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“101 Things to Do with Your
Yard Waste besides Lighting It on Fire,” is the nickname
of the new Advanced Master
Gardeners Land Care Steward Handbook made
possible with National Fire Plan Community Assistance funds.
Find it at: http://www.advancedmastergardener.org/
Debris burning is a significant source of
unwanted fire starts in Virginia and around the country. Land
Care Stewards provides good information on reducing, reusing
and recycling yard waste. This in turn may reduce the number
of debris fires and those that get away. The handbook also
includes a specific unit, “Living at the Wildland-Urban
Interface,” with “FIREWISE” principles and
practices.
In fall 2002, the Commonwealth of Virginia
banned open-air fires in response to extreme drought and high
fire danger. The Shenandoah Valley Interagency Fire Prevention
and Education Team looked to teach people about alternatives
to burning. Under those and other conditions, composting and
related activities were more “FIREWISE” and environmentally
friendly than burning or hauling yard waste to landfills.
The Team also recognized that neighbors sometimes made better
messengers than government employees. Accordingly, they reached
out to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University,
better known as Virginia Tech. A horticulturalist there suggested
a curriculum guide and resource book for advanced training
of Master Gardeners who are community-based volunteers. Soon
after, the National Park Service Northeast Region obtained
funding through the National Fire Plan to support the development
of the Land Care Stewards Handbook.
The editors were Francis J. Reilly, Jr.
of the Reilly Group; and Sarah Lineberger and Sheri T. Dorn,
both previous State Master Gardener Coordinators. Project
directors were Dave Close, Virginia State Master Gardener
Coordinator and Diane Relf, Extension Specialist, Environmental
Horticulture, now retired. Barb Stewart, Fire Education Specialist
for the Northeast Region of the National Park Service was
project monitor. Reviewers included staff from the USDA Forest
Service, Virginia Department of Forestry, Virginia Cooperative
Extension, and Prince William County.
An extension agent in Hanover County has
already embraced Land Care Stewards and is working with citizens
and government officials to reduce the amount of yard waste
taken to the landfill. More people are discovering that they
have a great new tool to help protect homes and communities
from unwanted fires.
Contact: Barb Stewart, National Park
Service Fire Education Specialist
Phone: 434-977-1375 x3365 |
