This conference was conceived as a vehicle to demonstrate to forest land managers and the interested public, the historical role fire has played as an agent of change and renewal in forests of the area known as the Central Hardwoods Region. However, fire is widely perceived as being potentially dangerous and damaging to trees and ecosystems. This conference, held in Richmond, Kentucky, March 12-14, 2000, explored the historical, present, and future roles of fire and humans in shaping the vast and diverse deciduous forest of the Central Hardwoods Region. This is a compilation of the 18 papers and 16 poster abstracts presented in the one and a half days of the conference. The workshop was followed by a field trip to Cliff Palace Pond where the pollen and charcoal record evidence of the relationships of fire, people and the forest that existed more than 9500 years ago, challenging our view of the virgin forest primeval. A few speakers chose not to submit a final paper to this compilation and the abstract of their presentation is included here.