Michigan Botanical Society,
Southwestern Chapter
The Southwestern Chapter, based in Kalamazoo, serves amateur and professional botanists and nature enthusiasts in the southwest corner of Michigan.
Meeting
Bringing Back the Burn: Inside the Work and the Roadblocks of Prescribed Fire
Michele Richard
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.
NEW MEETING LOCATION (see map below). 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.
2025-2026 Winter Schedule
Field Trips
During the warmer months, the Southwestern Chapter organizes field trips to some of the most spectacular natural sites in southwestern Michigan, many of which are not open to the public.
Meetings
Meetings occur in November, January, February, March & April, on the 3rd Monday of the month at the Western Michigan University, 2708 Wood Hall, 1903 West Michigan Ave, Kalamazoo, MI 49009. Socializing begins at 6:30 PM and the presentation starts at 7:00 PM.
Membership
As members, you may attend field trips to some of the most spectacular natural sites in southwestern Michigan, many of which are not open to the public. During colder weather, we have monthly meetings featuring presentations on botanical, ecological and conservation subjects. Members also receive a subscribe to the peer-reviewed journal, The Great Lakes Botanist, a Journal of North American Botany, which is published twice a year and a subscription to the spring and fall newsletter Arisaema.
Follow the Southwestern Chapter
Join the Southwestern Chapter
Use this link for the easy online payment. A small convenience fee of 3.5% will be added to your payment through the Cheddar-Up platform.
2025 Southwestern Chapter Officers
Executive Committee: Joe Trapp, Michael Dombos, Abbie Bristol, Wayne Roussel
Secretary / Treasurer: Wayne Roussel
Useful Links
Michigan Botanical Society
The Great Lakes Botanist https://journals.publishing.umich.edu/glbot/
The Michigan Botanist (1962-2006) https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/000497763
Winter Wildflowers: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~ldnum/WinterWildflowers%281973%29dblpgs.pdf
University of Michigan Herbarium https://michiganflora.net/home.aspx
State of Michigan
Michigan Natural Features Inventory (MNFI) https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/services
Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) https://www.michigan.gov/dnr
Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) https://www.michigan.gov/egle
MSU Extension Service https://www.canr.msu.edu/outreach/
W.K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) https://www.kbs.msu.edu/
Kellogg Bird Sanctuary http://birdsanctuary.kbs.msu.edu/
Conservation
Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy (SWMLC) https://swmlc.org/
Michigan Nature Association (MNA) https://www.michigannature.org/
Chikaming Open Lands https://chikamingopenlands.org/
The Nature Conservancy https://www.nature.org/en-us/
Michigan Audubon https://www.michiganaudubon.org/
Land Conservancy of West Michigan https://naturenearby.org/
Michigan Wetlands Association https://miwetlands.org/
Michigan Prescribed Fire Council https://www.firecouncil.org/
Wild Flower Association of Michigan https://wildflowersmich.org/
Michigan Lakes and Stream Association (MLSA) https://mymlsa.org/
Kalamazoo River Watershed Council (KRWC) https://kalamazooriver.org/
Conservation Districts
Michigan Association of Conservation Districts https://www.macd.org/
Allegan Conservation District https://www.allegancd.org/
Barry Conservation District https://www.barrycd.org/
Berrien Conservation District https://www.berriencd.org/
Calhoun Conservation District https://www.calhouncd.org/
Cass Conservation District https://cassccdistrict.org/
Kalamazoo Conservation District https://www.kalamazooconservation.org/
St Joseph Conservation District https://stjoecountycd.com/
Van Buren Conservation District https://vanburencd.org/
Invasive Species & Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMA)
Michigan Invasive Species https://www.michigan.gov/invasives/take-action/local-resources/view-cisma-locations-as-a-list
Midwest Invasive Species Information Network (MISIN) https://www.misin.msu.edu/
Barry, Calhoun & Kalmazoo CISMA contact: bckcisma@gmail.com
SW x SW Corner CISMA https://vanburencd.org/invasive-species/
Southern Michigan IST https://stjoecountycd.com/smist-cisma#:~:text=Southern%20Michigan%20Invasive%20Species%20Team,a%20multitude%20of%20regional%20partners.
West Michigan CISMA https://wmconservation.net/
Nature Centers
Kalamazoo Nature Center https://naturecenter.org/
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute https://cedarcreekinstitute.org/
Whitehouse Nature Center https://www.albion.edu/about/our-campus/whitehouse-nature-center/
Sarett Nature Center https://sarett.org/
Native Plants & Gardens
Kalamazoo Area Wild Ones (KAWO) https://kalamazoo.wildones.org/
Hidden Savanna Nursery https://www.hiddensavanna.com/
Adjacent
Michigan Entomological Society https://www.michentsoc.org/
Indiana Native Plant Society https://indiananativeplants.org/
