Indigenous peoples have known what forest managers and conservationists failed to realize until faced with catastrophic wildfires and climate change – the necessity of fighting fire with fire. Setting intentional fires plays an important role in promoting biodiversity and preventing the kinds of catastrophic fires that regularly devastate our forests today.
When indigenous communities set purposeful fires in the Sierra Nevada, the underbrush was cleared creating grassy openings throughout the forest. This practice resulted in maximized plant diversity, more space for wildlife to thrive, and a landscape that was more resilient against catastrophic wildfire.
When indigenous cultural burning was made illegal, the forest experienced a rapid decline in tree health and biodiversity.
Incorporating the wisdom and traditional knowledge of the original stewards of the land is key to building resilience back into our ecosystems. We are grateful to the bands of the Me-wok, Ahwahneechee, Ohlone, and Yokuts Tribes who continue to steward their ancestral lands and aim to honor their knowledge in our stewardship work today.
Bringing Prescribed Burning Back this Month
We are working with the Forest Service to restore mixed conifer forests that either have been or are at risk of being burned by high-intensity wildfire.
Through low-intensity prescribed fires and thinning the undergrowth of smaller trees and shrubs to decrease competition, we are actively working on forest projects that help ensure their long-term ecological health.
This month, the Forest Service is planning to burn many of the units where our teams have put in hand lines over the past couple of years. These units are located near Pinecrest and Strawberry, CA.
This prescribed low-intensity fire is known as an understory burn. Understory burning can clear out overgrown and flammable vegetation beneath the forest canopy. This method of restoration will reduce soil erosion, protect and maintain water quality, improve wildlife habitat, and improve forest ecosystem health – all while simultaneously reducing the threat of uncontrolled mega-fires.
