Jarred Brooke Receives Early Career Award for Prescribed Fire Work
Jarred Brooke, Extension wildlife specialist, was honored with a Career Achievement Award at the Fire in
Eastern Oak Forests Conference in June. In addition to his extension work with wildlife, Brooke has been deeply involved in prescribed fire, serving as chair of the Indiana Prescribed Fire Council since 2018, working to implement prescribed fire policy in Indiana, and organizing more than 30 Learn-N-Burn and Prescribed Fire field days and workshops that provide landowners and professionals with practical experience in fire safety, timing, and ecological benefits. Jarred has also co-instructed the undergraduate FNR-333 Applied Fire Ecology course since 2019. He was instrumental in securing funding from the Sam Shine Foundation to hire Danielle Howard, the recently hired Extension prescribed fire specialist.
Brooke also was one of three main instructors and organizers of the Indiana Land Stewardship Leadership Academy, which graduated its first class this spring. He was honored in 2021 with the Early Career Award from the Purdue Cooperative Extension Specialists’ Association and PK-12 Council’s Staff Excellence Award for his work with youth audiences, expanding their interest in and preparation for careers in natural resource sciences.
“It's an honor to have been given the Career Achievement Award from the Fire in Eastern Oak Forests Conference,” Brooke said. “Since I don't have enough gray hair for a career achievement award, we'll just call it an early-career award. I have enjoyed all the prescribed fire work I've been able to do through my Extension role at Purdue, but this award would not have been possible without all the partners I work with on fire. From leading Learn-N-Burns and serving on the Indiana Prescribed Fire Council board to working on prescribed fire policy in the Hoosier state, it's been a collaborative journey - and I'm looking forward to more in the future! Special thanks to Allen Pursell for presenting me with the award.”
At the awards presentation, Pursell, director of forest programs for the Sam Shine Foundation, Inc., said:
“Jarred served as president of the Indiana Prescribed Fire Council from its inception in 2016 through 2025, and remains active. Jarred was known for great ideas, energy, and leadership skills. One of the board members told me that Jarred really held the council together, especially during Covid, when it would have been easy for it to wither.
“As part of his accomplishments there:
- He spearheaded getting the Indiana Prescribed Fire Council incorporated as a non-profit entity.
- He was the key person shepherding the entire process that resulted in the new Indiana Prescribed Fire Law. Many people were involved in key roles, but Jarred made it come together.
- More recently, Jarred identified funds so that Purdue University could hire a Prescribed Fire Extension Specialist who will help to form and support Prescribed Burn Associations, Support the Certified Prescribed Burn Manager program, and Conduct prescribed fire outreach to local communities.
- In addition to these, Jarred has conducted many “learn and burn” courses for students and citizens who are interested in prescribed fire. He is a leader among his peers and an untiring advocate for prescribed fire in Indiana.
“For these accomplishments and many others, we are pleased to present Jarred Brooke with this career award.”
The Eastern Oak Forests Conference achievement awards are meant to recognize any significant contributions ranging from science, management, education and outreach, or training. Awards for the conference began during the 2019 conference playing and have ranged from one to six awardees per conference. Awardees are nominated by conference steering committee members.
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