New Release – “Forged by Fire: The Cultural Tending of Trees and Forests in Big Sur and Beyond”

29 05 2024

“Big Sur is home to many remarkable trees, including ancient groves of oddly shaped oaks and peculiar groupings and strange fire scars in old-growth redwoods, all dating from a time when the Esselen People were the sole human occupants of the region. Upon close inspection, these oddities are found to be the result of cultural burning and other tending practices by the Esselen. Now, however, too many of these living artifacts are dying and perishing in flames from the stresses imposed by our modern culture. By bringing together both Western science and Traditional Ecological Knowledge systems, the solutions to these problems become self-evident — either reintroduce cultural fire to the land or, if that is not possible, mimic its effects using materials and practices that emulate fire.”

Available for now at Amazon. It’ll be in bookstores eventually.

Amazon paperback link:

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Oaks after 3 years and 12 years

29 05 2024

Here are some oaks that I’ve been treating with fire mimicry for 12 years, along with several oaks I’ve been treating for 3 years. Enjoy!

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Redwoods, pines, and fire mimicry

28 05 2024

While the focus of my work is on oak trees, I have several recent examples of fire mimicry treatments improving the health of redwoods and pines. The first five photo sets are of coast redwoods after two years and seven years of treatments. Below the redwoods are photo sets of a Monterey pine after 12 years of treatments (every other year), and a bishop pine after three years of treatments. I’m pretty pleased with these results!

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Los Altos oaks and redwoods after my 7 years of care

25 05 2024

Seven years ago I began fire mimicry treatments on four coast live oaks, as well as two redwood trees in Los Altos, CA. I reported on the progress of these trees back in 2020.and in 2018. For obvious reasons, the property owner has asked me to continue treating these trees, so they have received five treatments over the past seven years. These results tend to support my intuition that when trees have not responded to my treatments, it is likely because I did not do enough care, rather than having done too much.

And don’t miss the final photo set of this series showing the results with redwoods.

I look forward to seeing these trees outgrow the frames of my original photos (as is already starting to happen) in years to come!

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Upcoming talk: “The Cultural Tending of Trees in Big Sur”

15 04 2024

If you’re in the Carmel Valley neighborhood and want a preview of my book “Forged by Fire”, I’ll be speaking at the Carmel Valley Branch Library on Saturday, May 4.





Oaks in Aptos, CA after five years of fire mimicry

13 03 2024

Five years ago I began fire mimicry treatments on several coast live oaks in Aptos, CA. Last week I checked on them and here are the results. Most of the oaks have responded well, although a few are not showing improvement. I’m planning to add more biochar in the next round of treatments.

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Encouraging results with oaks and pines in Monterey, CA

17 12 2023

Two years ago I began fire mimicry treatments on several sick and declining coast live oaks and Monterey pines in Monterey, CA. Yesterday I checked on their progress and am generally pleased by the results, as is the homeowner!

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Oaks and madrones in Felton, CA respond to fire mimicry

24 11 2023

In November of 2000 I began fire mimicry treatments on several ancient coast live oaks and madrones in Felton, CA. Many of these oaks are likely over 400 years old and date from the time when the Ohlone were the sole occupants of the land. Earlier this week I checked on their progress. I’m please to report that, after three years, all the oaks are showing noticeable improvement, and all but one of the madrones also appear to be thriving. Here are the full set of results.

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Big Sur oaks living large!

10 11 2023

Three years ago I began fire mimicry treatments on five oak trees here in Big Sur. I also performed a large canker surgery on one of the trees, an Ancestor oak that is about 350 years old. Here are the results captured with repeat photography. Enjoy!

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Diseased black oaks in the Santa Cruz Mountains respond to fire mimicry

2 08 2023

While most of my results are with coast live oaks, I also work with other kinds of oaks. Here are a set of results among black oaks I’ve obtained this past year using fire mimicry methods. Several of these black oaks were severely diseased with Sudden Oak Death infections. The oaks were given compost tea, soil mineral, and limewash treatments, as well as the surgical removal and cauterization of a Sudden Oak Death infection. The surgeries appear to have worked well, as the canopies have improved in lushness and density and there are no lingering infections in the remaining trunk tissues.