Alabama Fire Council funding model and Illinois regional rxfire mapping. Can view recording and sources at:

• NE-MW RX Fire Council Forum April 13 2022 Recording

• PDF of Prescribed fire council fundraising & meeting management – John R. Stivers

• 2022 sponsor letter with letterhead zoom – John Stivers

• PDF of Illinois Prescribed Fires Accomplished Map – John McCabe

Does it make sense to increase cost of BI? Continuing Education Units are more expensive. Reasonable to spend $50-$100 per person for this type of event.

Student Rates and scholarships should be available. Private landowners are more likely to get drawn in and be more engaged by Learn and Burns rather than BI. BI aimed towards professionals.

How many hours a week would be ideal for Stephanie to do admin for MPFC if money weren’t an issue? Current ideal amount of hours is 3-5 a week to answer emails, attend meetings and subcommittee meetings, manage social media and finances, etc. If we had more funding she could do things like mapping burn data statewide. She has GIS training and software through KNC. Could be up to 10-15 hours per week max.

We need to pay some attention to writing grants as a Council with member orgs to get funding to support admin. If you are writing a grant related to fire, consider writing in an amount to support MPFC’s admin work as part of “supporting statewide burn capacity through outreach and education and networking and professional inter-organizational discussions.”

Next Quarterly Meeting

Tues Nov 22nd 11am-2pm w/ lunch (EST) 

Hybrid, in-person location Grayling area TBD

Work out technical difficulties of hybrid meetings by using the Owl camera that Jarod has.

Otsego Library has a good meeting room. Good spot in Roscommon, Au Sable River Center. Jays Sporting Goods. *Steve Woods will pick a northern Michigan meeting spot, so we will be somewhere up north and set up the meeting space. 24 September deadline for booking facility for next meeting. Stephanie will get it up on the website events and email.

Other Conversations

Bruce Miller brought up tracking prescribed burns in state. Type of burn, who’s burning, by county, by month, who is doing that. Look at Missouri site to see what’s possible. Something for us as a council to look at. Who is going to do the work. Each agency would have to do work in providing the council with the numbers. This is a priority for DNR Forest Action Plans.

Midwest Invasive Species Information Network has created the ability to track prescribed fires as a treatment. If we could all collectively agree on that then we could use that as our database. Bulk uploads are available, and also you can request data from them. *We need to compare Missouri’s site to MISIN’s site to see if it would be a workable solution. Maybe tie into IRWIN database in the long run to have RX fire in there as well.

FYI City of Detroit is looking into adding prescribed fire into their natural resources management.

MI State Firemen’s Association has a new web page and we can add things/events to be notified to all firefighters. Contact MFA to add events.

7.13.22 MPFC Chair Election Meeting

7.13.22

MS Teams Virtual Meeting

Attendees: Michele Richards, Steve Woods, Lee Osterland, Brian Hintz, Keith Murphy, Amy Frye, Dave Borneman, Darwin Schultz, Jack McGowan-Stinski, John Fomusa, Stephanie Diep, Dakota Sczepanski, Darwin Schultz, Andy VanderYacht

Notes taken by Stephanie Diep

ELECTION OF CHAIR/VICE CHAIR

 Andy Vander Yacht, current chair, is leaving the state for new job position and will no longer be with the MPFC.

Chair is more about organization and has support from the committee for fire knowledge if needed. Chair runs the quarterly steering committee meetings and leads planning for Burning Issues Annual Meeting.

Current MPFC By Laws on Chair and other Officers

 Nominations for Chair

Laura Judge - may be too new to fire, need to ask her (Steph will e-mail)

Amy Frye - may not be available to b/c org but will check

Todd Aschenbach - not time now on sabbatical this year in field

Jarod Reibel - not time now

Steve Woods - not time now, maybe in 2 years

Mary Parr - not time now, too new

Nominations for Vice Chair

Amy Frye

Laura Judge

Jarod Reibel - would be willing to be Vice Chair 

Steve Woods, Darwin Schultz, and Michele Richards will follow up with some long-term council participants who are not on the call today. No one from Forest Service. 

The Joint Fire Science Program Fire Science Exchanges are not supposed to take on any "Officer" positions in any organization - seen as a COI....so can be on MI PFC steering committee and subcommittees. 

Hold on voting for Chair until Amy has time to ask her org and Laura is asked about her interest

By July 27th have candidates 

Wed Aug 3rd 9am Election Survey Monkey to go out

Aug 23 9-11am EST Quarterly Steering Committee (possibly in Lansing, MI in-person/hybrid) Michele can bring some tech

MEETING STRUCTURES

Have longer (3 hour) quarterly meetings rather than subcommittees? 

Todd Aschenbach likes standard model with shorter meetings and subcommittee chair updates during steering committee meetings.

Steve Woods has seen lack of participation in meetings and lag in productivity. Having fewer, more involved, meetings may encourage participation and make time more manageable for participants. 

Stephanie Diep says Burning Issues should have a separate planning committee that meets more often. Amy Frye agrees. 

Andy Vander Yacht says may be most efficient for subcommittees that bring big topics to steering committee but many people stretched thin over being in subcommittees. Or have 2 Steering Committee Meetings a year and more active subcommittees? 

Darwin Schultz checked By-laws: 1 Annual Meeting and at least 2 Steering Committee Meetings annually

Jarod Reibel for longer meetings. 

Amy Frye proposes 4 longer steering committee meetings and subcommittees organize their own schedules as needed on their own and bring bigger actions to steering committee meeting. Several “ayes”. 

FUNDING SOURCES FOR MPFC/SUPPORTING ADMIN ROLE FUNDING

Michele Richards proposes grants that need to be written in conversation currently with Kalamazoo Nature Center. Will need letters of support from steering committee members. 

If others have ideas for funding sources, please share. 

