The second class in our series on ecological restoration. Fire has been our companion through the ages. Everywhere on this earth, for all of human history, whenever we have lived in environments with enough natural fuel we have set fire to the land. Many plants and ecosystems are fire dependent. 19th and 20th century policies of fire suppression have upset the balance of nature, and undermined the health and biodiversity of North America. Modern restorationists use prescribe fires to help to heal damaged landscapes. This class will cover fire ecology and history, and will teach the basic techniques and tools for conducting effective burns. If the weather is good we'll do a burn together as a class.