Fire. On Tuesday we saw a documentary that began with fire and subtitled it “renewal.” On Wednesday we learned about that process from a forest fire fighter who joined us for the day’s hike.
Nolan wrote: “I learned about the process of creating controlled fires to prevent specific acres from being burned in the future, and how the fire watch towers utilize magnetic ropes to locate the fire.”
Julia added: “I learned more about how the local firefighters work together to keep the pine barrens safe with prescribed burns and managing unplanned wildfires. They do this with surprisingly little specialized equipment. I also saw how the pygmy pine ecosystem relies on these fires to open up the canopy for low-growing plants and to germinate the pine tree seeds.”
We hiked through the Pygmy Pines in East Pine Plains and learned how the process of regular fires in this area contributed to the ecosystem that allows the pines to thrive as Julia mentioned.