For bioGraphic, Ashley Braun brings us to the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas to learn about how the North Fork Mono Tribe is revitalizing cultural burning practices to encourage the growth of culturally significant native plants, control pests and invasive species, reduce the risk of catastrophic megafires, and even bring water back to the landscape year-round. Braun delves into the reasons for cultural burning’s benefits, its history and use by Indigenous peoples worldwide, and the frustrations that tribal experts are facing in bringing back this traditional management practice to their traditional homelands. Image: Miguel Vieira via Wikimedia Commons
