Forestry South Africa’s Director: Research and Protection, Ronald Heath, is attending the 5th Fire in the Earth System International Conference. The event brings together researchers, fire management practitioners and experts from around the world to share knowledge, research and innovations in understanding and managing fire in natural environments.
Fire is the single biggest risk to commercial plantations. It also threatens the communities that live alongside them, local biodiversity and the wider forestry value chain. Access to the latest scientific insights and international experience is therefore essential for a Sector that must manage that risk every season.
Participating in a forum of this kind gives South African forestry a direct line to global research, allowing the Sector to exchange best practice with peers elsewhere and to explore emerging approaches across the full cycle of fire management, from prevention and preparedness to suppression and post-fire recovery.
The conference also strengthens collaboration between researchers, industry stakeholders and fire management organisations. That matters because good science only makes a difference when it reaches the people responsible for protecting plantations and communities. Bridging the gap between research and practical, on-the-ground fire management is one of the most useful things a gathering like this can do.
It was fantastic to see forestry companies and forestry-related research institutions at the conference. This illustrates how seriously the Sector takes engaging with the global fire science community. Forestry South Africa will continue to support a knowledge-driven approach to improving fire resilience, protecting forestry resources and promoting the long-term sustainability of the Sector.
