Black Oak: How Traditional Ecological Knowledge Can Inform Restoration and Resilience • Frank K. Lake • USDA Forest Service-PSW, Orleans/Redding, Ca. – Fire and Fuels Program • Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Ethnobiology [email protected] 530-627-3276 Overview of Tribes and Range of Oregon White Oak Oak Habitat: Maps: Smithsonian- • Many tribes across the Pacific Handbook of Northwest to California have lived North American for millennia [>8, 000 yrs.] with oak Indians dominated habitats. • Over time, with changing climate regimes many tribal cultures have adapted to and evolved with oak habitats. • Many oak dominated habitats are legacies of tribal management/use. Range of Cal. Black Oak Examples of Pre-Historical Tribal-Oak Regimes • Oregon White Oak – Archaeological and Oak genetic research • See Lepofsky and Lertzman 2008 Documenting ancient plant management in the northwest of North America: Botany 86: 129-145 Morgan 2008: Southern • California Black Oak Sierra Nevada – Archaeological research of tribal acorn caches and villages • See Morgan 2008 Reconstructing prehistoric hunter-gather foraging radii… J. of Arch. Sci. 35: 247-258 Tribal Traditional Ecological Knowledge: Oaks and Cultural Practices • Genesis of Tribal TEK derived from Creation accounts. • Lessons or guidance for oak management from Creator’s or Natural Laws. • Intergenerational adaptive learning coupled with oak habitat, species, and tree products about stewardship and use Tribal TEK: Oak Management and Uses • Observations • Spiritual/ritual practices – Tree phenology and masting cycles linked to weather and – First Acorn ceremonies climate – Prayers for acorn abundance – Tree response to fires and • Knocking/collecting horticultural management – Facilitated gathering of ripe – Wildlife use of and effects on acorns tree and acorn abundance – Reduced competition from and quality wildlife (birds, squirrels). – Intergenerational place based human-oak • Burning oak dominated relationships linking habitats biophysical and socio-cultural – Reduce acorn pests systems in oak-dominated – Reduce surface and ladder habitats fuels around desired oaks – Improved gathering efficiency and acorn quality. Black Oak Acorn Research Overview-Integration of Tribal and Scientific Knowledge Black Oak Forest and Fire Acorn Tribal Management-Use Black oak Acorn Pest Life History & Ecology Forest-habitat type distribution Tribal burning practices & regime Pests and Predators’ Acorn Consumption (Animals) Research: Sierra Nv. Mountain Site Research: Ethnographic/TEK of conditions tribal practices NW Cal. Tribes Filbert Weevil (Curculio occidentis) Weevil life cycle: Tree, Acorn, Ground Climate-Fire disturbances Acorn gathering sites (biophysical) Research: Life stages to be affected Research: Thresholds/limits Tolerance Research: Cultural use quality of by burning or management levels, severity, magnitude habitats. Soil types, elevation, aspect, slope position, etc. Filbert Moth/worm (Cydia latiferreana) Black Oak Acorn Masting-Cycles Acorn gathering practices Moth life cycle: Tree, Acorn, Ground Research: Weather factors and Site Research: Life stages to be affected conditions for acorn production Research: Selection criteria for by burning or management gathering sites and acorns Fuel load, fire frequency & severity, and Acorn storage/processing pests’ infestation of acorns Black Oak Ecology- Research: Techniques/styles Climate & Fire Research: Link pests’ life stages affected by burning or management to climate, fire Acorns to food conversion regime, and masting cycles Tribal Acorns: Research: Techniques/styles Management- Animals: Birds and Mammals Access, Quality Burning and and Quantity Use Acorn consumption practices Consumption rates & dispersal Research: Nuts to meals-serving Research: Tribal TEK of animal portions. Historical vs. acorn use and seeding Contemporary use (regeneration) success Black Oak Acorn Research Overview-Integration of Tribal and Scientific Knowledge Black Oak Forest and Fire Acorn Tribal Management-Use Black oak Acorn Pest Life History & Ecology Forest-habitat type distribution Tribal burning practices & regime Pests and Predators’ Acorn Consumption (Animals) Research: Sierra Nv. Mountain Site Research: Ethnographic/TEK of conditions tribal practices NW Cal. Tribes Filbert Weevil (Curculio occidentis) Weevil life cycle: Tree, Acorn, Ground Climate-Fire disturbances Acorn gathering sites (biophysical) Research: Life stages to be affected Research: Thresholds/limits Tolerance Research: Cultural use quality of by burning or management levels, severity, magnitude habitats. Soil types, elevation, aspect, slope position, etc. Filbert Moth/worm (Cydia latiferreana) Black Oak Acorn Masting-Cycles Acorn gathering practices Moth life