Institute at Brown for Environment and Society
Date June 17, 2025
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A Forest Reignited: Senior Thesis Sheds Light on Postfire Regeneration in Rhode Island

After a rare wildfire scorched part of southern Rhode Island, ENVS concentrator Diandra Polt ’25 saw a unique research opportunity. Her findings may shape the region’s ecological future.

In April 2023, a rare, high-intensity wildfire swept through part of the Queen’s River Preserve in Exeter, Rhode Island—an event virtually unprecedented in the region’s recent history. Where others saw only destruction, Diandra Polt ’25 saw a window into forest resilience. Her senior thesis, Early Postfire Effects on Seedling Regeneration in a Pine-Oak Forest of Rhode Island, explores how local forests respond to fire after decades of suppression. It reveals how wildfire may be a surprising ally in conserving some of New England’s rarest species. 

Working alongside her advisor, Biology Lecturer Rebecca Kartzinel, and Ian Kinahan, an ecologist with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, Polt established monitoring plots in both burned and unburned areas of the Preserve. Over two growing seasons, she recorded and analyzed seedling density, diversity, and species composition—precious data in a region where postfire ecological studies are scarce. 

Her findings were eye-opening: while overall seedling diversity remained stable, the species composition shifted dramatically. Pitch pine, a globally rare and fire-adapted species, began regenerating in the burned areas after years of stagnation. In contrast, fire-sensitive species like maple were more abundant in unburned areas. Thus, the fire didn’t wipe out seedling diversity; it hit the "reset" button for some species, opening up space for pitch pine. 

That shift could have profound implications 

In a changing climate, New England forests are increasingly vulnerable to more frequent and severe wildfires. Polt’s research offers early evidence that fire, under the right conditions, could help restore ecological balance by creating space for fire-adapted species to thrive. 

The goal of my thesis was to understand the impacts of wildfire on the tree seedling community in the Queen’s River Preserve. Due to the combined effects of fire suppression and climate change, fire regimes are changing, and little is known about the effects of this regime change on pitch pine seedling regeneration.

Diandra Polt Environmental Sciences & Studies, Class of 2025
 
Polt

An award-winning effort

For her work, Polt was awarded the 2025 Young Botanist Award by the Botanical Society of America: an honor given to exceptional undergraduates who show great promise in the field of plant science. The recognition reflects not only the scientific rigor of her research, but also its deep relevance to regional conservation efforts. 

Reflecting on the thesis process, Polt is both proud and grateful. “I was intimidated by the idea of coming up with a research question myself, but the process of doing a deep dive into an ecosystem ended up being one of my favorite parts of the process, and it gave me the confidence that I can come up with more research goals in the future,” she says. Polt, who now works as a crew lead for the Salmon River Stewardship in Salmon, Idaho, credits her advisor, field collaborators, friends, and a broader community of ecologists for helping her develop the project. 

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