The AFE Education Committee is very active and has been working on the following projects:

Registered Fire Ecologist Program

The committee has a draft list of qualifications for individuals wishing to be recognized by AFE as fire ecologists. In the current draft, there are three levels based on education, experience, and contributions to the field of fire ecology: Registered Fire Ecologist, Registered Professional Fire Ecologist, and Registered Senior Fire Ecologist. The draft qualifications and application for each level of registration will be presented for review and discussion at the AFE Annual Meeting, November 16, 2006 at the Fire Congress in San Diego. Following feedback from AFE members, the committee hopes to have the registration program and process in place ready for applicants in 2007.

Educator Roundtable

The committee is in the first stages of organizing an annual meeting of fire ecology instructors. This roundtable will assist junior faculty with teaching issues, methods to incorporate advances in the science into the classroom, and other issues relevant to fire ecology instructors and faculty. Current plans are to have a preliminary meeting in San Diego on the subject of incorporating fire experience in to courses (logistics, legal issues, strategies). The committee has preliminary plans to organize annual roundtables and to capitalize on special-focus field tours at future AFE conferences. If you are interested in being involved in this year's event, please contact Dr. J. Morgan Varner (see contact information below).

University Programs in Fire Ecology

The committee is currently working on a draft set of requirements for AFE recognition of University programs that provide substantial instruction in the field of Fire Ecology. This would not be an accreditation process, rather it is envisioned as as set of requirements to serve as models for University programs interested in expanding current programs or developing new programs that will train future fire ecologists. As this project develops, the committee will be updating AFE members via the Bulletin and website.

AFE EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Dr. Penelope Morgan
Professor of Forest Resources
Department of Forest Resources
University of Idaho
Moscow, ID 83844-1133
208-885-7507
pmorgan[at]uidaho.edu

Dr. Neil Sugihara
Regional Fire Ecologist
USDA Forest Service
Fire and Aviation Management
3237 Peacekeeper Way
McClellan CA 95652
916-640-1054
nsugihara[at]fs.fed.us

Dr. Andrea Thode
Assistant Professor
Northern Arizona University
School of Forestry
PO Box 15018
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5018
(928)523-5457
Andi.Thode[at]nau.edu

Dr. Monique Rocca
Assistant Professor of Wildland Fire Scienct
Department of Forest, Rangeland and Watershed Stewardship
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1472
(970) 491-2112 (voice)
(970) 491-6754 (fax)
rocca[at]warnercnr.colostate.edu

Dr. J. Morgan Varner, III
Assistant Professor of Wildland Fire Management
Department of Forestry and Watershed Management
Humboldt State University
One Harpst Street
Arcata, CA 95521
(707) 826-5622
Fax: (707) 826-5634
jmvarner[at]humboldt.edu

Dr. John Stuart
Professor of Dendrology and Fire Ecology
Department of Forestry and Watershed Management
1 Harpst Street
Humboldt State University
Arcata, CA 95521-8299
(707) 826-3823
jds2[at]humboldt.edu

Morgan Pence
Forest Service/University of Idaho
(208)885-7115
mpence[at]uidaho.edu

Dr. Scott Stephens
Assistant Professor of Fire Sciences
Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management
137 Mulford Hall
University of California
Berkeley CA 94720-3114
(510) 642-7304
stephens[at]nature.berkeley.edu