The Nature Conservancy Receives Grant to Purchase New Water Tank for Prescribed Fire Management
Media Contacts
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Kathleen McFadden
Media Relations Manager
The Nature Conservancy
Phone: 610-368-7108
Email: k.mcfadden@tnc.org
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Pennsylvania today announced it received new funding to support prescribed fire work in the Commonwealth. The Foxwynd Foundation awarded TNC a $10,000 grant to fund the purchase of a water tank and pump for fire suppression during controlled burns.
The new tank has the capacity to carry and pump approximately 70 gallons of water. It is outfitted to attach to off-road UTVs for transport into the backcountry forests of Pennsylvania.
Prescribed fire plays a critical role in the health of Pennsylvania’s ecosystems and the well-being of nearby communities by reducing vegetation build-up and mitigating the risk for large, out-of-control wildfires. In coordination with its partner agencies, TNC uses prescribed fire to maintain the health and resilience of the Commonwealth’s forests and grasslands.
“Controlled burning encourages growth of native vegetation, boosts biodiversity for plants and wildlife, minimizes the spread of pests and invasive species, and recycles nutrients back into the soil,” said Lori Brennan, Executive Director of The Nature Conservancy in Pennsylvania & Delaware. “The highways, byways, and housing developments of our modern infrastructure prevent fire's natural process to occur across the landscape, which is why TNC’s implementation of prescribed fire is crucial for fire-dependent species and ecosystems. The right fire at the right place at the right time helps improve habitat for threatened and endangered species.”
Highly trained fire managers and Burn Bosses take numerous steps to ensure the safety of fire staff and the public by evaluating the type of vegetation within the burn area; establishing fire breaks and control lines; moderating the intensity of flame and smoke; and providing personnel and equipment to supervise and control the fire all the way from spark to extinguishing.
“The Bentley family and the Foxwynd Foundation are proud to support this tangible, boots-on-the-ground solution that makes fire management safer and smarter,” said Pamela Villagra, Executive Director of the Foxwynd Foundation. “Prescribed burns protect both forests and people, and we’re thrilled to help expand TNC’s capacity to carry out this essential work with care, skill, and science.”
The Foxwynd Foundation DAF funded the Foxwynd Foundation’s generous donation to The Nature Conservancy for this water tank and pump, which will help TNC’s certified wildlife firefighters, partners and first responders help mitigate wildfire risk, as well as expand TNC’s capacity to deploy controlled burns across more acres within Pennsylvania’s iconic Central Appalachian landscape.
Curious About How and Why We Work with Fire?
By managing the natural process of fire on the landscape instead of preventing it, we can improve habitats for native plants and animals and reduce the risk of out-of-control wildfires.
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 81 countries and territories (40 by direct conservation impact and 41 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit nature.org or follow @nature_press on X.