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San Antonio Missions National Historical Park received funding of $13,618.00 to complete a fire management plan. A portion of this funding facilitated an internal scoping session. The Fire Management Officer from Big Thicket National Preserve assisted the park staff in coordinating and conducting the internal scoping session that will eventually produce a San Antonio Missions National Historical Park Fire Management Plan. The park was also able to hire two student interns to work in the Division of Professional Services as a result of this funding so staff from that division could take the lead on researching compliance issues and initiate the planning process necessary for the development and preparation of the park's fire management plan. An external scoping session is scheduled for FY04 with a completed plan scheduled for publication in 2004.
Through the additional funding of $10,000 provided by the National Fire Office, San Antonio Missions National Historical Park utilized $9.846.00 to implement a one-year Fire Prevention and Education project. This project had two critical objectives. The primary objective was to reduce fuel loads in select areas of the park that interface with park neighbors, residences, or other structures that could be tragically impacted by a wildland fire on parklands. The secondary objective was to educate park neighbors and visitors about the need to clear vegetation away from buildings to reduce the potential devastating impacts from a wildland fire. The funding enabled the park to hire a student intern to develop fire prevention project related educational materials and provide training on that material to the public. The funding enabled the park to select two critical areas for fuel reduction. The woodlands adjacent to the San Juan Nature Trail and the lands adjacent to the Espada Acequia were judged to be the areas most in need of expedited fuel reduction. Several park staff members voluntarily assisted the intern in cutting and removing vegetation in the identified areas. |