cycle: Tree, Acorn, Ground Research: Weather factors and Site Research: Life stages to be affected conditions for acorn production Research: Selection criteria for by burning or management gathering sites and acorns Fuel load, fire frequency & severity, and Acorn storage/processing pests’ infestation of acorns Black Oak Ecology- Research: Techniques/styles Climate & Fire Research: Link pests’ life stages affected by burning or management to climate, fire Acorns to food conversion regime, and masting cycles Tribal Acorns: Research: Techniques/styles Management- Animals: Birds and Mammals Access, Quality Burning and and Quantity Use Acorn consumption practices Consumption rates & dispersal Research: Nuts to meals-serving Research: Tribal TEK of animal portions. Historical vs. acorn use and seeding Contemporary use (regeneration) success Black Oak Acorn Research Overview-Integration of Tribal and Scientific Knowledge Black Oak Forest and Fire Acorn Tribal Management-Use Black oak Acorn Pest Life History & Ecology Forest-habitat type distribution Tribal burning practices & regime Pests and Predators’ Acorn Consumption (Animals) Research: Sierra Nv. Mountain Site Research: Ethnographic/TEK of conditions tribal practices NW Cal. Tribes Filbert Weevil (Curculio occidentis) Weevil life cycle: Tree, Acorn, Ground Climate-Fire disturbances Acorn gathering sites (biophysical) Research: Life stages to be affected Research: Thresholds/limits Tolerance Research: Cultural use quality of by burning or management levels, severity, magnitude habitats. Soil types, elevation, aspect, slope position, etc. Filbert Moth/worm (Cydia latiferreana) Black Oak Acorn Masting-Cycles Acorn gathering practices Moth life cycle: Tree, Acorn, Ground Research: Weather factors and Site Research: Life stages to be affected conditions for acorn production Research: Selection criteria for by burning or management gathering sites and acorns Fuel load, fire frequency & severity, and Acorn storage/processing pests’ infestation of acorns Black Oak Ecology- Research: Techniques/styles Climate & Fire Research: Link pests’ life stages affected by burning or management to climate, fire Acorns to food conversion regime, and masting cycles Tribal Acorns: Research: Techniques/styles Management- Animals: Birds and Mammals Access, Quality Burning and and Quantity Use Acorn consumption practices Consumption rates & dispersal Research: Nuts to meals-serving Research: Tribal TEK of animal portions. Historical vs. acorn use and seeding Contemporary use (regeneration) success Oaks as a Cultural Keystone Species: • Many tribes have a high dependency on oaks for food (acorns) and cultural products. • Oak habitats and associated species provide food, materials, medicines, and spiritual renewal/sustenance for tribes. • Oaks as a cultural Photo: Ron Goode, North Fork Mono. Poster of identity factor for how other plants, animals, and fungi are associated with California Black Oak. many tribes. Cultural Keystone Intensively used Featured in legends and (hundreds of pounds festivals of acorns per family) Multiple uses (food Habitat for culturally and wood products) important animals Preferred species not Important trade item easily substituted Lois Conner with black oak on family ranch near North Fork, Ca. Slide and photo source : Jonathan Long, USFS-PSW. Tribal Research Partnership for Cal. Black Oak Linking Ecological and Socio-Cultural Processes Across Scales to Evaluate Tribal Cultural Use Quality Bio-physical Socio-cultural Climate Geology Cultural Adaptive Traits Ecological Processes Cultural Processes Social Systems Nutrient Hydrological Disturbances Foraging Management Cycling Cycle Region Tribes Landscape Travel networks Habitat Types Resources Trails/Roads Villages/Towns Patch-Stand Harvesting-Processing Valued Cultural Product or Resource Oak Tree Condition and Acorn Quality Assessment Ecological Characteristics Socio-Cultural Elements Metrics Snow Water Equivalent, Palmer Weather: Precipitation, Tribal need for acorn- Drought Index, Disease/Pathogen Region Temperature, Diseases Ceremonies and Meals Infection rates; Tribal population consuming acorn products. Landscape Disturbance (Fire) regime Gathering access and Fire-Return Interval, Severity, locations Extent; Tribal gatherers’ opportunities Competition, Community Relationship with and Land-use Proportion to oak to other tree Habitat Assemblage, Wildlife use history, ownership, Knowledge species, TES species-Critical of suitable places habitat; Number of experienced practitioners/tribe Elevation, aspect, % slope [site access], Basal area, dominate Proportion of oaks burned with Patch/Stand tree age, canopy cover, fuel loading [mobility], disturbance/fire desirable fire effects, number history [fire exclusion, timber