Staff Photo
Burner Bob flew from Georgia to Omaha, Nebraska to spread the word about the importance of prescribed fire.
Story By Dr. Jessica McGuire, Quail Forever Working Lands for Wildlife Bobwhite Coordinator
Burner Bob® is a “Cool dude with a hot message.” In cooperation with Quail Forever, the Thompson Family, and The Longleaf Alliance, Burner Bob flew from Georgia to Omaha, Nebraska to spread the word about the importance of prescribed fire. Burner Bob visited with many of the event attendees, and some were lucky enough to shake feathers with him. Some even got to take home some great souvenir coloring books, stickers, and bandanas.
Landowner and tree farmer Reese Thompson created Burner Bob, a bobwhite quail mascot, to spread the message of using “good fire” to maintain the longleaf pine ecosystem and beyond. Pine savannas are critically important for species such as the northern bobwhite, gopher tortoise, and other sensitive species of plants and animals throughout the southeastern United States. Burner Bob and his conservation partners help to educate youth and adults alike about the crucial role that prescribed fire plays in maintaining biodiversity. In fact, one of his favorite sayings is, “Pyrodiversity Enkindles Biodiversity.”
The Longleaf Alliance has partnered with Burner Bob and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources to create a series of educational videos about fire and its role in wildlife management.
You can view “A Walk In The Woods with Burner Bob®” at https://youtu.be/R5UAVgy5nUQ.
To learn more about Burner Bob and his friends, visit https://www.facebook.com/burnerbobandfriends and https:// longleafalliance.org/what-we-do/education-outreach/burner-bob/.
Dr. Jessica McGuire is a Quail Forever Working Lands for Wildlife Bobwhite Coordinator.
This story originally appeared in the 2022 Summer Issue of the Quail Forever Journal. If you enjoyed it and would like to be the first to read more great upland content like this, become a member today!