Burning Issues is our main income (avg $2,000-$4,000 annual profit). Merchandise not very profitable as not much selling interest. 

Funding for Stephanie to do 

• burning Issues planning, Education and Outreach subcommittee chair, social media, website, emails = $11-13k

• basic answering emails only 1hr/wk = $3k

• 3hrs/wk for social media, website, emails, steering meetings only = $8k

Quarterly MPFC Steering Committee Meeting May 24, 2022

Michigan Prescribed Fire Council 

Steering Committee Meeting Agenda 

9-11 AM Eastern, May 24th, 2022 

Image by Pierce Cedar Creek Institute

Notetaker: Michele Richards

Agenda Additions? No 

ATTENDEES: Andy VanderYacht, MSU, Chair; Stephanie Diep, KNC, Admin/treasurer; Michael Hahn, City of Ann Arbor; Bruce Miller, TNC; Bill Litz; Marc Marshall, MI State Firemen’s Association; Amy Frey, NRCS (UP); Jarod Reibel, Ed Lowe Foundation; Steve Richardson, MIARNG; Laura Judge, Farm Bill Biologist; Craig Maier, TPOS; John Fomusa; Michele Richards, FCTC; Mary Parr, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute; Todd Aschenbach, GVSU

Next Steering Meetings are May 24th, August 23rd, November 22nd, February 28th Moving away from the language of “n” day of “n” month to setting dates for each year to be clearly scheduled. 

New Chair and Vice Chair Needed

Andy Vander Yacht is leaving Michigan for a new position at a university out of state. Andy is grateful for the Council for all the assistance in teaching his courses. We need nominations for vice chair and chair see survey for anonymous nomination of yourself or others. Review submissions and vote at next meeting or virtually.

MPFC Finance Updates and Discussion 

• General overview of account & expenses YTD – Stephanie discussed finances. Current account total is $11,651.12. Money from the PNC account was successfully transferred to the new LMCU account. Michele Richards and Stephanie Diep are the only ones with access to the LMCU account set up under the MPFC. Income from pre-orders on merch was 126.24 from this FY so far. Postage expense for mailing, and admin buying checks for bank account. $15 for first learn and burn so far with expected $300 for the event (snacks, printing brochures) to be reimbursed by White Oak Grant ($8,000). 

FY22 Quarter 1 Summary

Discuss funding for Admin Position: currently funded under a contract between KNC and a partner but funding is slim to continue supporting admin time for MPFC. Move MPFC admin cost to MPFC funds. Admin provides critical support for running the council, Steph’s position in KNC could also support a SW MI fire collaborative, both new and long term council members testify to Steph’s great support over the past two years. Need more MPFC income to support Stephanie’s work in MPFC. 

Admin cost $55/hour. FY20-21 cost about $13,000 in admin time. 

Option 1: 1 hour per week to manage and send emails only ~$3,000 annually

Option 2: 4 hours per week to manage emails, social media content, merchandise orders, website content, and subcommittee leadership and event planning/registration set-up ~$8,000 annually

Last few years total revenue at profit for MI PFC has been $2,000-$4,000 annually from Burning Issues and S-130/S-190 Trainings.

Funding Ideas:

• Trainings could shore up our earnings to more robustly support Stephanie’s work with MPFC. 

• Sponsorship model is a great way to get things stepped up. Stephanie attended very informative forum about Alabama Fire Council funding model and Illinois regional rxfire mapping. Can view recording and sources at:

  • NE-MW RX Fire Council Forum April 13 2022 Recording

  • PDF of Prescribed fire council fundraising & meeting management – John R. Stivers

  • 2022 sponsor letter with letterhead zoom – John Stivers

  • PDF of Illinois Prescribed Fires Accomplished Map – John McCabe

• Grants for prescribed burning collaborative is another. 

• Burning Issues back to what it was will increase the income, as well. 

• Learn and Burns are also great opportunities. 

• Shoot for the higher budget and find a way to get there. Tons of resources that could be chased that could be to support Stephanie’s role. Get the partners for a grant together for a discussion. Stephanie will talk to KNC Development Person to keep eye out for possible grants. Human dimensions grant could be thrown in here. Maybe we make a small group for this, too. Southern MI prescribed burning association sounds like the umbrella we could put all of the ideas and needs.

TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, AND CAPACITY Subcommittee Report 

Chair: Steve Woods (not in attendance)

Michele Richards reports: Steve Woods developed questions to guide the priorities in Michigan for rxfire, to be discussed in the next subcommittee meeting, MPFC training committee to lead MI TREX planning for July 2023

Minnesota TREX was cancelled this year because of two feet of snowpack and 24” of ice on the lake when it was scheduled.

GVSUs S130/190 – scheduled to teach it at Ed Lowe 25-29 July, other agency folks have joined on the trainings and they are comped. Cost for course is $325. Cheap from an agency perspective. Non-students could charge $500 for an agency….Ed Lowe could potentially help with that. 1-3 agency/NGO folks in the class. March he will be teaching S-290 course. How much space for expansion? 30 housing units.

Training committee needs to talk about the CPBM and additional 130/190 info. The real benefit of the Council is to be aware of the things that various parts of the Council are doing. Kenneth Hoganson is trying to make a prescribed burn association. Will need to talk about what role MPFC can do to play a part in it.

People want to learn more about prescribed fire. PCCI is talking about risk and liability while they do a program to teach about fire. Conservation Districts could be a great resource for growing private lands fire.

Can the council write fire plans? Or do burn plan writing for land owners with some set of expertise with a group for a person without signing them? Could be a way to educate landowners in a legitimate way. Understudies could pay for the learning experience, too.

