Prescribed burning workshop to take more participants

A prescribed burning workshop to teach and certify forest landowners to burn their own lands safely and legally will be held May 5-7 at the Louisiana Ecological Forestry Center (formerly Hodges Gardens) in Florien. And now more people will be allowed to sign up for the workshop.

The workshop will be held in conjunction with the Ecological Forestry Center, the Southwest Louisiana Forestry Association (SW LA Forestry Association), the LSU AgCenter and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture an Forestry (LDAF).

Those attending the workshop will learn about fuels, burning techniques, proper tools, optimal weather conditions, smoke management, liability management, planning, fire behavior and more. This training begins the process of becoming a Louisiana Certified Burn Manager. The completion of five prescribed fires and their documentation will fulfill requirements of that process.

The cost of the workshop is is $100 and class size is limited to the first 20 applicants. You can make checks payable to SW LA Forestry Association and send to the LSU AgCenter, PO Box 609, DeRidder, LA 70634.

For more information, call Keith Hawkins with the LSU AgCenter at 337-463-7006 or email him at khawkins@agcenter.lsu.edu.