Massive fires in a North Carolina deer range have given Georgia wildlife scientists opportunities to study the effects of "habitat change" on deer populations. They concluded that there were no major effects and if there were any, they could not be found 3 years later. Because there was abundant food before the fire, the great amount of food produced by sprouts and seeds after the fire could hardly be counted as extra or added benefit. Infrequent, intensive fires do result in sudden release of nutrients (the ash) and plant rejuvenation. Since benefits (or losses) to deer from even massive fires cannot be easily detected, there is doubt that burning of forests to improve deer forage can be justified. The secondary effects, risks, and "bads" outweigh the "goods." Herd management, along with cost-effective tree harvests, seems the most likely alternative for large areas.
However,as in the medical field, select, small, skillful, prescriptive burns may be just what the doctor needs to order for the unique land patients.
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Giles, Jr.
Last revision January 17, 2000.