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH Subcommittee Report 

Chair: Stephanie Diep

Learn & Burn: Public Fire Demonstration & Activities — Michigan Prescribed Fire Council

• Learn and Burn 1-5pm on 4 June at PCCI. Booths and tables and snacks. Aimed toward public – not a training, but to get people interested in fire. If people are interested in volunteering, Stephanie needs help at a welcome table and MPFC booth. 

• MPFC reimbursement of travel costs for 2 field trip leaders LSFSC Fire History Field Trip and LSR Proposal (Jack McGowan-Stinski) ~$2,000 to be reimbursed from White Oak grant. Mike Smalligan had no concerns about using White Oak Grant funding for this. Focuses on red pine ecosystems still speaks to oak fire history. Some input on that it’s regional and has big players so it’s a good thing. Event restricted to 30 people, but 30 influencers getting a good message on the fire history to them is valuable. VOTE: Stephanie Diep motioned and Todd Aschenbach seconded supporting the travel costs, no opposition to funding it. Unanimous Pass for Approval.

BURNING ISSUES 2022 PLANNING COMMITTEE Subcommittee Report 

Need new subcommittee chair (usually the MPFC Chair fills this role) and participants.

Email info@firecouncil.org if you would like to join the planning team for BI 2023. 

Other Rx Fire Network Happenings 

• NE and Midwest Regional Fire Council putting together a prescribed fire guidebook for the NE/Midwest region.

• Robert Johnston from Conservation United has a new insurance product and link is in our website Resources>Helpful Links>Liability. View Direct Source Here: Prescribed Fire Insurance – Conservation United Conservation United–Nonprofit Insurance Conservation United (conservationinsurance.com)

• Fueling Collaboration new panel series is coming out. Fueling Collaboration Panel Discussion Series

• Brittle Fire Incident Report is out in full. VIEW HERE: Brittle Escaped Prescribed Fire (2021) - Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center (wildfirelessons.net)

22 FEB 2022 MPFC Quarterly Steering Committee Meeting Notes

Minutes recorded by Michele Richards (MPFC Secretary)

Virtual via Zoom

Attendance: Jack McGowan-Stinski, Dave Borneman, Mary Parr, Kristina Kennedy, Steve Woods, Andy Vander Yacht, Stephanie Diep, Michael Hahn, Megan Martin, Glenn Palmgren, Kyle Martin, Bruce Miller, Craig Maeir, Lee Osterland, Keith Murphy, Vic Bogosian, Keith Murphy, Mark Marshall, MI State Firemen’s Association 

Newer folks introduced themselves. Michael Hahn representing Ann Arbor Natural Areas, replacing Dave Borneman at the end of this week, but Dave will still be around as a consultant. Mary Parr from Pierce Cedar Creek Institute. Doing fire at the institute. Working with Stephanie to host learn and burn event at PCCI. Kristina Kennedy from MUCC (replacing Makhayla LaButte) is on the call leading habitat improvement projects.

Summary of Burning Issues –

Recordings are available online http://lakestatesfiresci.net/BurningIssuesWorkshop2021_02_02_21.html

https://www.firecouncil.org/spark-blog/2022/2/8/mi-prescribed-fire-council-22nd-annual-meeting-amp-8th-burning-issues-workshop

60 of 145 total people took part in survey after the event. Map in summary of affiliations and geographic distribution of attendees. Average response was slightly above very useful regarding how useful the workshop is. Main takeaway from growing season burns, lessons learned from the Brittle Fire and Increasing Capacity. 85-90% useful from each of these units. CPBM has a lot of support from the community, may be helpful to Glenn as he moves us through the process of making that mandate an actuality.

Would be good to have a Tribal perspective at next BI. Little Traverse Bay Band has reached out to Huron Pines about fire collaboratives, he may have contacts. Vic will do some digging. And it there’s a virtual option there might be National Guard connections we could lean on to get the Tribal perspective. Tall Timbers has done a lot of TEK (traditional ecological knowledge), may have programs or speaker options we could connect with.

Total gross income this year (2022) was $3225, expenses 723.04, total profit 2501.96.

Burning Issues 2020 income 7,070.00; profit 1,093.00.

IFTDSS workshop brought in $300. S130/190 in 2020 brought in 2,180 (but that doesn’t take into account expenses).

We need to keep our annual meeting logistics in mind, and it would be good to try to keep some amount of virtual to maintain the larger reach that it provides. Maybe we also try to plan two years out to let folks know where it’s going to be.

Burning Issues Finances – Burning Issues 2022 total expenses was $723. The expenses were mailing gifts to speakers, mailing stickers, and Eventbrite charges. Generally in the past, the gross was ~$6,000. We need to start tracking in-kind contributions that occur to make BI happen. Expenses for speaker travel, housing and food come out of the gross.

Funding Request - LSFSC is working on a “Fire History of the Upper Great Lakes Region: a Review and Synthesis for Managers. Discussion of what MPFC could contribute to the effort. MPFC is interested supporting in some way. We’ll take a vote, likely at next MPFC steering committee meeting, to determine what we can do. (Jack McGowan-Stinski)

NE MW Regional Fire Council update forum on liability – legislating the right to burn held last week. Covers CPBMs, liability insurance, etc. Another forum on 13 April 22 John Stivers dfd. All virtual and free access. 1400 eastern time. Fundraising and management. And IPFC prescribed fire mapping project. (Jack McGowan-Stinski)

Fiscal Review – CLICK TO VIEW FULL REPORT

Stephanie Diep is our treasurer, the Board nominated her to have access to the bank account and they voted unanimously to approve adding her name on the account.

Stephanie set up a square account so MPFC can accept donations and payments for merch to be deposited directly into the Lake Michigan Credit Union account. The donate button is up and running, so anyone can donate. Language is on the page to let folks know that donations larger than $100 they should contact us to send a check.

