Episode 98: The Story Of Fire and Ecological Restoration with Deborah Landau

About

Deborah Landau is the Director of Ecological Management at the Maryland/DC Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, where she has worked since 2001. Her work focuses on restoration at more than 30 Conservancy preserves across Maryland and DC. She works with staff and partners to restore natural communities across the state, ensuring they are healthy and resilient in light of an uncertain climate future. Among the many restoration activities Deborah manages are prescribed burns, and she has planned and implemented more than a hundred of them over the course of her career in conservation.

As a firefighter, she serves as Engine Boss and Firing Boss. Deborah is the project lead for the Potomac Headwaters Fire Learning Network, and she serves as adjunct faculty at Frostburg State University and Salisbury University. Before coming to The Nature Conservancy, Deborah worked on the MesoAmerican Biological Corridor for the World Bank, focusing on Belize, Nicaragua and Honduras. She holds a BS in International Environmental Studies and International Food and Agriculture, from Rutgers University, Cook College; an MS in Entomology and Plant Pathology from the University of Tennessee; and a PhD in Entomology and Plant Biology from Louisiana State University.

This episode sponsored by:

Coinciding with the earth’s biorhythms, Leaf Litter is published at the Spring and Fall Equinoxes. Its mission is to generate discourse, new thinking, and action on key issues pertaining to conservation planning, ecological restoration, and regenerative design.

Topics

* The age-old story of fire on the landscape and it’s crucial role in resetting balance on the land.

* Natural vs. unnatural fires and how humans have poorly tinkered with natural fire regimes.

* What a prescribed burn looks like versus uncontrolled, devastating fires.

* The beautiful, immediate effects of a good burn.

* Fired up? Learn how you can pitch in at a prescribed burn near you!

Extra Credit

* Leaf Litter Interview with Deborah Landau

* Subscribe to Leaf Litter by Biohabitats

* Check out TNC’s Fire Learning Network

* TNC: “Why We Work With Fire“

* The TNC Maryland fire page

Episode 98 Transcript (PDF)

About

Deborah Landau is the Director of Ecological Management at the Maryland/DC Chapter of The Nature Conservancy, where she has worked since 2001. Her work focuses on restoration at more than 30 Conservancy preserves across Maryland and DC. She works with staff and partners to restore natural communities across the state, ensuring they are healthy and resilient in light of an uncertain ...