John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
In the White Mountains of eastern California, Ana Bacoch, a member of the Big Pine Paiute Tribe of the Owens Valley, observed a significant harvest of pinyon pine cones. This abundant crop marked the largest since 2019 and was celebrated by Indigenous communities in the Owens Valley through various traditional practices.
Bacoch organized this gathering as part of her work with the Pinyon Community Climate Action (PiCCA) project. The initiative involves over two dozen partners from federal agencies, Tribal Nations, non-governmental organizations, and academic institutions like the University of California Berkeley and Stanford University.
The PiCCA project aims to address challenges faced by pinyon-juniper woodlands due to climate change impacts such as higher temperatures, declining snowpack, insect outbreaks, and wildfires. These woodlands cover millions of acres across California and the western United States and are crucial for biodiversity and carbon storage.
Paul Burow, a researcher at Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, emphasized that these forests are vital for their ecological value despite being historically undervalued. He noted that there is a growing recognition of their importance as a carbon sink and an indigenous food source.
Miranda Redmond from UC Berkeley leads ecological studies within PiCCA to understand factors influencing pinyon nut production. Gabrielle Wong-Parodi from Stanford focuses on integrating social and cultural values into decision-making about these forests' future.
Emma Sage from Wong-Parodi's group highlighted the importance of building trust with local communities in conducting community-based research. This approach has involved extensive interviews with various stakeholders in the Eastern Sierra region.
The collaborative efforts have led to shared stewardship initiatives involving tribes, federal agencies, NGOs, and local governments. These partnerships aim to implement practical solutions on federal lands while considering tribal sovereignty.
Research insights may guide strategies like assisted migration to ensure pinyon-juniper woodlands continue providing value amid climate change. Redmond's team is studying genetic diversity among pinyons to identify traits aiding resilience against environmental changes.
Bacoch envisions increased community involvement in woodland stewardship activities like cleaning up dead tree limbs and creating communal gathering spaces. She hopes these efforts will inspire further engagement for overall community health improvement.
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