A multi-format MidSouth team, comprised of reporter James Pollard, video journalist Erik Verduzco and photographer Chris Carlson, produced a comprehensive report on a grassroots solution to restore a crucial tree species. Pollard investigated prescribed burnings after a county council rift over a hospital near a fire-dependent preserve. Government agencies and nonprofits planned to increase the historic longleaf pine range through intentional fires on private land. Pollard contacted landowners in “Prescribed Burn Associations” for strong voices, and Verduzco and Carlson captured the process in vivid video and photos. Exploring the regional history and the passion of those reviving the practice, the team created a solutions-driven package, highlighting humanity’s interdependence with the natural world.
AP crew turns out elegant solutions-driven multiformat package on prescribed burns
Courtney Steed and Jesse Wimberley talk about the need for a controlled burn at his property Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023, in West End, N.C. Grassroots forest burners are proving key to restoring a fire-loving ecosystem across the South.
AP PHOTO / CHRIS CARLSON