Fire is a major driver of ecosystem dynamics in many parts of the World. Natural wildfires and the uncontrolled and prescribed anthropogenic fires alter the abiotic environment, resource availability and ecosystem properties. Prescribed burning is especially useful in wildfire hazard reduction, natural resource management and nature conservation. Prescribed burning practices are most widespread in fire-prone ecosystems, such as boreal forests, prairies, heathlands and Mediterranean shrublands. In less fire-prone ecosystems, there are debates on the application of prescribed burning in natural resource management. These contrasting attitudes are likely due to the lack of proper scientific knowledge on both short- and long-term effects of fires in these ecosystems.
We welcome presentations from theory and practice on the effects of fire on ecosystems, on historical and current fire regimes and on the role of fire in natural resource management. The overall aim of the session is to present best practices and future perspectives of fire in landscape management and to highlight the potential of prescribed burning in nature conservation.