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Resource Management Education Unit
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A Message to Educators
The appropriate use of public lands should be of concern to each of our students. Use of public lands is an important social issue and lends itself well to classroom discussion. A theme for these activities could be that each of us has a vested interest in caring for our natural resources. Students need to learn about land management issues, such as fire ecology, and have ownership of these important issues in order to become informed decision makers and voters. Fire ecology is one of the hottest topics in natural resource management today.
The materials provided in this section of the website
are one means of connecting students with the management
of public lands and helping them develop skills in issue
analysis and problem solving. These materials are designed
to supplement your existing curriculum and lesson plans.
You are encouraged to regionalize your materials to
help students understand that fire is an issue in their
own backyards.
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The Importance of Understanding Fire Ecology
Fire is an important tool of natural resource managers.
In order to properly manage resources, natural resource
managers sometimes start fires or permit naturally occurring
fires to burn under very specific conditions. A chief
concern among resource managers, in addition to protecting
life and property, is public reaction. Researchers suggest
that while the public understands the beneficial effects
of fire, people often are not tolerant of allowing fires
to burn a natural course in national parks or forests
because of negative effects associated with wildland
fire. Other surveys suggest a growing support among
the public for new fire management programs, especially
when the objectives and significance of fire management
are understood.
Greater public understanding of fire's ecological significance can lead to enactment of appropriate management policies. The most appropriate management practices, coupled with public support, can provide recreational opportunities and other resource uses on public lands for the good of all people.
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Goals of the Fire Ecology Materials
A primary goal of this fire ecology section is to help teachers and students become better informed about land management issues and the responsibilities of natural resource management agencies.
These materials can be infused into existing curricula and focus attention on current social issues such as public land management of natural resources and conflict resolution. The included exercises also are designed to help educators achieve curriculum objectives of improved writing, verbal and cognitive skills.
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Leader Overview
The fire ecology information and curriculum located in this section of the website brings natural resources into the classroom along with the concerns and conflicts associated with managing public lands. It includes background information for teachers, sources of further information for teachers, student background information, activities, lesson plans and a glossary of fire terms. Students in grades five and six are the target for these materials.
These curriculum materials may be used at any point in the school year. The beginning of the year may be preferable because of the likelihood of a wildland fire during this time (i.e., the end of the fire season in many parts of the United States). If fires occur locally or there is media coverage of a wildland fire, you could use these as examples. Discussing news reporting methods and other burning questions surrounding this natural phenomenon would be most appropriate.
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