ESPM 198/298
November 15th, 2001
Anderson, M. Kat, Michael J. Moratto. Native American Land-use Practices and Ecological Impacts.
Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project: Final report to Congress. vol II, Assessments and scientific basis for
management options. Davis: University of California, Centers for Water and Wildland Resources, 1996
I. Introduction
Resource management by the Native Americans in the Sierra Nevada modified the distribution,
structure, and composition of plant communities for over 10,000 years. The purpose of their
“protoagriculturual techniques” was based on their maintenance of vegetation that they utilized for food,
basketry, building materials, etc. The most influential management practice was fire, which created a
“highly interactive system” between the native people and the landscape. It is suggested that the pattern
of land use and resource management by Native Americans influenced the ecological and evolutionary
development of the biota. Currently, the decline of Native American influences on the landscape has
resulted in an “ecological vacuum,” or disequilibrium, in the Sierra Nevada plant communities. Anderson
and Moratto recommend that the Native American management techniques and ethics should be
integrated in current management objectives and possible future research.
II. Overview: Pre-contact Native American interventionist approach to nature.
A. Indian tribes of the Sierra Nevada
(refer to map of tribal territories in the Sierra Nevada, pg. 190)
There were 13 major tribes in the Sierra Nevada. Each of the diverse cultures were
influenced by their environment, which in tun affected the development of their management
practices.
B. Native American populations
Accounts of native populations are broad approximations, depending on historical accounts;
approximations range from 90,000-10,000 during the early 1800’s. Environmental factors
(such as slope, aspect, proximity to watersheds, elevation, etc.) and cultural considerations
were influential in the Native American population distribution.
C. Native Americans today
Despite the loss of control of their former lands, Native American tribes continue to advocate
their resource management ethics. Formal tribal councils are conducted in inter-and intratribal gatherings, where issues of traditional uses of the land are addressed.
D. Past land management practices and ecological consequences
Wild-plant management entails human intervention of vegetation ecological processes to
meet cultural needs. Techniques range from burning, weeding, irrigating, selective
harvesting and other horticultural methods. Anderson and Moratto have deemed the Native
Americans to be responsible for environmental change in terms of plant dispersal, habitat
modification, and genetic modification.
E. Land-use ethic
The environmental ethics of the Native Americans are based on spiritual, philosophical, and
economic principles. Human interaction with surrounding environment is seen as an integral
part in the maintenance of ecological processes.
III. Specific evidence for widespread modification of Sierra landscapes
A. Burning was the most influential management technique that the Native Americans utilized
for creating widespread ecological change.
B. Permanent effects of plant communities was a result of intensive land use by the Native
Americans during a substantial duration of time.
C. The ecological impact of human population density varied, depending on geographical
location and seasonal movements of the tribal groups.
D. Basketry, cordage, firewood, and food resources were the main derivative of plant material
from managed environments.
E. The Native Americans actively used fire with the awareness of an effective management tool
that would prevent future catastrophic fires.
F. The disturbance regime of selected vegetation was mainly influenced by the cultural uses of
the plant.
1. Basketry-production systems
Burning and pruning methods were utilized to promote the growth of adventitious shoots
and epicormic branches of native shrubs, which are used to weave baskets.
2. Food-production systems
The quality and quantity of food resources (fruits, greens, mushrooms, tubers, and seeds)
were managed for with fire.
3. Cordage-production systems
Cordage= ‘twisting together of separate fiber strands into a single, long twined string or
rope’
Indian hemp and milkweed were desirable herbaceous species for the manufacture of
cordage. The vegetation was periodically burned in the fall.
G. Native American resource management at different levels of biological organizations
1. Organism level – individual plants would be maintained to obtain a specific plant part
2. Population level – maintained at this level mainly to keep in check plant competition
3. Plant-community level
4. Landscape level – the maintenance of plant-community diversity
IV. Ecological consequences of removing Native Americans from traditional economic and landmanagement roles.
The misconception of prescribed burns in the past has resulted in the current conditions of
declining biodiversity, degeneration of habitat health, and catastrophic fires. Despite the recognition of
the merits of prescribed burns, difficulties arise with the present dilemma of urban-wildland interfaces
and also the disregard of past fire management techniques by the Native Americans. Also, without the
“patches” of vegetation at different successional states species diversity and productivity cannot be
maximized.
Anderson and Moratto suggest that the cultural knowledge of rare and endangered plants in the
Sierra Nevada should be taken into consideration when trying to restore habitat. Restoration techniques
can possibly be based on the traditional management methods of the vegetation.
V. Discussion, conclusions, and recommendations
Present-day methods of management, conservation, and restoration of Sierra Nevada landscape
should integrate the Native American knowledge of plant dynamics and the acknowledgement of their
significant contribution in disturbance regimes. Anderson and Moratto propose possible research studies
in order to form resourceful and effective management strategies in the future. The most important study
would be that of whether it would be appropriate to revive the Native American management techniques
in the current Sierra Nevada landscape. More in-depth vegetation analysis, assessment of native
population and their knowledge of life history traits of vegetation are also details that still need to be
investigated.