There will be discussions in how to use the White Oak Grant ($8000 to use 2022-2023 for expanding use of prescribed fire on private lands in southeast Michigan) in subcommittees meeting TBD soon.

Merchandise restocked. Preorders we profited $174.

Approximately $13,000 between the two bank accounts.

Draft 2022 budget linked above in Full Report

Summary of Fiscal Year 2021-2022 (March 1, 2021—Feb 28, 2022)

TOTAL EXPENSES:        $ 3,046.61

TOTAL INCOME:          $ 4,423.39

FY21 TOTAL NET:         $  1,376.78

LMCU Balance:            $  3,196.54

PNC Balance:           ~$ 10,000.00 (waiting for transfer to LMCU account)

TOTAL MPFC Funds:   ~$13,000.00

$174 profit from Merch presales alone (12 orders) 

TREX update (Michele Richards)

Training exchange events happen around the US where everyone learns from each other, collaborative, 10-day event. Scheduled for end of Sept beginning Oct at Fort Custer Training Center. Many potential burn units. Working on workshop on writing a burn plan soon, open to public, advertise on MI PFC. 

Outreach and Education Committee (Stephanie Diep): Proposed Learn & Burn event for White Oak grant outreach partnering with PCCI June 4th (rain date June 11th). Council approves advertising as an MPFC event. MPFC volunteers will be needed for talking to public participants; sign up to go out soon. White Oak grant should cover any expense needs, discuss amounts in subcommittee meeting and present in next steering meeting or via steering committee e-mail vote to approve specific amount. Funds to be used for snacks, mileage reimbursements, table rental, other needs? Any volunteer time is counted as match at $28/hr. 

New Chair/Vice Chair Needed: Steering Committee to think about who would be good in the role and elect/vote in next steering committee meeting in May.

11/30/21 Quarterly Steering Committee Meeting Notes

Post-burn image by Pokagon Band of Potawatomi

9:00am-11:00am (EST) via Zoom

Attendees: Joe Fischer, Fischer insurance; Dave Borneman – City of Ann Arbor; Bruce Miller – The Nature Conservancy; Lee Osterland – MDNR; Michael Hahn – City of Ann Arbor, Kyle Martin –  Kalamazoo Nature Center; Steve Woods – Huron Pines; Kevin Reese -  Huron Manistee National Forest;  Makhayla LaButte – MUCC; Amy Frye – USDA-NRCS; Jarod Reibel – Edward Lowe Foundation; Laura Judge – Lenawee CD; Glenn Palmgren – MDNR; Jack McGowan-Stinski – LSFC; Craig Maier – TPOS; Nathan McNett -  Lenawee County NRCS; Vic Bogosian – Pokagon Band of Potawatomi; Stephanie Diep – Kalamazoo Nature Center; John Fomusa – North Country Trail Association; Mark Marshall – Michigan State Fireman’s Association; Nathan McNett – NRCS; Michele Richards – MIARNG  

Burning Issues 2022 Subcommittee (Andy Vander Yacht)

Scheduled: Tues/Wed Feb 1 & 2, 2021 (9am-12pm EST) Fully Virtual

BI planning committee met a couple times. Despite attempts at a hybrid model, it was decided on Burning Issues for a two morning, virtual only format (following last year’s model) given the COVID situation in Michigan and Omicron variant. $25 registration cost. Maybe we go with $35 to get the sticker swag and speaker gifts postage. One speaker and a panel on the Brittle Fire (Kevin?), and then a similarly interactive discussion on CPBM and Burning Association, a growing season burning season, and Jennifer Dickson from MDNR will do a smoke management presentation. Need more people and roles for the event, such as moderate a session. Andy will take any help anyone can offer. Glenn Palmgren is willing to moderate a session.

Slideshow during breaks where we preload a bunch of commercials, like MDNR cool things done with fire, our merchandise, etc. KNC volunteer program slide, committee options, etc. 

Set up a bank account so we can get registration set up.

HP and Ed Lowe Foundation have OWL cameras that move to the person speaking and make hybrid meetings more fluid. Something to consider for future events. 

Training and Capacity Subcommittee (Steve Woods)

The training and capacity subcommittee is moving forward on a few different things on parallel tracks and having good conversations with external partners as well. Zach Prusek formerly TNC fire manager in FL, now with Tall Timbers, has funding to help with promoting coordination of fire councils in NE and MW. Reps from each of the fire councils are trying to figure out ways how to learn from each other and collaborate where it makes sense, and share experiences in how to promote Rx fire through councils across the region. Michele Richards and Jack McGowan-Stinski are representing MI PFC at those meetings. Exploring opportunities for students to volunteer on Rx fire. Breaking down barriers to Rx fire.

Need to determine rules of MI PFC sponsored/advertised trainings/certifications and have clear communication if it is NWCG certified. If MI PFC is offering trainings, we need to have enough lead time to plan them and make them happen with proper promotion, content and instruction.

Huron Pines submitted the landscape scale restoration grant.

Michele Richards (TREX update) 

The Ember Alliance is the lead org. Two-week-long training camp to sign off task books planning on late summer (Sept-Aug) 2022 at Fort Custer and 2024 at Camp Grayling. Need to finish org chart for positions. Who needs to be trained and what kind of training? Can be both trainee and trainer at same event.  

Need shapefile of burn units (private or public more than 1 acre) within an hour of Fort Custer in Augusta, MI to put on a map. Need to mobilize crews and borrow equipment from many places.Clinton County Conservation District, MACD ask in general, Kevin Reese has some units, TNC, MSU, KNC, MNA, Dave has some private lands unit. MSU, City of Ann Arbor, FCTC could make equipment available.

Steve is playing a significant role so that hopefully we can do TREX independently here in Michigan in the future. Working on the number of people we can accommodate. Depends on attendee numbers, cadre size, and burn units available. Potentially 2-3 crews of 12-20 people.

