Fire on the Landscape: A Barrens Habitat Eco-Tour

In Partnership with Pocono Outdoor Adventure Tours

Join Wildlands Conservancy and Pocono Outdoor Adventure Tours for a one‑of‑a‑kind eco‑tour exploring the role of prescribed fire in restoring and maintaining barrens habitat at our Maple Tract Preserve. This immersive experience offers a rare opportunity to see land stewardship in action while learning how conservation and outdoor recreation can thoughtfully coexist.

The program will be led by Carl Martin, Director of Property Stewardship at Wildlands Conservancy, who will provide an in‑depth look at a recently completed prescribed burn. Participants will learn how and why prescribed fires are used, the planning and safety measures involved, and the critical ecological benefits fire provides to fire‑dependent landscapes, including increased biodiversity and habitat health.

The tour will begin with a short guided UTV ride from Pocono Outdoor Adventure Tours to the prescribed burn location. Along the way, we’ll discuss conservation considerations related to outdoor recreation—such as UTV use—and how responsible recreation practices support long‑term land protection.

Once on site, participants will continue on foot for approximately 1.5-2 miles across mostly flat terrain that may be muddy or wet, walking through and alongside the burned barrens landscape. During the hike, we will interpret the landscape and highlight the ecological responses already taking place following the burn.

The experience will conclude with an UTV ride around Pocono Outdoor Adventure Tours’ course, offering a fun and engaging end to this educational adventure.

What to Bring:

Important Note:
ATVs are not permitted on any Wildlands Conservancy properties under normal circumstances. This program is a unique, limited opportunity made possible through our partnership with Pocono Outdoor Adventure Tours and will take place only within approved areas as part of this guided experience.