Rich Fairbanks, longtime U.S. Forest Service silviculturalist and firefighting team manager, points out a fire scar on a tree along a trail to the Buck Rock Tunnel in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in April. Fairbanks will speak about the history and ecology of fire within the monument on Friday in Ashland.

Send us your events Readers and event organizers are encouraged to send details about upcoming outings and outdoor-related events to Rogue Valley Times outdoors reporter Shaun Hall at shall@rv-times.com or 2 East Main St., Medford OR 97501. Brief, to-the-point descriptions are best. Photographs can be helpful. {related_content_uuid}a45bf750-6dbc-42d4-954c-e3f045f3af3d{/related_content_uuid}

Learn about the history and ecology of wildfire within the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument during a Friday, Nov. 10, lecture in Ashland by Rich Fairbanks, whose career with the U.S. Forest Service included 32 years in fire management, planning and tree cultivation.

Fairbanks will discuss modern and indigenous practices and revisit the Klamathon and Oregon Gulch fires within the monument. Topics include plant response, how fire has shaped the monument and funding priorities.

During his career, Fairbanks was a hotshot crew foreman, an interdisciplinary team leader for the 2002 Biscuit Fire and a fire program manager for the Wilderness Society. He has a degree in forestry, a master’s degree in planning and owns a forest management company.

The lecture, hosted by Friends of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, is scheduled for 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday in Room 161 of the Science Building, at Southern Oregon University, 1250 Ashland St. Space is limited. Register online at cascadesiskiyou.org.

An associated 2.2-mile hike is set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 11 on the Green Springs Mountain Loop Trail, but only a few spots remained open for that outing as of Monday. Registration for the hike is online as well.

For more information, contact the Friends organization at 541-378-3039.

Take a two-hour backpacking classLearn the basics of backpacking during a two-hour class offered by the Siskiyou Mountain Club Thursday, Nov. 9, in Ashland.

Learn about “Leave No Trace,” basic safety, trip planning, food and more. Those with backpacks should bring them to be fitted.

Alex Relph, stewardship coordinator, will lead the class.

“With 10+ years of backpacking experience, Alex applies her experiences and skills into an informative program designed to turn day-hikers into backpackers,” according to an event announcement.

Cost is $10, $5 for club members. The class will be held at the Underground Marketplace, 33 Third St., Ashland. For more information, call 458-254-0657 or send an email to alex@siskiyoumountainclub.org.

Help tear down fencing at Rogue River PreserveLend a hand Saturday, Nov. 11, at the Rogue River Preserve near Eagle Point to remove fencing and prepare the way for a wildlife-friendly perimeter fence.

The Southern Oregon Land Conservancy is seeking volunteers to work from 9 a.m. to noon that day to remove old barbed wire fencing at the preserve, 646 Rogue River Drive.

Volunteers should wear sturdy pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and close-toed shoes. They should bring water, snacks and extra layers of clothing. And, if they have them, they should bring bring eye protection, gloves and fence tools, but those items can be provided, along with snacks.

It’s highly recommend that volunteers be up to date on tetanus shots.

The preserve features two miles of riverfront, a large floodplain forest and oak woodlands with meadows.

For more information, contact event coordinator Paige Gerhard, at 541-482-3069, ext. 107, or events@landconserve.org. Additional information can be found online at landconserve.org.

Veterans can get recreation benefitsSaturday, Nov. 11, is Veterans Day, which is a good time to remind veterans that they may be eligible for recreation-related benefits from the state and federal government.

One agency, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, is waiving recreation day-use fees for all visitors on Saturday at lands managed by the agency, including Hyatt Lake Recreation Area in Jackson County.

“The BLM recognizes and honors our veterans’ contributions to our nation,” the agency said in a news release.

In addition, lifetime passes are available for free entry to lands managed by the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, with the passes also covering day-use fees at lands managed by BLM, U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Obtain passes online, at store.usgs.gov/recreational-passes.

Additionally, the state of Oregon offers outdoor recreation benefits such as special hunts and license fee reductions for resident uniformed service members:

• Big game and game bird hunting licenses at half price, $17.

• Free combination hunting, fishing and shellfish licenses for disabled veterans.

• Active duty members stationed out of state may be able to obtain a controlled deer, elk or spring bear hunt tag if they return to Oregon on leave.

• A day of waterfowl hunting is set for Feb. 23 just for veterans and active members of the military each year.

More information is available on the agency’s website or by calling agency headquarters, 503-947-6000.

Free fishing weekendThanksgiving weekend is also Free Fishing Weekend in Oregon, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 24-25.

No license, tags or endorsements are required to legally fish, crab or clam on those days, although other regulations still apply, such as area closures and bag limits, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The agency has published guides and videos about how and where to fish. Go to myodfw.com and click on “Fishing.”

Readers and event organizers are encouraged to send details about upcoming outings and outdoor-related events to Rogue Valley Times outdoors reporter Shaun Hall at shall@rv-times.com or 2 East Main St., Medford OR 97501. Brief, to-the-point descriptions are best. Photographs can be helpful.