Robert is currently the President of the Michigan Botanical Society and has worked the past two seasons in the Huron Manistee National Forest for the Michigan Natural Features Inventory. He holds a degree from the University of Michigan in Natural History Interpretation with a focus on Forest Ecology.

TSN Conference 2026

January 23rd, 2026 (Friday) // 1:50 pm – 2:50 pm // Room 106 // Should We Burn Mesic Forests? Placing Management Considerations into the Ecological Context in Morris-Reichert Nature Preserve and Springhill Nature Preserve // Prescribed fire is widely recognized as a key management tool for regenerating and sustaining southern dry and dry-mesic southern forest ecosystems in lower Michigan. Since 2005, some land management agencies have considered extending its use to mesic southern forests to enhance biodiversity – despite traditional ecological perspectives that classify these forests as neither fire-prone nor fire-adapted. This study compares the dry-mesic southern forest of Morris-Reichert Nature Preserve with the mesic southern forest of Springhill Nature Preserve, examining ecological processes and the potential implications of prescribed fire. Each forest was evaluated based on landforms, soil characteristics, drainage class, species composition, structural dynamics, and historical fire regimes. Findings indicate that fire suppression has led to mesophication in the dry-mesic southern forest at Morris-Reichert, whereas the mesic southern forest at Springhill is naturally regenerating without fire. These results suggest that while prescribed fire may be beneficial for restoring dry-mesic southern forests, its application in mesic southern forests could be ecologically disruptive.