DENVER — A new report emphasizes the importance of pairing Indigenous knowledge with Western science to maintain and enhance old growth forests so they are more resilient to climate change impacts. The report was led by Indigenous practitioners, researchers from Oregon State University and the University of Washington, and U.S. Forest Service staff. 

“Indigenous Peoples hold thousands of years of intergenerational knowledge and traditional ecological knowledge that is intrinsic in managing forests, waterways, wildlife, and lands,” said Jon Naranjo, free, prior and informed consent manager at the National Wildlife Federation. “This report provides a strategic and collaborative approach that incorporates the principles of free, prior, and informed consent and sets a model for future conservation.” 

North American forests have been degraded because of human development, colonial genocide of Indigenous Peoples, extreme wildfires, drought, invasive species, and disease. The report makes the following recommendations to help forests survive these threats. They include:

• Establishing and supporting Government-to-Government co-stewardship partnerships with Tribal Nations
• Expanding the use of cultural and prescribed burning, forest thinning and other active management
• Increasing flexibility in management plans to adapt to changing conditions on the ground
• Increasing funding for innovative approaches and monitoring of forest management

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