Prefer to have people there for the whole thing. Might be an option to have first half attendees, second half attendees if one org has a few people that could attend each week.

Craig Maier (tpos.firescience@gmail.com): opportunity for fire science training methods

Soft launch of fire science training methods, March 14-18 in NW Missouri.

Emphasis is to get people trained up in collecting fire weather, fuels and fire behavior data to help bolster fire science in the area to feed future research. Target audience is graduate students, but also open to agency folks if they’re interested in this. MO and IA chapters of TNC is leading, Devin McGranahan with USDA Ag Research Service is training, too. Mini- trex as well. Classroom mornings and field squads in afternoons. Complete FFT2 online prior and come one day early for field/pack test. www.tposfirescience.org/fire-sci-methods-workshop/ (registration opens in a week, travel reimbursement may be available) 

Andy Vander Yacht/Michele Richards (University Training Capacity):

January at Fort Custer S-130/S-190 and Fire Science Training in the planning 

Forestry program is growing, 43 students in entry-level course right now. All MSU profs are all in agreement with expanding the availability of their S130/190 to non-MSU students. Maybe smaller schools, programs, NGOs can pool resources to have a fire academy at Fort Custer Training Center (FCTC). Looking at standing up a fuller scale “fire academy” at FCTC, and maybe at Camp Grayling and one of MSU forest stations in Escanaba. 

Kevin Reese and Lee Osterland say US Forest Service and DNR open to helping with trainings as long as there is availability and interest, yes for collaboration when approached, geographically northern MI has less opportunities/requests. Try to open them up to anyone who is interested, including VFDs. Timing is everything for MDNR. Have provided lots of instructors for universities, and sometimes even equipment. 

Kevin Reese (Grants) see grant opportunities

Federal granting opportunity covers these three things that fit within the cohesive strategy: Wildfire Risk Reduction –fuels reduction in WUI. Wildland Fire preparedness – money for equipment, and other items, training, etc. Grease the skids to different land ownerships. Strategic fuel breaks, reintroduction of fire for endangered species, etc. Please apply and share if you have projects in mind. 

Education and Outreach Subcommittee (Stephanie Diep)

One large outreach to target private landowners and the public, partnering with Pierce Cedar Creek Institute with a demo burn, in the planning process. White Oak Initiative funding is supporting this. Use this event as model for 10 smaller events within two years. Mike Smalligan wrote this grant through MDNR. Promote oak regeneration and rx fire as a method of promoting oaks in the landscape. Includes extension oriented videos, Jesse Randall at Forestry Innovation Center in Escanaba will be making those.

Merchandise (Stephanie Diep info@firecouncil.org) 

MERCH! Pre-order closes on 8 Dec. Products will be available mid-January once orders are completed. Money due at that time because shipping costs will vary. Please have people share the link with their organizations.

Link to pre-order now on our website. This merchandise page will be set up for an online store through Square (free set up, minimal transaction fees) for merchandise stocks (t-shirts and ballcaps) after pre-order closes so that people can have access to merchandise whenever! Also the possibility of having a “Donate” option to deposit directly into the MI PFC bank account. Need to watch that annual revenue is not over the tax-exemption amount. 

Next Meeting: February 22nd, last Tuesday of every third month 

• Fire history field trip moved to next agenda (Jack McGowan-Stinski) 

A Message from the Chair

Greetings MI PFC members! Time for a quick update on council happenings…

Andy using a drip torch to start a fire line. Photo credit: Andy Vander Yacht

Recurring MI PFC Meetings

Recurring council meetings will now consistently take place virtually the last Tuesday of February, May, August, and November from 9-11 AM Eastern. This will allow us to build on the momentum of our annual meeting and avoid peak burning season. Our next four meetings will be 9-11 AM on May 25th, August 31st, and November 30th of 2021, and February 22nd of 2022. Please add those dates to your calendar!

Burning Issues Workshop 2020

Our 7th Annual Burning Issues Workshop & 21st Michigan Prescribed Fire Council Annual Meeting was a HUGE success. More than 695 attendees were distributed across 3 days, with attendance dominated by individuals from state and federal agencies. The virtual and free meeting resulted in a broader than usual reach and excellent line up of speakers. Extensive pre-planning allowed the meeting to proceed smoothly, and all this likely means more virtual MI PFC events. A recap and all associated files and videos are available on the Lake States Fire Science Consortium website: http://lakestatesfiresci.net/BurningIssuesWorkshop2021_02_02_21.html

Michigan and Regional Survey Results

MI PFC leadership have worked diligently to synthesize results from a survey of our own membership and a survey conducted by the Northeast and Midwest Regional PFC Coordinating Group. A document summarizing those results can be viewed at the link below.

To summarize, the top 3 barriers to MI PFC’s mission as perceived by membership were: 1) liability, legislation, and risk management, 2) fire training availability and qualification standards, and 3) limited resources for prescribed fire. The top 3 referenced goal suggestions for the council were: 1) execute the state certified burn manager programming, 2) do more education and outreach, and 3) increase private landowner and non-agency training, capacity, and outreach. MI PFC leadership will keep all this in mind as actionable items are approached within sub-committees.

Welcome Aboard, Stephanie Bradshaw!

Stephanie Bradshaw of the Kalamazoo Nature Center is now working part-time as the MI PFC’s Administrative Coordinator. In this role, she will direct council communications, handle event registrations, serve as the council’s treasurer, and manage council records/files. Please feel free to contact her (info@firecouncil.org) with anything related. In particular, she can be fed any fire related content to be posted to our council’s social media accounts. Welcome Stephanie!

