Prescribed burn policies and community norms in agricultural landscapes: Understanding the social dynamics of fire use in rangeland management

Commodities

Practices

As prescribed burning becomes increasingly important for reducing wildfire severity, maintaining ecosystems, and improving forage quality for livestock, understanding the institutional structures that influence its use is important for safe fire use across the North Central Region (NCR). Prescribed burning is a cost-effective land management tool used across the Great Plains and the NCR to control woody encroachment, reduce biomass buildup, and increase pasture productivity. Yet, many ranchers and farmers hesitate to use it because of variable policies and social dynamics. This project examines how formal institutions, such as county-level burn bans, and informal institutions, such as social norms, shape landowners' prescribed burning decisions and practices. Inconsistent burn bans, peer disapproval, and social pressures create uncertainty that can deter landowners from applying prescribed fire even under favorable weather and ecological conditions. I will use a mixed methods approach of 20 semi-structured interviews with county commissioners, 600 mail surveys to landowners (expecting 90-120 responses), participant observation, and spatial analysis to investigate how landowners navigate these uncertainties across Kansas ecoregions. I will thematically code the interviews starting with initial themes from the interview guide and allowing themes to emerge from the transcripts using NVivo software. I will then analyze the survey responses using descriptive and inferential statistics in R to identify perceptions, norms, and practices in prescribed burning. I will analyze the burn ban records and map them to identify any spatial patterning of the bans. The aim is to understand how policies and social dynamics influence decisions on whether and when to burn and to identify potential opportunities to strengthen engagement and collaboration between landowners, Prescribed Burning Associations (PBAs), and county governments. The research findings will raise awareness among the participants, including ranchers, farmers, and the public, about the factors that shape prescribed burning decisions and practices. The outreach materials will include a summary report, an extension infographic, peer-reviewed journal articles, and 2-3 short videos shared at conferences, prescribed burning events, and workshops. The evaluation plan will monitor the dissemination of outreach materials, engagement in prescribed burning events, and the use of the educational videos. This project supports NCR SARE's mission by providing farmers and ranchers with knowledge to navigate uncertainty, manage their lands sustainably, and make informed, sustainable fire and land management decisions across the NCR.

The target population of this project includes landowners, Prescribed Burning Associations (PBAs), county commissioners, and fire and extension professionals, including agents and specialists, who engage in and influence prescribed burning policies and practices. Landowners will increase their understanding of how inconsistent policies and social norms shape their prescribed burning practices and willingness to engage in burning. They will also become more aware of how they navigate these uncertainties to make more informed decisions about fire use in land management (Farmer and Rancher Learning Outcome). County commissioners and fire professionals will gain insights into the constraints that landowners face when adopting prescribed burning, increasing the potential for engagement and policy support for prescribed burning (Organization Learning Outcome). After engaging with the outreach materials, landowners may become more confident and interested in applying prescribed burning and more aware of its limiting factors (Farmer and Rancher Action Outcome). County commissioners could consider adopting a systematic process for imposing burn bans and enforcement practices, and PBAs may develop targeted engagement strategies that address landowners' constraints on fire use (Organization Learning Outcome). The outcomes will be measured through the outreach activities and informal follow-up conversations with PBA leaders. These conversations will assess perceived changes in attitude, knowledge, and interest among landowners and any shifts in institutional policies or advocacy strategies. This project contributes to understanding the social and institutional dimensions of fire management and builds the capacity of landowners and PBAs to implement prescribed burning safely, thus maintaining productive grasslands in the North Central region.