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Restoring Ecosystems through Fire Management B y Pamela Ed wards
Photo by Chris Marks
Fire management at Grand Canyon has evolved over time, from naturally caused fires and managed burns set by some of the canyon’s original inhabitants to current efforts to preserve natural and cultural resources. Ponderosa pine forests are common on both the North and South rims. These forests historically experienced low to moderate intensity fires every five to 15 years. Consequently, they were characterized by an open canopy with large, mature trees, and a diversity of herbaceous vegetation along the forest floor. Grand Canyon’s other forest types also evolved with fire. But nature and lightning were not the only source of ignition. For millennia, native people had been managing fire for various reasons, including to improve wildlife habitats and enhance the growth of significant plants. “The human contribution to historic fire management has been underestimated,” says Jason Nez, a member of the Navajo tribe and a National Park Service (NPS) archaeologist specializing in fire effects at the canyon. Chris Marks, Deputy Fire Management Officer at Grand Canyon National Park, says there is now greater recognition that native people used fire to shape various ecosystems. “The challenge lies in knowing if the ignitions were human caused or natural, so we consider all of them natural,” he said.
U.S. Forest Service, Southwestern Region, Kaibab National Forest Photo by Dyan Bone
