Fire and Human Settlement

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Fire and Human Settlement

• By Erika Nunez,
• Maria Martinez,
• Andrew Yoggerst,
• Sergei Nikogosian

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HUMAN SETTLEMENT
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Early Settlement

• About 12,000 years ago humans first established
  settlements in our area
• The Native Americans took care of their land, not
  disrupting the ecology of our region
• By the time European settlers arrived, over two
  million Native Americans lived in the United
  States.

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Native Plants

• Butterfly Milkweed
• Smooth Blue Aster
• Sideoats Grama Grass
• New Jersey Tea
• Prairie Coreopsis
• Pale Purple Coneflower

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Mammals

• Opossums
• Moles
• Bats
• Rabbits and hares
• Rodents
• Squirrels
• Beavers
• Rats and mice
• Jumping mice
• Coyotes
• Raccoons
• Weasels
• Skunks
• Cats
• Deer

Native Animals
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The Arrival of Europeans

• When Europeans came to our region, beginning in
  the 1670s, they brought diseases with them that
  had a great effect on the Native Americans living
  in the United States.
• Smallpox, measles, mumps, influenza, and typhus
  are just some of these diseases

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European Use Of Our Land

• Europeans began to use fire to clear land for
  agriculture, since they did not hunt and gather
  as much as the Native Americans
• Native Americans also used fire to clear land,
  although they used this method far less
  frequently than the Europeans

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Europeans

• Examples of invasive plants
• Garlic Mustard
• Norway Maple
• Mimosa
• Japanese Barberry
• Hybrid Honeysuckle
• White Mulberry
• White Poplar
• Common Buckthorn
• Black Locust

• Europeans also brought invasive, non-native,
  plants which were used for seasonings, spices and
  decorations.

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FIRE
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Why Are Fires So Important?

• Fires kill the invasion of non-native plants.
• Prairie plants adapt to droughts and fires due to
  their long roots.
• Fires fertilize the soil.

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Controlled Prairie Fires

• Prairie fires are used to destroy non-native
  plants, trees, and shrubs.
• If controlled fires are not used, then the
  prairies would turn into forests.

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Is Weather Important?

• Yes, weather is very important while conducting a
  controlled fire.
• These weather conditions can slow down or cause a
  fire to get out of hand
• 1.Wind Speed and Direction 
• 2.Humidity 
• 3.Temperature 
• 4.Amount of Sunlight 

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How To Conduct a Controlled Fire

• Park officials figure out the humidity, wind
  direction and speed, and other factors that might
  influence the fire. They test the area with a
  small fire.
• After knowing how the fire reacts and finding out
  if the area is safe they continue burning the
  area.
• Two or three hours later the fire would die out
  and the park officials get the smoke out with
  water and dirt.
• After the controlled fire. ?

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What About The Animals and Native Plants?

• Controlled fires do not hurt the animals because
  the fire moves slowly and the fires are not very
  intense.
• The animals have a chance to escape before the
  fire gets too close to them.
• The fire is not intense so
• it does not burn down the
• trees.

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In Summary. . .

• Native Americans lived in harmony with their
  environment
• European settlers not only brought diseases to
  America, they also brought many invasive plants
  and animals here
• Controlled fires have many benefits
• Fire can control invasive species and promote
  native plant growth

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The 6th Mass Extinction!

• The Earth is currently witnessing a 6th mass
  extinction of plant and animal life.
• This is the first extinction due to human
  activity
• We Hope Our Information Will Encourage You To
  Protect Our Environment