Video
Everglades, Shaped by Fire
Descriptive Transcript
Description Narrator: National Park Service logo.
Everglades, Shaped by fire.
Ranger Wong: Hi, my name is Ranger Wong, and today we are going to discuss the role of fire in the Everglades.
Here's a burning question for you. Why would Rangers set fire to the place they've sworn to protect and preserve?
Description Narrator: A utility vehicle drives along the edge of a road spraying fuel on plants, which begin to burn.
Ranger Wong: To explore this question, let's join Ranger Kat in one of the most fire prone ecosystems, the Pine Rocklands.
Ranger Kat: From butterflies to black bears, the Pine Rocklands provides a home to endangered species. However, the Pine Rocklands is endangered itself. This used to cover parts of Miami and Homestead, but only 2% is left.
And so, to learn more about the Pine Rocklands habitat…
Description Narrator: Ranger Kat is interrupted by an adult acting as a fifth-grade student.
Fifth grader: Ranger! Ranger! Hi!
Ranger Kat: Yes, hello.
Fifth grader: fifth-grade student here.
Ranger Kat: Yes.
Fifth grader: I'm curious, why would you burn something that is going extinct?
Ranger Kat: That is a really great question.
So, the reason that we burn this habitat is because just like you need to clean your room, this habitat needs to be cleaned every four to seven years, and the way we do that is through fire. So dense brush and tall Slash pine trees characterize this place. In order to prevent this dense brush from getting too thick, we burn it.
Ranger Wong: Fire starts here in two ways. First, lightning.
Description Narrator: A drawing of a lightning bolt is moved across the screen in front of a background of Pine Rocklands.
Ranger Wong: With enough oxygen and fuel, lightning can start a fire.
Group: Oh, ah, ow.
Description Narrator: Drawings of flames appear in front of pine trees.
Ranger Wong: Second, people. For the past 5,000 years, humans set fires to keep the Everglades a healthy home for plants, animals, and themselves.
Fifth grader: So, you mean I can set the Everglades on fire?
Description Narrator: The fifth grader holds up a matchbox and matchstick.
Ranger 1: Woah, no, no, no. Where are your parents? Here in the Everglades, fires are carefully planned and set by professionals. We call them prescribed fires. To learn more, let's consult with Dr. Burnshrub.
Dr. Burnshrub: Greetings. Just like a doctor prescribes medicine to keep you healthy, the Rangers prescribe fire to keep the Everglades healthy. Here's how it works.
Energy from the sun is captured by plants. Fire turns plants into ash, which fertilizes the soil. This nutrient rich soil is like a multivitamin, helping plants grow big, strong, and fast.
Fifth grader: Oh, oh, Dr. Burnshrub.
Description Narrator: The fifth grader stands next to Dr. Burnshrub, raises his hand in the air, and jumps up and down.
Fifth grader: OK, so this reminds me of in Harry Potter — I think it's the fifth book — in the fifth book, there is Dumbledore and he’s with Harry Potter, and I think Ron might be there, and there was a Phoenix, and just like the plants you were talking about, you know, it was it was rising from the ashes. Just like…
Ranger Kat: Some plants have evolved special adaptations, which not only keep them safe from the flames, but also help them to grow big and strong after the burn. For example, this Slash pine here protects the heart of the tree through thick outer layers of flaky bark.
Description Narrator: Ranger Kat stands next to a large burnt tree and pulls away some of the burnt, flaky bark.
Ranger Kat: Branches and needles perched up high remain safe from the flames. After the fire, plants grow back healthier than before. Healthy plants mean healthy animals. Animals that return after the burn find a vast leafy buffet.
Since fire has been used for thousands of years to change the landscape, the plants and animals that live here have grown to depend on it.
Ranger Wong: The Everglades is home to plants and animals forged by fire. Rangers burn this place because in order to preserve and protect it, we must create space for new growth and change.
Recycling energy with the help of fire makes our life more resilient, including our own. In other words, for the Everglades, this is fine.
Description Narrator: A drawing of the This is Fine dog surrounded by flames is held up in front of the pine trees.
Fifth grader: Thanks for joining us in the Pine Rocklands!
Group: See you soon!
Description Narrator: Thanks to the Everglades Education Team: Chris Beers, Chris Eddy, Nathan Fox, Kat Gardiner, Patty Palma, Kristy Quillian, Dylann Turffs, Emily Wong, Yvette Cano.
Music by: Chris Haugen, “Sunshine Samba.”
Special thanks to: South Florida National Parks Trust & National Park Foundation.
Everglades Environmental Education Program logo.
Description
Follow along as rangers explore the role of fire in the Everglades.
Duration
4 minutes, 14 seconds
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