A Beautifully Burned Forest

In this book, avian ecologist and former PBS Birdwatch host Richard Hutto challenges conventional wisdom by revealing the hidden beauty and ecological importance of severely burned forests. Drawing on extensive field research and compelling storytelling, Hutto uncovers one of nature’s best-kept secrets: numerous species—including the black-backed woodpecker and the morel mushroom—thrive in conditions created only by intense wildfires. These and many other fire-dependent organisms have evolved to flourish in charred landscapes, a fact often overlooked by birdwatchers, land managers, and even fire researchers.
Blending science, fieldwork, and reflections from a lifelong career, this book has the potential to transform how we perceive forest fires. It offers a fresh perspective on fire’s role in maintaining biodiversity and invites readers to consider how revised land management practices could benefit both industry and the environment. Written in an engaging and accessible style, this book is ideal for birdwatchers, nature enthusiasts, fire managers, and anyone curious about the true role of fire in our ecosystems.

Richard L. Hutto is Professor Emeritus in Biological Sciences and Wildlife Biology at the University of Montana. After joining the faculty in 1977, he taught courses in animal ecology, fire ecology, Montana wildlife, and ornithology across a nearly 40-year career. His early research dealt primarily with the ecology of migratory landbirds throughout the West—in Mexico in winter, the Southwest during spring and fall, and the Northern Rockies in summer. In 1990, he developed the USFS Northern Region Landbird Monitoring Program to generate data on bird distribution patterns so that we might better understand the ecological effects of various land-use practices. To promote informed decisions through use of those bird data, Hutto also established the Avian Science Center on the University of Montana campus in 2004. Following the Yellowstone fires of 1988, his research focus shifted toward the ecology of birds in burned forests—an interest he maintains to this day. Dr. Hutto also hosted a nationally televised PBS series called “Birdwatch,” which ran from 1998-2001.