Heart K Forest Health Project
The Heart K Healthy Forest Project began in Summer 2012. This project was focused on blending Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and contemporary science-based methods to restore forest and riparian habitats. The Feather River Resource Conservation District collaborated with the Feather River Land Trust, Plumas Audubon Society, Greenville Rancheria, and other local partners. The Project is located on the Heart K Ranch, a 884-acre working ranch supporting diverse habitats such as oak woodlands, extensive willow and cottonwood stands along the riparian corridor, and montane meadows.
Due to years of fire suppression, the Heart K Ranch’s forests have become overgrown, unhealthy, and susceptible to catastrophic wildfire. Located in Genesee Valley, the Ranch land is an important cultural place for the Mountain Maidu, who lived here for many generations prior to European settlement. Fire suppression in forested areas and commercial timber harvesting practices guided by western science have led to negative effects on structure, composition, and function of forest ecosystems. However, if we integrate TEK into conventional land management, forest biodiversity is greatly enhanced. The term Traditional Ecological Knowledge, or TEK, describes the knowledge held by indigenous cultures about their immediate environment and the cultural practices that build on that knowledge. TEK includes an intimate and detailed knowledge of plants, animals, and natural phenomena, the development and use of appropriate technologies for hunting, fishing, trapping, agriculture, and forestry.
The ultimate goal of these projects is to restore species having cultural value to the Mountain Maidu, provide a place to practice traditional ecological practices, and in the process, restore habitat type and associated species that have declined or become unhealthy in the absence of fire. The project worked to stabilized ¼ mile of eroding banks, thin approximately 100 acres of upland forest, and employ local indigenous people.
By including TEK as a way of managing land, our forest thinning plan is more than just reducing fuel loads to prevent catastrophic wildfire. Bringing together local Mountain Maidu, the US Forest Service, Plumas Audubon, and other local experts, the importance of preserving cultural sites, protecting key areas for avian species, enhancing tree species diversity, and opening the dense canopies to promote black oak growth was recognized and integrated into the plan. Ultimately, it is hoped that we can introduce fire back onto the landscape, as is currently being practiced on adjacent lands, to maintain forest health and diversity.
The Heart K Forest Health Project is funded through the Sierra Nevada Conservancy Proposition 84 Grants Program and compliments the work already started under two Toyota Together Green grants awarded to Plumas Audubon in 2011 and 2012.
Due to years of fire suppression, the Heart K Ranch’s forests have become overgrown, unhealthy, and susceptible to catastrophic wildfire. Located in Genesee Valley, the Ranch land is an important cultural place for the Mountain Maidu, who lived here for many generations prior to European settlement. Fire suppression in forested areas and commercial timber harvesting practices guided by western science have led to negative effects on structure, composition, and function of forest ecosystems. However, if we integrate TEK into conventional land management, forest biodiversity is greatly enhanced. The term Traditional Ecological Knowledge, or TEK, describes the knowledge held by indigenous cultures about their immediate environment and the cultural practices that build on that knowledge. TEK includes an intimate and detailed knowledge of plants, animals, and natural phenomena, the development and use of appropriate technologies for hunting, fishing, trapping, agriculture, and forestry.
The ultimate goal of these projects is to restore species having cultural value to the Mountain Maidu, provide a place to practice traditional ecological practices, and in the process, restore habitat type and associated species that have declined or become unhealthy in the absence of fire. The project worked to stabilized ¼ mile of eroding banks, thin approximately 100 acres of upland forest, and employ local indigenous people.
By including TEK as a way of managing land, our forest thinning plan is more than just reducing fuel loads to prevent catastrophic wildfire. Bringing together local Mountain Maidu, the US Forest Service, Plumas Audubon, and other local experts, the importance of preserving cultural sites, protecting key areas for avian species, enhancing tree species diversity, and opening the dense canopies to promote black oak growth was recognized and integrated into the plan. Ultimately, it is hoped that we can introduce fire back onto the landscape, as is currently being practiced on adjacent lands, to maintain forest health and diversity.
The Heart K Forest Health Project is funded through the Sierra Nevada Conservancy Proposition 84 Grants Program and compliments the work already started under two Toyota Together Green grants awarded to Plumas Audubon in 2011 and 2012.
