Please join us for our four-part series by registering here.
Sonoma County is alive with fire ecology and forest tending activities — and this is a beautiful thing! We invite you to immerse yourself in the ecology and understory of the 85-acres of mixed evergreen forest at Green Valley Farm + Mill in an offering of connecting, learning and working with the land.
As we tenderly step into our relationship with this place, we acknowledge the role and practices of the Southern Pomo, Coast Miwok and Kashaya Pomo tribes in caring for this land for thousands of years before us, and are here listening with deep respect for their approach to reciprocal relationship to the ecology of this place. As the practice of using prescribed fire is now coming back to the landscape from a growing number of non-native folks like us, we acknowledge that the cultural use of fire has been an integral way of life for thousands of years, and encourage you too to seek out, support, learn and listen from tribal members of their history and deep relationship to this practice. We encourage you to read this article, check out the Indigenous Peoples Burning Network, Tribal Eco Restoration Alliance, and Cultural Fire Management Council.
As for our series, we will start each day with gratitude for the original stewards of this place and an overview of our approach and plan for incorporating fire to increase the health of the forest and fire resiliency of our community. Co-led by Jeremy Fisher and Josiah Cain, they will discuss the history of this forest that we are aware of, and the importance of a healthy forest that incorporates fire. After this introduction, we will make our way to the forest for hands-on work creating a shaded fuel break in preparation for a prescribed burn this fall in collaboration with Fire Forward, after the first rains returns to the land.
The walk to the “ridge” is steep and can be on foot or participants can catch a lift via a truck that will be heading up with supplies. All abilities are encouraged to join us and we can find opportunities to engage for all. Again, please register by clicking on the registration link above and let us know in the form if we can support you in any way.
Lastly, we are not alone in our pursuits and encourage you to learn what you can from native practitioners and also encourage you to visit and connect with other local community-based land projects that are on a similar path - Monan’s Rill and Occidental Arts & Ecology Center to name a few. They are offering similar hands-on learning opportunities this fall and we look forward to learning from and with them as we step more deeply into stewardship and being in relationship with this land.