Making the Case for Fire in Southern Illinois Forests
Authors: Ruffner, Charles M.1; Groninger, John W.1
Source: Journal of Forestry, Volume 104, Number 2, March 2006 , pp. 78-83(6)
Abstract:
Fire's importance in the development and maintenance of oak forests has been well established across much of the eastern deciduous biome. Twentieth century fire suppression has resulted in decreased oak regeneration and portends the loss of keystone species across many landscapes including the Ozark and Shawnee Hills of southern Illinois. Here, cultural burning and harvesting fostered consistent oak recruitment until the 1950s when cutting declined and fires were widely suppressed. Now, many mature oak stands are in jeopardy of being replaced en masse by mesophytic species. We review evidence for fire as an ecosystem process and discuss an emerging strategy for the widespread reintegration of fire management across the midwestern landscape against the backdrop of media-driven public perceptions.Keywords: fire history; oak replacement; prescribed burning; restoration ecology
Document Type: Research article
Affiliations: 1: Charles M. Ruffner () is associate professor of forestry, Department of Forestry, Southern Illinois University, 194 C Agriculture Building, Carbondale, IL 62901. John W. Groninger (groninge@siu.edu) is associate professor of forestry, Department
