Adaptation is a central tenet in the biological sciences. It’s the mechanism by which species endure over time. Resilience is crucial to adaptation, as it’s a species ability to absorb the impact of external forces driving adaptation and still retain its identity. However, sometimes the forcescan be significant or persistent enough that the changes lead to extinction or the creation of new species.
The concepts of adaptation and resilience also apply to humans and our institutions. Our conservation organizations how experience challenges analogous to those the systems we manage experience. The difference between humans and wildlife lies in our ability to assess our organizational or social environment and make deliberate choices and decisions about how we’ll respond. We’re not at the mercy of our environment. While we may not literally go extinct if we don’t respond to the needs of changing conditions, we may functionally cease to exist or lose relevance.
An example of resilience and adaptation is the Northeast Regional Strategy Committee, one of three regional committees created to organize or lead regional implementation the NationalCohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy. The Cohesive Strategy was a framework for bringing together relevant organizations of all types and levels to collaboratively deal with wildland fire in the US – hence “cohesive.” The vision was “To safely and effectively extinguish fire when needed; use fire where allowable; manage our natural resources; and as a nation, to live with wildland fire.” The majority of the TPOS footprint falls within the northeast region.
Initiated in 2014, in 2025 dedicated funding for the Cohesive Strategy was eliminated. However, many of the organizations that participated in the NE Cohesive Strategy have chosen to continue to work together. Included are TPOS, the Lake States Fire Science Consortium and the North Atlantic Fire Science Exchange. The formal organization may no longer exist, but the Cohesive Strategy’s vision does and remains relevant.
As proof of the existence and continued relevance, the 4th Northeast-Midwest Prescribed Fire Science and Management Workshop, will be held July 21-23, 2026. This year’s theme is “Adaptation and Resilience.” And not by accident. The partners who had planned previous years’ workshops decided to carry on regardless of the absence of the formal Strategy Committee. Resilience and adaptation.
We hope you’ll join us to listen to other real world examples and reflect on your own efforts – on the land and in the office. How will your organizations adapt to provide your plants, animals and people the resilience they need to remain functionally relevant and effective?
TPOS is an example. In 2024 we lost our coordinator and PI. Our deliberate responses to that loss and upheaval included: needs assessment (we asked what you need and now we’re reviewing your responses and will use that data to guide how we move forward. And also renewing and reinforcing our relationship with our Stakeholder Advisory team.
TPOS has been an essential component of the planning process for the Workshop from the beginning. In keeping with the theme, we’re attempting to adapt to our audiences need and availability. This year we’re focusing Adaptation and Resilience. We must be able to adapt. It is essential to meet the range of changes we face.