In this episode of Nature Conversations, I speak with Associate Professor Tim Curran, a plant ecologist specialising in plant flammability and extreme disturbance events like fire, drought, and cyclones. Tim discusses his work on measuring plant flammability and how plant traits influence fire behaviour, with a focus on identifying low-flammability species to create green firebreaks. These firebreaks not only help reduce wildfire spread but also support biodiversity restoration and ecosystem services. Tim highlights the historical shift in New Zealand's ecology, where fire was once less influential but is now exacerbated by climate change. As wildfires become more frequent, Tim stresses the importance of understanding fire behavior and taking proactive measures to mitigate risks. His work offers critical insights into fire management, plant resilience, and the future of fire science. Tune in for an in-depth conversation about plant ecology, fire risk, and climate change solutions.

Hope you enjoy this episode!

Links mentioned in the podcast:

Fire and Emergency Plant Flammability Database https://www.checkitsalright.nz/reduce-your-risk/low-flammability-plants

University Profile https://researchers.lincoln.ac.nz/tim.curran

SCION Rural Fire Research https://www.ruralfireresearch.co.nz

About the podcast:

Hi! I’m Dr Adam Forbes. I am an Ecologist who specialises in the restoration of forest ecosystems. The Nature Conversations Podcast isn’t about me, however, the purpose of the podcast is to capture knowledge and insights from remarkable people and profile important issues for ecology and nature conversation.

Supporting the podcast and connecting with me:

If you like the content of the podcast, you can support its creation in the following ways:

1 – following, liking, rating and sharing the podcast or episodes with others,

2 – via my Patreon account (you can even support for free) https://patreon.com/DrAdamForbes

If you’d like to contact me, you can do so via email: [email protected] or via my website https://www.forbesecology.co.nz

You can also find me on socials:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/dradamforbes

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/adamforbesnz

LinkedIn - http://linkedin.com/in/dr-adam-forbes-58873a55

Youtube - https://youtube.com/@dradamforbes?si=FzxXRUqdPd9zxPlE

Key words:

plant ecology, flammability, fire behavior, plant traits, wildfire prevention, drought, firebreaks, New Zealand ecology, plant science, climate change, biodiversity restoration, fire risk, fire mitigation, green firebreaks, ecosystem services, Tim Curran, extreme disturbances, fire science, plant response to fire, wildfires, fire prevention, environmental science