The Karuk Tribe of northern California has long practiced controlled burns in the fire-prone Klamath Mountains. Researchers from Oregon State University have partnered with the tribe to better understand these traditional practices of fire stewardship through modern technology. By utilizing a computer simulation model, the researchers were able to gain insight into how the tribe historically used fire to maintain ecosystem health.
The study revealed that prior to European colonization, cultural burning was widespread across the landscape. There were approximately 6,972 cultural ignitions annually, with an average of 6.5 ignitions per year for each Indigenous fire steward. The research focused on 1,000 square miles of Karuk Aboriginal Territory in the western Klamath Mountains, an area known for its fire-prone ecosystem and frequent fires of low or moderate severity.
Working closely with the Karuk Tribe Department of Natural Resources, OSU scientists developed historical estimates for cultural ignition locations, frequency, and timing. These estimates were collaboratively developed with Tribal members and knowledge holders through interviews, historical and contemporary maps, ethnographies, and generational knowledge. This collaborative approach allowed for a more comprehensive understanding of the extent of Indigenous cultural stewardship across the landscape.
Skye Greenler, who led the partnership as a graduate research fellow in the OSU College of Forestry, emphasizes that the information used in the model has been held by Karuk Tribal members for centuries. The new methods developed by the researchers aim to showcase the importance of Indigenous cultural stewardship in maintaining ecosystem health in the Klamath Mountains.
The findings have been published in Ecological Applications and provide valuable insights into how traditional practices can be leveraged to manage modern-day fires in similar environments.
