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Tall Timbers Fire Ecology
Outreach and Education
Academic Affiliations
The Fire Ecology Program is closely affiliated with Universities through adjunct faculty appointments and research collaborations. Dr. Robertson advises graduate students a committee member, providing students the opportunity to conduct fire-related research on Tall Timbers and associated properties under his advisorship.
Adjunct Faculty Appointments:
Other Affiliations: Florida A&M University, Rutgers University, University of Wisconsin, University of Rhode Island
Public Outreach and Education
Kevin Robertson speaking to visitors at Tall Timbers' Open House |
Requests for Information - The Fire Ecology Program provides information to the public on request regarding prescribed burning and related research and land management topics. Those with a Tall Timbers membership may request site visits for land management advice.
Tall Timbers special events - The Fire Ecology Program participates in several public outreach activities, including Tall Timbers Open House, Pinewoods Bird Festival, Fall Field Day, Leadership Tallahassee, and Leadership Georgia.
Media - The Fire Ecology Program receives regular requests for interviews from newspaper, television, and radio media outlets on topics relating to prescribed fire and wildfire. Fire Ecologist Kevin Robertson has been featured on NPR, Fox News, and various documentaries, education videos, and outdoors channels.
Public Service
Federal Government Partnerships - The Fire Ecology Program is a key member in the Southeastern Fire Ecology Partnership (SEFEP) stationed at Tall Timbers. SEFEP provides an interface between Tall Timbers, the Nature Conservancy, and fire ecologists from the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. National Parks Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Through SEFEP, Fire Ecologist Kevin Robertson collaborates with federal agencies on grants and research, provides fire ecology training through the National Interagency Prescribed Fire Training Center (PFTC) and National Wildland Fire Training courses, assists in organizing the International Fire Congresses, and has participated in the LANDFIRE [http://www.landfire.gov/] effort to map ecosystems and their fire regime condition class.
Boards and Committees - Fire Ecologist Kevin Robertson is a member of the Leon County, Florida Board of Commissioners Science Advisory Committee and has served on steering committees for several scientific conferences.
Editing - Dr. Robertson peer reviews and contributes to publications in professional journals, books, and information websites, including the Encyclopedia of Southern Fire Science and the Fire Research Management and Exchange System (FRAMES). Dr. Robertson will be editor for the next volume of the Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference Proceedings.
Prescribed Fire Advocacy
Prescribed Fire Councils - Fire Ecologist Kevin Robertson assist with leadership of the North Florida Prescribed Fire Council and Georgia Prescribed Fire Council, which belong to the National Coalition of Prescribed Fire Councils. These Councils, composed of both private citizens and government employees, play a key role in advocating prescribed burning as a safe and effective way of applying a natural process for maintaining natural ecosystem processes and reducing wildfire risk.
Government Policy - The Fire Ecology Program remains engaged with agencies that may influence the ability to use prescribed fire as a management tool. Fire Ecologist Kevin Robertson participates in task groups to update prescribed burning rules and laws, provides white papers, editorials, and presentations at public hearings regarding prescribed fire and air quality, has addressed the Florida Governor's cabinet regarding prescribed fire and carbon emissions, and participates in various workshops charting the future of prescribed fire in the southern U.S.
R.K. Godfrey Herbarium at Tall Timbers Research Station. Photo by Kevin Robertson |
Florida Fire Ecology Awareness Week - The Fire Ecology Program participates in this event by helping coordinate the annual Kate Ireland Parkway Median Burn on Florida Hwy. 319. With support from Ms. Ireland, a portion of the Parkway is being restored to a longleaf pine-wiregrass forest, including the frequent fires that maintain it, to provide a scenic parkway and to demonstrate that prescribed fire can be safely conducted in the wildland-urban interface.
Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium
Fire Ecologist Kevin Robertson is curator of the Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium. The herbarium contains approximately 11,000 specimens, making it the 5th largest in Florida. It was mostly compiled by Dr. Robert Godfrey during his close affiliation with Tall Timbers during the organization's first three decades. Beadel Fellow Dr. Gil Nelson is currently updating annotations on specimens, improving the database, and developing a website interface. The herbarium is open to research scientists upon appointment.
References:
Tall Timbers Research Notes: Herbarium in the spotlight, December 2005
Email Kevin Robertson, Ph.D., Fire Ecologist |
