Wildland Fire: Everglades NP Collaborates with Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve

Everglades National Park fire and resource management staff attended the 2nd International Congress for Coastal Protected Areas with Tree Island Ecosystems in Campeche, Mexico, in September 2014. The conference, held at Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve, focused on fire-prone, wetland ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico, including fire regime, water quality, and wildlife management.

“The conference was an excellent opportunity for these parks to work together and learn from each other.” Rick Anderson, fire management officer for Everglades National Park

An International Collaboration

Everglades National Park staff collaborating with Mexican conservation professionals on wetland management. In photo: Mark Parry, Everglades biologist (left), Rick Anderson, Everglades fire management officer (center), and Joffre Casto, Everglades environmental engineer (right). Photo courtesy of CO

Everglades National Park fire and resource management staff were cordially invited to participate at the 2nd International Congress for Coastal Protected Areas with Tree Island Ecosystems in Campeche, Mexico, in September 2014. The international conference held at Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve focused on fire-prone, wetland ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico, similar to Everglades National Park. 

Rick Anderson, fire management officer for Everglades National Park, presented on prescribed fire as a fuels management tool and fire’s role in the ecological process of wetland ecosystems. Comisión Nacional Forestal (Conafor) officials from Mexico met with the Everglades fire management officer to discuss wildfire risk and prescribed fire techniques for maintaining rare, fire-dependent ecosystems.  The conference included presentations on all dimensions of subtropical wetland ecosystems, including fire regime, water quality, and wildlife management.

The 2nd International Congress is the second stage of a park-to-park collaboration between Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve and Everglades National Park. Anderson stated, “The conference was an excellent opportunity for these parks to work together and learn from each other. We are excited to be collaborating with Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve.”

Attendees at the conference included fire management and conservation professionals from the United States, Mexico, and Cuba.

For information on Everglades fire management.

Contact: Rick Anderson, Fire Management Officer
Email:e-mail us
Phone: [phone]