Social Acceptance and Communication Strategies for Wildland Fire Management

Watching a prescribed fire demonstration in Gainesville, Florida. © Brian Wiebler

PANEL DISCUSSION: Thursday, February 20, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM ET

Prescribed fire is one of the most effective tools for fuels reduction, habitat improvement, and ecological restoration. Yet, there are challenges surrounding social acceptance in implementing prescribed fire programs across the region. This Fueling Collaboration panel discussion will explore the factors that influence public perception and acceptance of prescribed fire in land management. Experts from diverse fields will share insights into effective and culturally appropriate communication strategies that engage communities, address concerns, overcome resistance, and build robust support for ecological restoration practices that include the use of fire. By highlighting successful examples from across the region, this panel aims to equip both fire researchers and fire managers with the tools needed to foster community trust and collaboration in fire-adapted landscapes.

This panel discussion has been approved for 1.5 Category 1 CFE's by the Society of American Foresters.

Dr. Kristin Floress (Moderator)
Dr. Kristin Floress is a Research Social Scientist with the USDA Forest Service, Northern Research Station. Kristin’s research interests and expertise pertain to understanding and modeling the impact of social factors – from the individual to the community level – on natural resources planning, management, conservation, and restoration across public and private lands.

Dr. Ludie Bond (Panelist)
Dr. Ludie Bond is a Wildfire Mitigation Specialist/Public Information Officer with the Florida Forest Service providing local, state, national and international media with information about wildfire incidents, wildfire causes, wildfire prevention, prescribed burning, and fuel mitigation programs. Dr. Bond recently completed her Ph.D. at the University of Florida’s School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatic Sciences in prescribed fire communications. Her dissertation is titled, Evaluating Prescribed Fire Communications in the Southeastern United States.

Dr. Catrin Edgeley (Panelist)
Dr. Catrin Edgeley is an Assistant Professor of Natural Resource Sociology in the School of Forestry at Northern Arizona University. She is a wildfire social scientist interested in understanding and supporting community adaptation before, during, and after fire events.

Steve Miller (Panelist)
Steve Miller is the Regional Director, Fire and Aviation with the USDA Forest Service, Region 9. Steve has feet firmly planted in both fire camps (suppression and prescribed fire) and is qualified as an ICT2, OSC2, and an RXB1. He is committed to preparing the next generation of land/fire managers and regularly travels to teach NWCG classes and is currently serving as an Adjunct Instructor for the University of Florida.

Dr. Emily J. Silver (Panelist)
Dr. Emily J. Silver (formerly Dr. Emily S. Huff) is an Associate Professor, Associate Chair, Director of Graduate Studies, and Interim Director of the Forest Carbon and Climate Program at Michigan State University in the Department of Forestry. Dr. Silver earned her M.S in Natural Resources Science and Management from the University of Minnesota and her Ph.D. in Forestry from the University of Maine. She studies topics like agroforestry, family forest owners, wildfire social acceptability, knowledge co-production, wood-based bioenergy, mass timber, and biochar. Prior to joining the faculty at MSU, Dr. Silver worked for the USDA Forest Service’s Northern Research Station as a Research Forester. Dr. Silver is also serving as the Co Editor-in-Chief of the scientific journal Society & Natural Resources, as president of the Michigan Forest Association, and serves on the board of the U.S. Biochar Initiative and the Society of American Forester’s Forest Science and Technology committee.

Our Panel

List of resources shared during the discussion:

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