MI PFC’s Organizational Status

It is unlikely that the MI PFC will ever pursue official 501(c)(3) non-profit status as this would limit the participation of our very important federal and state agency partners. However, the Kalamazoo Nature Center has become a “fiscal sponsor” of our organization. This provides numerous benefits, including risk reduction, and allows us to exist financially under their non-profit organization.

Thanks All! Please be sure to engage through sub-committee sign-up and participation!

As always, feel free to contact the current MI PFC Chair (Andy Vander Yacht, vandery1@msu.edu) or Administrative Coordinator (Stephanie Bradshaw, sbradshaw@naturecenter.org) with any questions, concerns, or ideas.

KEEP THE FIRES LIT!

Steering Committee Meeting Minutes - March 10th

Michigan Prescribed Fire Council Steering Committee

Meeting Minutes

10 March 2021

Opening

The regular meeting of the Michigan Prescribed Fire Council Steering Committee was called to order at 2:00PM on 10 March 2021 via Zoom by Andy Vander Yacht.

Present

Andy Vander Yacht – MSU, Chair

Stephanie Bradshaw – KNC, Admin/Treasurer

Dakota Szczepanski – MPFC Training Chair

Jack McGowan-Stinski – Lake States Fire Science

Craig Maier – TPOS

Makhayla LaButte – MUCC

Glenn Palmgren – MDNR

Kyle Martin – KNC

Jen Kanine

Kevin Reese

Dennis Ireland

Nathan McNett

John Bauer

Steve Woods

 

Approval of Agenda

The agenda was unanimously approved as distributed. Via email prior to meeting.

Open Issues

Schedule of future Steering Committee meetings:

·         4 times per year (Andy proposed 2nd Tuesday of  Feb/May/Aug/Nov), Andy will send out official schedule and it will be posted on the MPFC website, Burning Issues/Annual meeting will continue to be held the first week of Feb (Tues/Wed/Thurs if virtual)

Burning Issues AAR Summary (Jack):

·         695+ attendees over 3 days (Day #1 = 269; Day #2 = 266; Day #3 = 160)

·         Highest percentage of State and Federal agency participation due to being free and virtual

·         Different speakers available because minimal cost, no travel, easier to schedule virtual

·         Last minute registrations proved a further reach

·         Virtual conference ran smoothly due to back-up moderators and tech assistants working behind the scenes

·         Thank you gifts will be shipped to speakers. Thank you emails were sent to speakers; a second formal thank you was sent to the speakers’ supervisors.

·         Archived recordings, links to papers, and PDFs of presentations are available at lakestatesfiresci.net/BurningIssuesWorkshop2021_02_02_21.html  

Regional and MI PFC Survey Result Summaries (Andy)

·         Reviewed summary document (results will be shared on website and via email). Top 3 issues in Michigan: #1 Liability, Legislation, and Risk Management, #2 Fire Training Availability and Qualification Standards, #3 Limited Resources for Prescribed Fire

·         Top Priorities for MI PFC

In 2021: #1 Establish RX Certification Standards and Certified Burn Manager Program, #2 Focus on Education and Outreach, #3 Provide private landowner and non-agency training, capacity, and outreach

In next 5 years (by 2026): #1 Develop more education and training (Certified Burn Manager Program), #2 Private landowner outreach and volunteer force coordination, #3 Establish sustainable council funding, management, and member activation models

SUB COMMITTEE REVIEWS

Training, Certification, & Capacity Committee:

·         Dakota Szczepanski continues to be training subcommittee chair

·         Host open-access FFT2 training – Dakota scheduling soon

·         Host an advanced training

·         Consider creating a system for regional capacity sharing of volunteers

·         Establish a Certified Burn Manager Program Committee by 2026: efforts headed by Glenn Palmgren

Michigan State legislation created a burn manager course agenda but provides no training due to fire liability, no certification tracking, questions about capacity and course fee to cover operations. Can a 3rd party run training if not the state? https://foreststewardsguild.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/InsightsRecommendationsCPMBprograms.pdf 

Education and Outreach Committee:

·         MI PFC outreach efforts can now be managed by Stephanie Bradshaw’s administrator position. Makhayla LaButte also has good connections for outreach through MUCC. Dakota Szczepanski is interested in doing more outreach to get high school students interested in the fire field.

·         Establish a system of social media outreach. Send any outreach material or ideas to Stephanie at sbradshaw@naturecenter.org.

·         Start outreach events: an annual fieldtrip for fire practitioners AND an annual public/private landowner general event (i.e. learn ‘n burn partnering with other orgs)

Dakota suggested: partner with a KNC hosted event, or Lowell High School and Nature Center student burn project, meet & greet with tools and DNR, school programming to get high schoolers interested in fire field

Makhayla LaButte (MUCC funded by DNR wildlife and habitat): get public aware of fire benefits, partner with MUCC or nature centers, MUCC can share our social media outreach, MUCC provides lunch for all participants at their events  

MI PFC Coordinator Position: This position would be funded by Fort Custer, but eventually by MI PFC once financial sustainability is achieved through dependable revenue. This position would cover #1 conference, event, and training registrations, #2 communications via mail chimp, survey monkey, social media, and website updates, #3 file management, and #4 acting Treasurer.

·         A meeting on 3/1/2021 between MI PFC (Vander Yacht, McGowan-Stinski, Richards) & KNC (Simons, Koziatek, Bradshaw, Martin) discussed options of Stephanie taking on this role as part of her full-time hours through KNC (10-15% of time; 4-6 hours per week)

·         VOTE: Andy nominates Stephanie Bradshaw for MI PFC Coordinator position. Stephanie accepts. Motion brought by Glenn Palmgren. All aye: Kyle Martin, Nathan McNett, Jack, Andy, Glenn, Jen Kanine, Dakota, Craig, Steve, Dennis, Makhayla

KNC as Fiduciary Sponsor: Andy presents option for KNC to act as fiduciary/fiscal sponsor and manage MI PFC funds on behalf of MI PFC. MI PFC will still be its own entity, an “unincorporated association” that can operate tax exempt, but the funds will be under KNC legally for tax purposes. Glenn Palmgren agrees. No opposition. Waiting to hear from KNC management approvals before going forward.

