A Win for Prescribed Burns

By Kate Hammel, Communications Director

In a major step forward for conservation in Indiana, a new law was signed on April 30 to expand the state’s capacity for prescribed burning. The legislation establishes a certified training program through the Indiana DNR and clarifies liability protections for trained practitioners. These essential steps will make this land management tool more accessible, especially for private landowners.

For thousands of years, people have shaped the landscape through the use of fire. Prescribed burns are a vital tool for reducing invasive species, recycling nutrients, and stimulating the growth of native plants that depend on periodic fire. The controlled use of fire helps sustain healthy ecosystems like prairies, savannas, and Indiana’s vital oak-hickory forests, boosting biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.

An oak seedling grows in the burn area a few weeks after our prescribed burn at the Laura Hare Nature Preserve at Downey Hill. John Lawrence

Our staff team includes certified wildland firefighters with hundreds of hours of burn experience on Sycamore preserves, in collaboration with contractors like Habitat Solutions and Eco Logic LLC. Land Stewardship Director Chris Fox serves on the Board of the Indiana Prescribed Fire Council, advocating for what he calls one of the most valuable tools in his restoration toolbelt: prescribed fire. Our staff also volunteers to conduct burns on protected lands managed by partners like the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and The Nature Conservancy, recognizing that fire is a shared tool for conservation and that collaborating across property lines strengthens both ecosystems and professional expertise.

This new law reflects years of advocacy by volunteers at the Indiana Prescribed Fire Council, with key support from The Nature Conservancy, Conservation Law Center, and the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape. We’re grateful for their dedication to ensure this vital restoration tool is better understood and utilized to protect Indiana’s beautiful natural heritage.

This article is from the Summer 2025 issue of The Twig, “The Volunteer Issue.” Read the issue at sycamorelandtrust.org/twig.