Mobilizing for California Water Justice
Water is vital to all life on earth yet often is one of our most threatened resources. In California water issues are often polarized and presented as fish versus farmers, but in truth many Californians lack access to clean water and fisheries, but watch as almond fields are prioritized over access to vital water resources for Native Americans and people of color. Advocacy in water protection is often informative about current threats to our water-ways, but this series will be action oriented. We will explore five steps for water justice in California throughout the week and take action to create a more equitable water future for California. Step 4: Connecting Fire, Climate, and Water: Support Indigenous Management Thurs Oct 22 Connecting Climate, Fire and Water: Supporting Traditional Fuels and Water Management The Native peoples of the Klamath Basin have used low-severity fires for thousands of years to help manage forests and traditional food resources; however, due to the enactment of fire suppression as a national policy for almost a century, many forests now face dangerous conditions that enable wildfires to grow out of control and threaten communities and cultural resources, while toxic chemicals also degrade soils and flush into waterways. In this session, we will explore the interconnections between forestry, fire, water, and climate change. We will discuss how ongoing drought, combined with decreasing water levels from water diversions, exacerbate the threat of wildfire in the Klamath Basin, and in return, degrades the ability for forest landscapes to recover after severe fire events. We will learn how forest and aquatic ecosystems, as well as human health, can be improved by supporting Indigenous fire management.
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