The Past, Present, and Future of Indigenous Fire Knowledge
Since time immemorial, Indigenous people in the Pacific Northwest have been tending to the land with fire. Indigenous ways of knowing and understanding the natural environment come from generations of careful exploration, experimentation, and observation. In recent centuries, non-Native ideas about fire and its relationships to land and people have dominated management policies and practices. As the reality of climate change becomes more evident, including through devastating fires that accelerate global warming, centering Indigenous approaches to land management is increasingly important.
Presenters Joe Scott, Siletz Tribe member and director of the Traditional Ecological Inquiry Program, and Elizabeth Azzuz, Yurok Tribe member and director of the Indigenous burning program for the Cultural Fire Management Council, will share stories of Indigenous histories and approaches to fire management, knowledge production, and ecological stewardship.
Presented in partnership with the World Forestry Center, this program is the second in a two-part series about forests, climate, and history.