Friday Night Talk - History and Ecology of Fire in the Monument

Join dynamic and knowledgeable Rich Fairbanks as he shares the history and ecology of fire in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. He will discuss both modern and indigenous management practices informed by his own personal experience and consultation from indigenous people who gave him permission to share. He also will take us on a journey from indigenous fire through early European settlement, the fire suppression years and more recently the Klamathon and Oregon Gulch fires. The presentation emphasis will be on the response of plants to fire and how to recognize fire scars and fire refugia. Through his lecture, we will learn enough about fire behavior to understand how fire has shaped the Monument in big ways and the need for resources to be directed toward the proper protection and stewardship of its resources.

Rich Fairbanks has a wealth of knowledge and interesting stories through his work with the U.S. Forest Service for 32 years in fire management, planning, and silviculture. He held various positions in the organization including Interagency Hotshot Crew Foreman, Division Supervisor and ID Team leader for the Biscuit Fire Recovery Project. For five years, he also worked for The California Fire Program of the Wilderness Society. Rich has a degree in forestry and holds a Master’s degree in planning. He currently owns a small forest management company. He and his wife live in the mixed conifer forest of the Applegate where they do a considerable amount of under burning.

The Friday Hike and Learn sessions will take place in the Ashland Food Co-op Community Classroom at 300 N. Pioneer in Ashland from 6:00 to 7:30pm. The classroom is one block toward downtown from the grocery store on N 1st Street. This Eventbrite is for the Friday Talk ONLY, register for Saturday hike HERE. Attendance to Friday Night Talks is limited to 40 people.

Friends of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument is a nonprofit organization and our mission is to support the protection, restoration and conservation of the monument through service, advocacy and education. Our Hike and Learn programs are designed to introduce the public to different topics and locations within the Monument. Hike and Learns are co-created with local scientists, historians, artists, students, and more.