                                   Futher resource:

o   MI PFC, DNR, and USFS letters indicating drawbacks of 501(3)(c) - granting agencies cannot lead such groups BUT – DNR/USFS participation CRUCIAL! 

o   “An unincorporated association can operate as a tax-exempt nonprofit as long as the purpose of its activity is of public benefit, and annual revenues are less than $5,000” 

o   https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/unincorporated-nonprofit-association-vs-nonprofit-corporation 

o   https://www.thebalancesmb.com/what-is-an-unincorporated-nonprofit-association-2501895 

o   https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/what-an-unincorporated-nonprofit-association.html  

o   fiscal sponsor: https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-fiscal-sponsorship-works-2502140

Election of Vice Chair: VOTE: Kyle Martin nominates Dakota Szczepanski for Vice Chair. Glenn Palmgren seconds. All aya: Andy, Stephanie, Michaella, Nathan McNett, Jen Kanine, John Bauer, Kyle Martin, Glenn Palmgren, Craig Maier, Jack McGowan, Dennis

Discussion of Bylaws: Sexual Harassment and Non-discriminatory Policy Inclusion: https://www.firecouncil.org/mpfc-policy-best-practices Updated Bylaws will be added to website by Stephanie

Regional and National Prescribed Fire Council Meeting Summary (Andy)

·         Free for use infographics and social media material from the National PFC will be shared

·         EPA and CDC joining to promote outreach on smoke and air quality (Rx Fire vs wildfire and impacts on health). Glenn and Jack shared MI smoke management plan: http://lakestatesfiresci.net/docs/Smoke%20Webpage/Smoke%20Webpage%20V5.html 

NEW TASKS

Burning Issues 2022 Planning:

·         Decide if next year virtual again? Determine fee and budget. Consider combo with field days/fieldtrips. Desire for networking opportunities.

·         Burning Issues is targeted for fire agency folks; consider alternative event(s) for landowner outreach.

·         Planning Committee for Burning Issues 2022: Andy, Jack, Craig, Stephanie, others interested should contact Andy/Jack to help on planning team

Top Priorities for MI PFC (via survey results):

·         In 2021: #1 Establish RX Certification Standards and Certified Burn Manager Program, #2 Focus on Education and Outreach, #3 Provide private landowner and non-agency training, capacity, and outreach

·         In next 5 years (by 2026): #1 Develop more education and training (Certified Burn Manager Program), #2 Private landowner outreach and volunteer force coordination, #3 Establish sustainable council funding, management, and member activation models

Training, Certification, & Capacity sub-committee:

·         Dakota scheduling FFT2 trainings

·         Glenn Palmgren heading effort to establish Certified Burn Manager training program by 2026

Education and Outreach sub-committee:

·         Host an annual fieldtrip

·         Host an annual public outreach event in partnership with MUCC, a nature center, high schools, etc.

·         Establish social media outreach efforts

 

Adjournment

Meeting was adjourned at 4:00PM by Andy Vander Yacht. The next Quarterly meeting will be held in 3 months or as the new scheduling states.

Minutes submitted by: Stephanie Bradshaw, MI PFC Administrator

Recording of Meeting and Chatbox: CLICK HERE

Steering Committee Meeting Agenda March 10th

Michigan Prescribed Fire Council

Steering Committee Tentative Meeting Agenda

2-4 PM Eastern, March 10th, 2021

MEETING LINK: https://msu.zoom.us/j/93629117349

START RECORDING, Assign Notetaker

2:00 – 2:10 Welcome and brief introductions (Name, Title, Affiliation)

2:10 – 2:15 Schedule future steering committee meetings – 4/year? Mar, Jun, Sept, Dec?

1.       Email sent to current steering committee asking for confirmation of continued participation

2:15 – 2:35 Burning Issues AAR Summary

1.       Registration and Attendance stats – total, by day, by affiliation, geo reach (Craig and Jack)

2.       Recordings, PDFs, chatbox, references – JFSP/MPFC websites, Youtube (Craig and Jack)

3.       Speaker thank-yous and gifts (Jack and Stephanie)

a.       Merchandise housed at KNC?

b.      Shipping costs?

4.       Feedback survey results (Craig)

5.       Future BI considerations – more online meetings? Paired in-person events/field-tours?

2:35 – 2:50 Regional and MI PFC Survey Result Summaries

1.       Review summary document, compare and contrast regional vs. state surveys

2.       Top 3 issues in Michigan, based on surveys:

a.       Liability, Legislation, and Risk Management

b.      Fire Training Availability and Qualification Standards

c.       Limited Resources for Prescribed Fire

3.       Top Priorities for MI PFC

a.       This year…

      i.      Establish RX Certification Standards and Certified Burn Manager Program

     ii.      Education and outreach

     iii.      Private landowner and non-agency training, capacity, and outreach

b.      Next 5 years…

     i.      More education and training – Certified Burn Manager Program

     ii.      Private landowner outreach, volunteer force coordination

     iii.      Sustainable council funding, management, and member activation models

2:50 – 3:10 MI PFC Committee Review, Assignments, and 2021 Action Items

1.       Establish a Certified Burn Manager Program Committee?

a.       Committee chair and participating members

b.      Regular meetings – advance toward goal – 5 years?

c.       Addresses liability, legislation, risk management, training, qualifications, education, private landowner, and non-agency concerns identified above

2.       EDUCATION AND OUTREACH Committee

a.       Committee chair and participating members

b.      System of social media outreach (fed to Stephanie Bradshaw)

      i.      1 per week - BI session recordings, SE regional infographics, other content

c.       2 annual/biannual events: 1 targeting fire practitioners (BI?), 1 targeting general public and private landowners (e.g., learn ‘n burn event or a fire festival)

3.       TRAINING, CERTIFICATION, & CAPACITY Committee (name change?)

a.       Host open-access FFT2 training

b.      Host an advanced training

c.       Create a system for regional capacity sharing (PBA like?)

