LTCC and Washoe Tribe Collaborate in Wildland Firefighting Course and Meadow Restoration, Merging Tradition with Modern Practices
August 5, 2024
By Dr. Scott Valentine
In 2023, the Lake Tahoe Community College developed a Land Acknowledgement to recognize
the Washoe Tribe as the original inhabitants and stewards of the land upon which the
college resides. A land acknowledgment was the first step toward meaningful engagement
and collaboration with the Washoe. Since then, the college has turned its words into
action by waiving college tuition fees for tribal members through its College Promise
Program and by offering a variety of noncredit Career and Technical Education training
courses.
This summer, LTCC students and members of the Washoe Tribe learned how to safely operate
chainsaws during a wildland firefighting course. Neveah Kizer (pictured here) helped
to remove hazardous trees and a downed log that was blocking the trail behind the
college. The college is also engaging with the Tribe to use traditional ecological
knowledge and modern forest management practices to restore lost biodiversity in the
college meadow adjacent to Trout Creek.
Why Is This Work Important at LTCC?
Many of Lake Tahoe's meadow ecosystems are prematurely drying out in the summer months.
This could be a result of warmer climates, but it is most likely because of altered
hydrology and degradation caused by past practices. A dry meadow can allow trees to
grow in environments that were supposed to be wet. The growth of more trees contributes
to the drawdown of the water table, which perpetuates a drier meadow, which encourages
the growth of more trees. This is what we call a positive feedback loop. Only the
end of this story, isn't that all that positive. We have a lot of forest in Tahoe,
and we have lost or degraded over 75% of our wetland habitats. These habitats support over 80% of our biodiversity. That
is unless we take some corrective action to regain some of that lost habitat.
The Future Is Bright
Future Forestry, Environmental Science, and Fire and Public Safety students will get to participate in the restoration of the college meadow and learn professional skills from our partners agencies. Together, the Tribe and LTCC aim to reconnect people to the landscape in meaningful ways, all while doing our part to protect environmental and cultural resources for future generations.
Future Forestry, Environmental Science, and Fire and Public Safety students will get to participate in the restoration of the college meadow and learn professional skills from our partners agencies. Together, the Tribe and LTCC aim to reconnect people to the landscape in meaningful ways, all while doing our part to protect environmental and cultural resources for future generations.
Planning the cut
Checking the work after the cut
Admiring the cut