Getting back to fire suméŝ: exploring a multi-disciplinary approach to incorporating traditional knowledge into fuels treatments

Wynecoop, Monique D.; Morgan, Penelope; Strand, Eva K.; Sanchez Trigueros, Fernando

doi:10.1186/s42408-019-0030-3

Fire Ecology

Table 1 Common themes for management addressed by PGIS participants (n = 37) were organized into perceived impacts on gathering of cultural plants and materials, management recommendations, and desired outcome of mechanical thinning, prescribed fire, and wildfire. NA = those comments that included a perceived impact and desired outcome but not a management suggestion. Depends = the impact depends on whether or not the desired outcome is met

From: Getting back to fire suméŝ: exploring a multi-disciplinary approach to incorporating traditional knowledge into fuels treatments

Perceived impact	Management suggestion	Desired outcome
Mechanical thinning
Beneficial	More treatments	Native plants benefit
Beneficial	NA	Reduce stand-replacing fire
Beneficial	NA	Reduce smoke
Beneficial	More treatments	Huckleberry plants become healthier
Beneficial	More treatments	Access improves for public and tribal members
Beneficial	More treatments	Access improves for public and tribal members
Beneficial	More treatments	Cedar roots straighter and better quality for basketry
Beneficial	More treatments	Huckleberry berries grow larger
Beneficial	More treatments	Thin understory vegetation
Beneficial	More treatments	Access improves for public and tribal members
Beneficial	NA	Access improves for public and tribal members
Beneficial	More treatments	Native plants benefit
Beneficial	More treatments	Thinned understory vegetation more productive
Beneficial	More treatments	Thinned understory vegetation more productive
Beneficial	More treatments	Native plants benefit
Damaging	NA	Assess short-term damage from operations
Damaging	Less roads	Huckleberries not overpicked or overbrowsed
Damaging	Less roads and log decking	Avoid damaging medicinal foods
Damaging	Less roads	Reduce heavy metals in edible and medicinal plants
Damaging	Less treatments	Understory vegetation grows bigger and better
Damaging	Less treatments	Damaged native plants need shade and water to recover
Damaging	Less treatments	Avoid damage to native plants so they return
Damaging	Natural fire is best	Forest ecology and cultural plants benefit most from natural fire
Damaging	Reduce commercial tree selection	Prioritize tree-take based on forest need, not money
Depends	NA	Management practice depends on species focus
Depends	NA	Management practice depends on species focus
Depends	NA	Short-term damage for long-term benefits
Depends	Combine with fire	Fire-adapted traditional plants benefit
Depends	Combine with fire	Stimulate traditional plant growth
Depends	Remove slash	Avoid excessive ignitions due to slash accumulation
Depends	Remove slash	Improve access to food, medicines, and firewood
Prescribed burning
Beneficial	More treatments	Improve access for elders
Beneficial	More treatments	Fire-adapted traditional plants flourish
Beneficial	More treatments	Improves wildlife corridors
Beneficial	More treatments	Improves cultural plants
Beneficial	More treatments	Healthier medicinal plant communities
Beneficial	More treatments	Improve access
Beneficial	More treatments	Rejuvenates plants and nutrients in plants
Beneficial	More treatments	Reproduces new growth and increases nutrients in plants
Beneficial	More treatments	Increase mushroom gathering opportunities
Beneficial	More treatments	Huckleberry berries grow larger
Beneficial	More treatments	Huckleberry plants become healthier
Beneficial	More treatments	Fire-adapted plants benefit
Beneficial	More treatments	Fire-adapted plants benefit
Beneficial	More treatments	Allows native plants to regenerate and eliminate competition
Beneficial	More treatments	Burned understory vegetation healthier and more productive
Beneficial	More treatments	Improves overall forest health
Beneficial	More treatments	Reduce stand-replacing fire
Beneficial	More treatments	Healthier medicinal plant communities and ecosystem
Damaging	Less treatments	Prevent disturbing the cultural plants too much
Depends	NA	Work with tribe to protect sensitive cultural spots
Depends	Mimic natural variability	Produce natural patchiness
Depends	Depends on timing	Time around when most beneficial to cultural plants
Depends	NA	Improves availability of cultural plants and reduces invasive plants
Depends	NA	Prevent favoring invasive species
Depends	More wildfire	Not a viable investment
Depends	Mimic natural variability	Plants need areas of lower intensity so they can re-establish
Wildfire
Beneficial	Allow to burn when safe	Clears excessive overgrowth and opens up habitat for cultural plants
Beneficial	Allow to burn when safe	Makes cultural plants stronger
Beneficial	Allow to burn when safe	Allows cultural plant rebirth
Beneficial	Allow to burn when safe	Clears weeds
Beneficial	Allow to burn when safe	Bigger berries and healthier producing trees
Beneficial	Allow to burn when safe	Makes cultural plants more available
Beneficial	Allow to burn when safe	Improves overall forest health
Beneficial	Allow to burn when safe	Helps clear soil of weeds
Damaging	More treatments	Keep wildfires on the ground and out of the canopy
Depends	Leave burned areas alone	Area recovers and wildlife return if tractors and logging equipment stays out
Depends	Don’t let fire burn too hot	Prevent damage to cultural plants
Depends	Avoid post-fire removal of debris	Prevent damage to cultural plants
Depends	Allow to burn when safe	Prevent spread of invasive plants from suppression tactics and equipment

Back to article page