3:10 – 3:30 MI PFC Coordinator Position (Council Sustainability Concerns from survey)

1.       Discussed on 3/1/2021 in virtual meeting - MI PFC (Vander Yacht, McGowan-Stinski, Richards) & KNC (Simons, Koziatek, Bradshaw, Martin)

2.       Job description document review

a.       Conference, Event, and Training Registrations

b.      Communications – Mailchimp, Survey Monkey, social media, website

c.       File management – shared drive (MI PFC Google Account?) – Consolidate!

d.      Acting TREASURER, PNC bank account management

      i.      Vote – Stephanie Bradshaw as MI PFC Treasurer

     ii.      Account access – New or transferred from Paul Mayer (visit branch?)

     iii.      KNC as fiduciary or “fiscal sponsor”? Account under organization

1.       Avoids future complications of account associated with an individual

2.       Provide reasoning to KNC leadership

a.       MI PFC, DNR, and USFS letters indicating drawbacks of 501(3)(c) - granting agencies cannot lead such groups

b.      “An unincorporated association can operate as a tax-exempt nonprofit as long as the purpose of its activity is of public benefit, and annual revenues are less than $5,000”

 i.      https://www.legalzoom.com/articles/unincorporated-nonprofit-association-vs-nonprofit-corporation

ii.      https://www.thebalancesmb.com/what-is-an-unincorporated-nonprofit-association-2501895

iii.      https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/what-an-unincorporated-nonprofit-association.html

c.       fiscal sponsor: https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-fiscal-sponsorship-works-2502140

d.      BUT…LIABILITY concerns? <$50,000/year = easy tax filing?

i.      BUT – DNR/USFS participation CRUCIAL!

iv.      Get a federal EIN for MI PFC?

e.      PAY – MI PFC covers % of time for position within KNC

i.      FCTC initially covers costs, we develop sustainable model (BI, trainings)

ii.      10-15% of salary

3:30 – 3:40 Vice Chair Nominations, Discussion, and Voting

3:40 – 3:45 Discussion of Bylaws – Sexual Harassment and Non-discriminatory Policy Inclusion

3:45 – 3:55 Regional and National PFC Meeting Summary

3:55 – 4:00 Roundtable Discussion

S-212 Training at Fort Custer Training Center

Back in July, when we were facing yet another wave of record-breaking temperatures, a team of 16 students and 5 instructors met at Fort Custer Training Center, an active Army National Guard base, to take part in a National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) training: S-212, Wildland Fire Chainsaws. They met inside a recently-constructed military educational building, boots on foot and greasy chainsaws in tow. Putting down garbage bags to set their chainsaws on, they mused about what might happen if the room got too dirty. “Think they’ll get a drill sergeant to make us clean it up?”

Our instructors from the Forest Steward’s Guild blended classroom time with field-work, going back and forth between dense, informative PowerPoints about chainsaw anatomy and behavior, proper tree-felling technique, and the potential pitfalls of using a tool as dangerous as a chainsaw. After in-class sessions, students and instructors suited up in full PPE, their thick Nomex pants covered in heavy chaps, and set out for the dense Michigan forests.

Students began as spectators, watching the instructors fall their selected trees, while taking note of their technique. They quickly became involved in the action, as instructors had their students buck and limb the trees they’d felled. Bucking and limbing is a delicate process, requiring a deep knowledge of chainsaw mechanics, proper body positioning, and how wood reacts to being cut. This part of the process was intense to watch, as the students, many of whom had only used chainsaws a handful of times in their lives, were forced to trust the training they’d been given, and to rely on their instructors to correct any mistakes. They moved slowly and deliberately, being sure to test every movement for safety, knowing that their every move was being factored in to their evaluation. The instructors were involved just the right amount, stepping in when adjustments needed to be made, but allowing the students a great degree of independence in discovering what worked, and what was less effective. After a full day of bucking and limbing, students were visibly exhausted, covered in sweat from the near-hundred-degree weather.

The next day had students taking the reins. Instead of having instructors fell trees for them to work on, they were tasked with taking down trees themselves, beginning to end. They picked their trees, decided where to let the tree come down, and then went to work cutting down their trees. This proved extremely difficult, as the task of felling a tree requires precise angles, deliberate decision-making, and an intense awareness of how the tree is behaving as it comes down. One wrong move could send the tree towards onlookers, or worse, on the sawer themselves. Thanks to the diligence of the instructors from the Forest Steward’s Guild, we had no accidents or injuries, regardless of the over-100-degree heat our teams were working in. After a brutal, sweaty final two days, teams grabbed their Gatorade and regrouped at the classroom where we’d started the training. They were exhausted but visibly proud of what they’d learned, what they’d accomplished in just a week’s time. All those in attendance passed with flying colors, and were awarded their S-212 certification, ready to become qualified as Basic Fallers (FAL3) on a fireline.

Using a chainsaw is a scary thing for most people. They’re loud, difficult to control, and their misuse can have awful consequences. But after being a spectator to this training, I can firmly say that my views on the chainsaw have changed. I no longer see it as a monster to be feared, but as a powerful piece of equipment to be respected, understood, and mastered. The instructors delivering this training made it clear that chainsaws are just as safe as you make them, and with enough learning and practice, you can make them safe a safe and effective tool on the fire line.

Paul Mayer, MPFC Administrator/Treasurer