When a wildfire strikes, most people worry about their own safety and the effects on humanity. However, wildfires also have significant ramifications for the plants and animals that populate the affected area.
Wildfire ecologists study these effects, and University of Idaho professor Stephen Bunting was awarded the Harold Biswell Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Fire Ecology.
“I was very surprised,” Bunting said. “It was quite an honor to receive this award.”
The recipient is chosen by a review board following peer nominations and letters of support recognizing an individual’s contribution to fire ecology.
“Fire ecology is a very important social-economic issue in Idaho,” said Kurt Pregitzer, College of Natural Resources dean. “It affects the composition of the ecosystem on the landscape. Stephen Bunting has been studying these effects for more than 30 years.”
According to UI Media Relations, Bunting — who has been with UI for 33 years — is a pioneer in his field who has published several journal articles and gained decades of hands-on experience. He collaborated on a 2007 U.S. Geological Survey report regarding fire behavior, vegetation and livestock grazing in the Murphy Wildlife Fire Complex, a 600,000 acre area covering portions of Idaho and Nevada.
“My work encompasses a large scale,” Bunting said, “…from individual plant species to whole watersheds.”
Bunting’s work has had international significance, including vegetation research in central Argentina and in marine pine forests of northern Portugal.
“(Portugal) has a big wildfire problem,” Bunting said. “We were looking at the role of prescribed fires to reduce the risk of fires that burn the upper forest levels.”
Prescribed fires, Bunting said, are started and controlled by wilderness management to naturally clear areas of underbrush, reducing the risk of larger wildfires.
“Wildfires are a natural part of the Western landscape,” Pregitzer said. “Think of (prescribed fire) as physical therapy for the ecosystem.”
While wildfire ecology is important, Pregitzer said educational opportunities are limited to UI.
“We have the only degree program of fire ecology and wildfire management,” he said. “It’s growing, and it’s internationally recognized. It’s a real exciting area for students, and there’s lots of research.”
Students come from across the U.S. and countries such as Portugal, Argentina and Canada to participate in this program, Bunting said, and several are enrolled in online courses.
UI’s wildfire ecology and management degree program became official in 2007, but Bunting said wildfire research has been a significant academic area for more than 30 years. He said most of his ecology classes incorporate wildfires and their effects, and field trips to burn areas are an important part of the classes.
Fire ecology students gain hands-on experience, including a prescribed fire lab. Participants visit and evaluate an area, make a plan, execute the burn, then assess the result. Bunting said the college also helps students find fire-related summer jobs.
Bunting is the second College of Natural Resources faculty member to be honored with this award, according to the Association of Fire Ecology. Leon Neuenschwander, who retired in 2002, received it in 2007.