Controlled burns help the post manage their forest land for both Army activities and endangered species.

a man gazes out at a pine forest on a sunny day

Larry Carlile, chief of the Fort Stewart/Hunter Army Airfield Fish and Wildlife Branch, looks out at the forest on the post, which is carefully managed for both Army activities and endangered species using controlled burns

Credit: Emily Jones

Fort Stewart, the Army post near Savannah, has won an Army award for how it manages natural resources, including forests and endangered species.

The post, which is the largest Army installation east of the Mississippi River, conducts regular prescribed burns: carefully managed fires that help reduce the risk of wildfires and keep the forest healthy for native plants and animals.

Jeff Mangun runs the program. He said it’s the largest prescribed burn program in North America.

a chart showing the rising red-cockaded woodpecker population at Fort Stewart

Endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers have seen their population rebound on Fort Stewart thanks to management efforts

Credit: US Army

“What the threatened and endangered species in this area thrive on and need is the same thing that the military needs to train in,” Mangun said.

That’s large, widely spaced pine trees with low understory, or ground cover.

Endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers, which thrive in that environment, have enjoyed steady population growth on Fort Stewart since 1994.

The post generates revenue for the program by cutting and selling timber. They then plant longleaf pine, which the woodpeckers live in.

Tags: Georgia  Savannah  Fort Stewart  control burn  endangered species