For more than a century, the federal government has waged war on wildland and forest fires, spreading the narrative that fires destroy forests and the wildlife that live there. But through decades of research, experience, and insights into the values of severe fires, Dick Hutto has challenged conventional wisdom by revealing the hidden beauty and ecological importance of severely burned forests. In his new book A Beautifully Burned Forest: Learning to Celebrate Severe Forest Fire, he uncovers one of nature’s best-kept secrets: numerous species—including the black-backed woodpecker and the morel mushroom—thrive in conditions created only by intense wildfires. These and many other fire-dependent organisms have evolved to flourish in charred landscapes, a fact often overlooked by birdwatchers, land managers, and even fire researchers.
In this webcast, Hutto will bring these special forests to life, offering a fresh perspective on fire’s role in maintaining biodiversity and inviting us to consider how revised land management practices could benefit us all.
Defending natural fire-shaped ecosystems and fire recovery is also a part of Oregon Wild’s work. In this webcast, we’ll talk about how some of the burned forests in Oregon’s wild places are recovering, how they are at risk, and what we can do to defend these natural habitats.
We will be raffling off some new Oregon Wild merch and a copy of Dick Hutto’s book. Tickets are $5 and are an optional purchase below. Raffle tickets not only help us continue these Wednesday presentations but also support our work safeguarding Oregon’s wildlands, wildlife, and waters.
About the presenter:
Dick Hutto is an Emeritus Professor in biology and wildlife biology at the University of Montana, where he taught from 1977 to 2014. Most of his research was on the ecology of birds that colonize conifer forests that experienced severe wildfires. He’s spent years delivering research results about fire ecology through many media outlets for maximum public education. In 2025 he published A Beautifully Burned Forest: Learning to Celebrate Severe Forest Fire. Learn more at https://www.rlhutto.com/home.
