DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10085327
title: Data - Prescribed fire in longleaf pine ecosystems: fire managers' perspectives on priorities, constraints, and future prospects

description: The following information describes the data coded in the corresponding database as it relates to survey question responses. This dataset includes all data used to produce graphs in:
Kupfer, J.A., Lackstrom, K., Grego, J.M., Dow, K., Terando, A.J., and Hiers, J.K. 2022. Perspectives on prescribed fire management in longleaf pine ecosystems: Current constraints and future prospects. Fire Ecology 18, 27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42408-022-00151-6..
Part I: Criteria for Prioritizing Burn Sites (Columns A-S)
Question #1: "For the characteristics listed below, please rank your top 3 criteria for determining whether a site has a high priority for burning." Scale: 1 = highest, 2 = next; 3 = next; NULL = not in top 3. Columns K-S indicate simply whether a criterion was chosen (1) or not (0), regardless of rank.
A. Participant ID
B. TimeSinceBurnRk = Time since the last fire 
C. FuelReductionRk = Burn to reduce fuels
D. EcoHealthRk = Burn to improve ecosystem health
E. TimberRk = Improving timber
F. FirebreaksRk = Presence of firebreaks
G. TandERk = Burn to assist T&E species
H. WUIrk = Proximity to Wildland Urban Interface
I. ExoticInvasiveRk = Prioritizing due exotics / invasives
J. OtherCritRk = Other criteria not included above
K. TimeSinceBurn = Time since the last fire (1 = cited in any order; NULL = not in top 3)
L. FuelReduction = Burn to reduce fuels (same ranking as previous)
M. EcoHealth = Burn to improve ecosystem health (same ranking as previous)
N. Timber = Improving timber (same ranking as previous)
O. Firebreaks = Presence of firebreaks (same ranking as previous)
P. TandE = Burn to assist T&E species (same ranking as previous)
Q. WUI = Proximity to Wildland Urban Interface (same ranking as previous)
R. ExoticInvasive = Prioritizing due exotics / invasives (same ranking as previous)
S. OtherCrit = Other criteria not included above (same ranking as previous)
 
Part II: Longleaf Pine Burning Frequency (T-U)
Question #3: "Recommendations for the frequency of prescribed burns depend on the local conditions, including: 1) the diversity of sites with longleaf ecosystems, 2) variation in the suite of understory species that define the habitat, and 3) the 'historic' fire return interval. How often, on average, should longleaf pine stands in your unit(s) be burned?
T. RecentBurnFreq:  1 = < every 2 yrs, 2 = every 2-4 yrs, 3 = every 4-5 yrs, 4 = > every 5 yrs 
Question #4. In practice, how often, on average, have longleaf pine units in your area been burned over the past 10 years?
U. CompBurnFreq:  -1 = less frequently than previous answer; 0 = as frequently as previous answer; 1 = more frequently than previous answer (the response was compared to that from Question 3 and scored comparatively).
 
Part III: Current legal, institutional, and managerial constraints (V-AB)
Question #6. In this section we would appreciate your help in better understanding how specific factors constrain or limit your ability to conduct prescribed burns. Do the following factors pose constraints to prescribed burning at your units? Scale: 1 = not a constraint; 2 = sometimes a constraint; 3 = commonly a constraint; -9999 = Not applicable. (note: #NULL! = no response)
V. ConstrPublic: Burning constrained by public concerns 
W. ConstrWUI: Burning constrained by nearby development 
X. ConstrRisk: Burning constrained by concerns about liability, career, etc.
Y. ConstrPartners: Burning constrained by partnerships and agreements
Z. ConstrIncent: Limited incentives or organizational pushback
AA. ConstrLegal: Legal constraints (e.g. NEPA, etc.)
AB. ConstrOther: Other constraints
 
Part IV: Environmental and resource constraints (AC-AJ)
Question 7: Please indicate how often these factors constrain prescribed burning in your management unit during the longleaf pine dormant season and growing season. Scale: 1 = not a constraint; 2 = sometimes a constraint; 3 = commonly a constraint; -9999 = Not applicable. (note: #NULL! = no response)
AC. ConstrDormWx: Inappropriate weather conditions during dormant season
AD. ConstrDormFuel: Concerns about fuel loads during dormant season
AE. ConstrDormAQ: Air quality / smoke management issues during dormant season
AF. ConstrDormRes: Shortage of resources (personnel, money, equip) during dormant season
AG. ConstrGrowWx: Inappropriate weather conditions during growing season
AH. ConstrGrowFuel: Concerns about fuel loads during growing season
AI. ConstrGrowAQ: Air quality / smoke management issues during growing season
AJ. ConstrGrowRes: Shortage of resources (personnel, money, equip) during growing season
 
