From November 9-18, 2024, the UC Santa Barbara Sedgwick Reserve successfully hosted a prescribed fire training exchange (TREX) with the participation of 54 organizations. During these 10 days, professional fire practitioners, Tribal partners, ranchers, land managers, and community members collaborated to implement effective fire management practices that are essential for the health of the wildland.

Prescribed Fire Training Exchanges (TREX) began in 2013 when The Nature Conservancy and the US Forest Service started these programs that offer hands-on training and in-field learning experiences. For the third occasion during 2024, a prescribed burn was held at the Sedgwick Reserve, which is part of the UC Santa Barbara Natural Reserve System. Thanks to the support of countless partners and eight months of preparation, this controlled burn will benefit 16 acres of coastal sage scrub and oak woodland habitat.
“ The overall objectives of the burn were:
Reduce fuels next to homes and structures
Provide education and training opportunities
Facilitate indigenous and cultural activities
Research the physical and ecological effects of fire
Reintroduce small scale, low intensity burns to the ecosystem”
-University of California, Santa Barbara Natural Reserve System Article (Read more)
“Of the 44 trainees in attendance, 10 were indigenous practitioners or affiliated with cultural burning. Indigenous participation was supported by an Indigenous Burner Stipend Program. Support for Sedgwick staff was provided by a grant from SDSU’s Collaboration of Native Nations Climate Transformations & Stewardship (CNNCTS) Program.
- The Nature Conservancy Article (Read more)
Read the two full articles from Sedgwick Reserve University of California, Santa Barbara and The Nature Conservancy.

Learn more about the Collaborative for Native Nations for Climate Transformation and Stewardship (CNNCTS) at cnncts.org.