MICHIGAN BOTANICAL SOCIETY
SOUTHWESTERN CHAPTER PROGRAM
Bringing Back the Burn: Inside the Work and the Roadblocks of Prescribed Fire
Michele Richards
Natural Resources Specialist & Wildland Fire Program Manager
Michigan Army National Guard
Monday November 17, 2025 @ 7:00 PM (Socializing begins at 6:30)
Western Michigan University, 2708 Wood Hall,
1903 West Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49009
Prescribed fire is one of the most effective tools for restoring and sustaining Michigan’s oak savannas, prairies, and pine ecosystems — yet only a fraction of the acres that need fire are being burned. This talk explores the practical logistics of planning and executing a burn, including weather, fuels, crew organization, safety, and permitting. It also examines why prescribed fire remains underused despite its well-documented ecological benefits. Drawing on findings from Michigan’s Fire Needs Assessment and current interagency practices, the discussion highlights the barriers that limit burning and the partnerships, training, and policy improvements needed to expand the use of good fire across the region.
Michele Richards has dedicated over 28 years to environmental management, with 22 of those years spent working at Fort Custer Training Center for the Michigan Army National Guard. As the installation’s Natural Resources and Prescribed Fire Specialist, she leads programs that integrate ecological restoration, wildfire risk reduction, and climate resilience across some of Michigan’s most biologically diverse military landscapes.
Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Earth Science and Environmental Studies from Western Michigan University and a Master’s in Environmental Policy from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Michele brings both scientific depth and pragmatic experience to her work. She is a qualified Prescribed Fire Burn Boss and a driving force behind Michigan’s collaborative prescribed fire movement — a self-proclaimed “pyro-evangelist” who believes in fire as both a cultural and ecological tool for healing the land.
Her expertise spans climate adaptation, rare species protection, and invasive species management. Michele serves in leadership roles with the Michigan Prescribed Fire Council, the Army National Guard Environmental Advisory Council, and the Michigan Climate Coalition, helping shape policies that balance training missions with conservation goals. Her work has earned multiple awards for stewardship and innovation, reflecting her lifelong commitment to ensuring that military readiness and ecological integrity thrive side by side.
When she isn’t setting carefully planned fires, Michele can be found restoring her family’s 1877 Italianate farmhouse — affectionately nicknamed the money pit — or soaking up the unsalted glory of the Great Lakes. She and her husband share a love of history, heritage, and hands-on conservation, and her three daughters and two grandchildren keep her inspired, grounded, and laughing through it all.
All indoor programs are at Western Michigan University, 2708 Wood Hall, 1903 West Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo MI 49009. Socializing begins at 6:30 pm and the programs begin at 7:00 pm. Non-members are always welcome to join us for programs and field trips.