"Boulder Burns" is the theme of this year's Boulder County Ecosystem Symposium, Saturday, April 9, at the University of Colorado Ramaley Auditorium. Local scientists and naturalists will explore the fire history of the Front Range, the role of fire in native ecosystems, fire threats to mountain communities, and strategies for managing fire.

Free registration begins at 8 a.m. at Ramaley Auditorium, which is in the Ecology Department building opposite the main (east) entrance to Norlin Library. Parking ($3 all day) is available at the UMC lot on Euclid Avenue and at the CU Recreation Center lot north of the library. But please consider taking public transportation. Several Broadway buses stop within 300 m of the auditorium.

And most importantly, if you're planning to stay for the free buffet lunch, please bring your own plate, cup, and utensils so we can eliminate paper waste. The symposium, now in its 17th year, is organized by Boulder County Nature Association and cosponsored by Boulder County Audubon, Boulder County Parks and Open Space, Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, Colorado Native Plant Society, and the University of Colorado.

• 8:00-9:00: Free registration
• 9:00-9:30: Dr. Jeff Mitton, University of Colorado Ecology. Introduction and slide show of Fourmile Fire.
• 9:30-10:15: Dr. Tania Schoennagel,  Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research. "Fire History and Fire Risk in Boulder County Forests."
• 10:15-10:30: Break
• 10:30-11:15: David Lasky, Sugarloaf Fire Department. "Lessons Learned from the 2010 Fire Season."
• 11:15-12pm: Jeff Connor, Rocky Mountain National Park. "Are Fire Managers and Resource Specialists on The Same Page: Preserving Rare and Imperiled Plant Communities in Rocky Mountain National Park."
• 12:00-1:00pm: Free Buffet Lunch
• 1:00-1:45: Dr. Douglas Rideout, Colorado State University Western Forest Fire Research Center (Westfire). "Fuel Treatments to Integrate Hazardous Fuel Reduction with Ecosystem Benefit in Colorado."
• 1:45-3:15: Panel Discussion. "Forest Fire Management: Diverse Perspectives and Practices."

Panelists