Part V: Seasonal Weather Constraints (AK-BD)
Question 8: For weather conditions during the dormant season and growing season, please check the boxes for all factors which are common constraints on prescribed burning. (scale: 1 = factor selected, #NULL! = factor not selected).
AK. ConstrHiTDorm: High temperature is a common constraint during the dormant season
AL. ConstrHiTGrow: High temperature is a common constraint during the growing season
AM. ConstrLowTDorm: Low temperature is a common constraint during the dormant season
AN. ConstrLowTGrow: Low temperature is a common constraint during the growing season
AO. ConstrHiRHDorm: High relative humidity is a common constraint during the dormant season
AP. ConstrHiRHGrow: High relative humidity is a common constraint during the growing season
AQ. ConstrLowRHDorm: Low relative humidity is a common constraint during the dormant season
AR. ConstrLowRHGrow: Low relative humidity is a common constraint during the growing season
AS. ConstrHiWindDorm: High winds are a common constraint during the dormant season
AT. ConstrHiWindGrow: High winds are a common constraint during the growing season
AU. ConstrLowWindDorm: Low winds are a common constraint during the dormant season
AV. ConstrLowWindGrow: Low winds are a common constraint during the growing season
AW. ConstrDaysRainDorm: # of days since last rain is a common constraint during the dormant season
AX. ConstrDaysRainGrow: # of days since last rain is a common constraint during the growing season
AY. ConstrDroughtDorm: Drought conditions are a common constraint during the dormant season
AZ. ConstrDroughtGrow: Drought conditions are a common constraint during the growing season
BA. ConstrAtmoDispDorm: Low atmospheric dispersion is a common constraint during the dormant season
BB. ConstrAtmoDispGrow: Low atmospheric dispersion is a common constraint during the growing season
BC. ConstrTransWindDorm: Adequate transport winds are a common constraint during the dormant season
BD. ConstrTransWindGrow: Adequate transport winds are a common constraint during the growing season
 
Part VI: Expectations for future changes in burning constraints due to climate change and urban growth (BE-BW)
Question 9: To what extent do you think climate change currently affects your management decisions? 
BE. CurrClimChange. Scale: 0 = not at all; 1 = a little; 2 = moderately; 4 = a great deal; -9999 = don't know. #NULL! = no response.
Question 10: To what extent do you think urban growth currently affects your management decisions? 
BF. CurrUrbanGrowth: Scale: 0 = not at all; 1 = a little; 2 = moderately; 4 = a great deal; -9999 = don't know. #NULL! = no response.
Question 12: To what extent do you think future climate change (e.g., increasing temperature, more intense rainstorms, and/or extreme weather events) will affect your prescribed burning decisions? . Scale for all variables: 0 = not at all; 1 = a little; 2 = moderately; 3 =a great deal; -9999 = don't know. #NULL! = no response.
BG. ClimChangeShort: Effects over the next 5-10 years
BH. ClimChangeMed: Effects over the next 10-30 years
BI. ClimChangeLong: Effects over the next 30-50 years
Question 13: To what extent do you think future urbanization patterns (e.g., changes in the wildland urban interface, loss of habitat to restore longleaf pine ecosystems) will affect your prescribed burning decisions? Scale for all variables: 0 = not at all; 1 = a little; 2 = moderately; 3 =a great deal; -9999 = don't know. #NULL! = no response.
BJ. UrbChangeShort: Effects over the next 5-10 years
BK. UrbChangeMed: Effects over the next 10-30 years
BL. UrbChangeLong: Effects over the next 30-50 years
Question 15: Thirty years from now, which of these constraints do you think will be the most significant constraints to your use of prescribed burning? Please select up to 5 constraints. Scale: 1 = selected; #NULL! = selected
BM.  FutConstrWx: Inappropriate weather conditions (1 = cited in any order; NULL = not in top 5)
BN.  FutConstrFuel: High fuel loads (same scale as previous)
BO.  FutConstrAQ: Air quality issues, including smoke management (same scale as previous)
BP  FutConstrRes: Shortage of resources (personnel, money, equipment) (same scale as previous)
BQ.   FutConstrPublic: Avoiding public objections or concerns over burning (same scale as previous)
BR.   FutConstrWUI:  Residential or other development in or near burn areas (same scale as previous)
BS.  FutConstrRisk: Risk aversion (liability, career, political repurcussions) (same scale as previous)
BT.  FutConstrAgree:  Challenges posed by agreement and partnerships (same scale as previous)
BU   FutConstrIncent:  Limited incentives, institutional history (same scale as previous)
BV.   FutConstrLegal: Legal constraints (same scale as previous)
BW.  FutConstrOther: Other constraints
 
Part VII: Responder Demographics (BX)
Respondent provided state and management unit information. Scale 1 = yes; 0 = no.