GILLESPIE COUNTY SOIL & WATER
CONSERVATION DISTRICT #220
Gillespie County, Texas
Gillespie
Chapter of Edwards Plateau Prescribed Burn Association (GBA)
History
The Gillespie Chapter of Edwards Plateau Prescribed
Burn Association (GPBA) was formed in February 2005 with the Gillespie Co.
SWCD and NRCS. GPBA’s purpose is to give landowners a safe, economical
way to control cedar, prickly pear, and mesquite on private lands through
prescribed burning. Comprehensive
“Prescribed Burn Plan” forms were developed for members' use.
The NRCS District Conservationist and Gillespie
County Extension Agent advise the GPBA board of directors. Three GPBA
directors are elected by the membership.
Also, the Gillespie County Fire Marshall, one County Commissioner, and
the SWCD District Manager serve as GPBA directors.
The GPBA is a chapter of the Edwards Plateau
Prescribed Burn Association (EPPBA), which was formed in Sonora, TX in
1997. GPBA membership dues are $35 per year and this includes $15 for
membership in EPPBA. Dues are payable
in January each year. Our members go
through extensive burn training to insure safe and effective results with
prescribed burns. After essential training, members may share
equipment, labor, and knowledge in performing prescribed burns. Our
chapter has about 80 active members in 2011.
Equipment
GPBA has slide-in sprayers that can be borrowed for
prescribed burns. The sprayers are
stored at Beyer’s Fertilizer and Feed, in Fredericksburg,
TX.
Drip torches, a weather test kit, prescribed burn warning signs, and
2-way radios can also be borrowed for members’ burns.
Events
in 2010 and 2011
In July 2010, EPPBA directors paid for a secondary
liability insurance policy that was available for $50 per burn day if a
member registered a prescribed burn at least two weeks in advance. A burn plan with GPS coordinates was to be
sent to EPPBA with the registration fee.
On June 9, 2011, EPPBA directors met in Mason after
a general membership meeting. A report
on 2011 burns was given. EPPBA directors
voted unanimously to raise the fee to register a burn to $150 for the first burn
day and $50 for each additional burn day for the same burn area. Burns already registered but not yet
completed would be grandfathered. Also,
a motion was made that EPPBA equipment can only be used on sanctioned/insured
burns. The motion was seconded and
passed unanimously.
EPPBA’s secondary liability insurance policy expired
on July 29; EPPBA directors will meet again before renewing the policy. Until the policy is renewed, any burns held
after July 29, are not insured.
Gillespie County has been under a burn ban continuously
since February 2011.
Back
to GPBA Main page
Forward
to Previous GPBA Classes and Training
Back
to Gillespie
Co. SWCD Home page
The Gillespie County SWCD #220 prohibits
discrimination in its programs and activities on the basis of race, color,
national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, and
marital or familial status. (Not all prohibited bases apply in all
programs.) "An Equal Opportunity
Employer"
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