This past weekend, nine Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership (SNAP) members, two Forestry Fellows, and two Sierra Nevada Alliance staff members had the honor of attending a youth cultural burn workshop hosted by Chairman Ron Goode of the North Fork Mono Tribe. The event, held on the Jack Kirk Preserve just south of Mariposa, brought together volunteers from across the state—including UC Davis students, Redbud Research Institute members, and youth from the Fresno American Indian Health Project—to learn, listen, and engage in the traditional practice of cultural burning.

A Sacred Land, A Lasting Legacy

The land where the burn took place has been home to Native communities for approximately 8,000 years. Signs of their presence remain in the form of archeological bedrock sites, where mortars and pestles once used for grinding acorns, herbs, and natural medicines have been left untouched. One site alone contains about 60 mortars of various sizes, a powerful reminder of the deep, enduring relationship between Indigenous peoples and the land.

While the physical work of the weekend involved clearing invasive species and preparing and burning vegetation piles, the heart of the event lay in the cultural significance of the practice. Chairman Goode, alongside burn bosses and tribal members, shared stories, songs, and wisdom about traditional land management, emphasizing that cultural burning is more than just a tool—it is a way of life. The weekend’s focus on youth participation underscored the importance of passing this knowledge to the next generation, ensuring the survival of these vital traditions.

The Work: Fire as a Tool for Restoration

Much of the hands-on work centered around the removal of invasive Star Thistle and the careful management of sourberry and redbud, plants used in basket weaving. Participants learned that cultural burns are not just about clearing brush—they are about nurturing the land. Fire returns nutrients to the soil, creating rich, fertile ground that supports new growth. A key step in this process is cooling and raking the ash thoroughly to blend the nutrients vs the soil being sterilized by high heat.

For the redbud, extra care was taken to preserve its health and usefulness. Branches were cut down to the nodes, and debris was burned directly over the stumps to replenish the plants. In addition to hands-on stewardship, participants were guided by Dirk Charlie, a crew lead who specializes in cultural resource training and is a retired wildland firefighter. He led a hike through the property to visit additional archeological sites and gain a deeper understanding of the landscape and its history.

Voices from the Experience

For many attendees, the experience was transformative.

“This experience not only taught me valuable techniques on how to properly conduct a burn, but more importantly why these practices are done. It is the culture and close relationship to the land which drives this work.” – Rachel Garat

“Being invited onto traditional lands by tribal communities is always a humbling and honoring experience. They were so excited to have us, appreciated our help, and provided so much knowledge to help us grasp the cultural and logistical concepts of the burn and the land we were stewarding. There is so much to be learned through traditional and cultural practices of ‘good fire’ that benefit the land, the wildlife, and the people!” – Kailee Layaoen

A Collective Effort

This workshop was a collaborative event, bringing together numerous organizations and individuals, including members of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe, Big Sandy Rancheria, Cold Springs Rancheria, Redbud Research Group, and graduate and doctorate students from North Dakota and UC Davis.

Cultural burns like this one serve as powerful reminders of the wisdom embedded in Indigenous land stewardship practices. As California continues to face the challenges of wildfire management and ecological restoration, events like these highlight the importance of learning from and working alongside Indigenous communities to restore balance to the land.

The Sierra Nevada Alliance is grateful for the opportunity to take part in this event and looks forward to continuing to support and uplift traditional ecological knowledge in the Sierra.