Cultural Resource Management (CRM) experts worked with Native American tribes to facilitate the successful completion of four fire breaks along the Russian River in California.
Four projects along the Russian River in California serve as not only an example of fire damage prevention, but also of cultural preservation.
Gov. Gavin Newsom put forward legislation with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention, or CAL FIRE, following a series of wildfires in 2017. This program, within the state’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, serves as a steward of emergency response resources and grants.
Through CAL FIRE, Sonoma County received grant funding to create fire breaks on the north and south sides of the Russian River. A fire break is a strip of land that is cleared or planted specifically to prevent the spread of fire. They also function as a remedial measure, allowing fire crews to enter the area and contain a fire more quickly, as well as slow or stop the progress of a fire.
Fire breaks can range from 25- to 100- feet wide depending on the needs of the area. Once the Russian River grants were in place, crews brought in masticators, or giant woodchippers, to clean out the dead trees and high grasses. Following the initial clearing, this process is repeated on an annual basis to keep the fire break free of debris.
The Russian River is large and prone to flooding and is responsible for much of the region’s wetlands. The area, known as the Santa Rosa Laguna, is the smallest lower mountain range of the California Coast Ranges that reaches all the way up to Oregon. As part of California’s wine country, the area is very important to the state’s economy. However, especially at the lower elevations, this range has many dead oak and pine trees, as well as invasive grasses.
The dry summer conditions make the area especially prone to fires like the ones in 2019, started by an unparalleled powerline. These large fires lasted for weeks, causing whole communities to evacuate throughout the Russian River watershed area.
Now, with the addition of the fire breaks, CAL FIRE can quickly mobilize rescue teams and drop fire crews by helicopter at the top of the ridgeline. They can jump into the middle of the long swath of the break, fighting the fire more safely and with a greater probability of success.
Working Closely with Tribal Partners
The Sonoma County area is home to various Native American tribes. These tribes are deeply invested in the cultural significance of the land, and maintaining strong relationships with them was crucial to the fire break projects’ success.
The county worked with the Cultural Resource Management (CRM) team from FirstCarbon Solutions (FCS) — a third-party consultant — to not only work with archaeologists to survey the area for critical access points for the fuel breaks, but also to act as a liaison for tribal relations.
Tribes in the area are understandably protective of the culture and history of the land. Assembly Bill 52 and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) mandates all development projects take these concerns into their planning. Tribal leadership was particularly interested in ensuring that as machinery and equipment was brought onto the site, steps would be taken to ensure minimal destruction to the land, especially on archeological sites related to Native American ancestors and history.
CRM experts invest time into these communities, learning extensively about the culture and the land’s importance. They act as students, asking questions and listening to tribal leaders, who are the experts in the area’s history, taking a dual approach that prioritizes both wildfire protection and cultural resources.
Under AB 52, these relationships should be treated as a government-to-government relationship. Tribes are to be given equal footing with the lead agency — in this case, Sonoma County — and are an integral part of the entire development process.
The cultural resource expert communicates with the tribe regarding the preliminary survey, seeking their input and inviting them to join the team on-site. Tribal leadership is given an opportunity to review all reporting and research prior to and during the survey. Receiving the tribe’s approval is important for many reasons, including their endorsement of the consultant team to the county.
Maintaining Cultural Respect
Local tribes are stewards of the land and its history, and they strive to work with others who seek, recognize, and respect that role. It is crucial for the consultant team to act with transparency and accuracy throughout the entire process to maintain trust.
This means more than simply not driving heavy machinery through the site when possible — although this is important, as well. It means developing an understanding of the various and specific cultural negotiations that must be made to be an appropriate presence on the site, including protocols relating to appropriate, dress, behavior, and decorum while on site.
While it would be simple for consultant teams to ignore this information, taking steps to be a conscientious and transparent partner builds trust and shows respect. The same is true for taking photographs. Even in instances where the consultant is certain taking a photograph is culturally acceptable, taking the extra step to ask demonstrates an inclination to continuously follow all cultural practices.
Consulting with a Highly Qualified CRM Team
In development projects located on a culturally significant site, few things are more important than maintaining strong relationships with tribal stakeholders. CRM experts in the Russian River projects worked closely with local tribes to ensure everyone involved could walk away satisfied that not only were area residents protected from wildfires, but also that they had done the best possible job from a cultural and historic standpoint in preserving tribal cultural patrimony.
FCS cultural resource teams understand why they cannot simply take control of a development site, even for well-intentioned reasons like fire breaks. Often, cultural resource experts only have one chance to build these relationships and gain approval for an in-depth site investigation, as tribal leaders seek to keep the land as intact as possible.
Working with a conscientious team ensures that not only do crucial, potentially life-saving projects proceed on time and budget, but also that culturally important land is preserved for future generations, as well. Firms like FCS with an in-house CRM team cultivate these important relationships and offer solutions to any challenges that may arise.
