Program on the Environment

In Washington State, salmon have been declining due to various anthropogenic causes, including commercial fishing, dams, and habitat degradation. In tandem, wildfires have been increasing in severity, frequency, and intensity due to historical fire suppression, warmer temperatures, and shorter snowpack seasons. There is vast research on the biophysical effects of wildfires on salmon and riparian ecosystems (stream ecosystems), but not on the linkages between salmon, fire, and the socio-cultural landscape. In particular, there should be a greater consideration of Tribal fire management. The aim of this study was to analyze what management practices exist between forest and salmon managers, and find where there could be improvements to create more holistic management. To accomplish this task, I interned with The Nature Conservancy and read extensive literature on the effects of wildfires on salmon in WA state, interviewed eight experts in this field (i.e. salmon biologists, forest ecologists, Tribal watershed managers, and professors on geomorphology and forestry), and created a systems map that represents the interactions between different rights holders in this realm. I found that salmon are generally well-adapted to wildfires, as wildfires add complexity to watersheds in the long-term, as well as add in-stream wood which provides food and shelter for salmon. By educating others on the benefits of wildfire, opening dialogue between forest and salmon managers through councils and funding, and reintroducing cultural burns on a landscape scale, managers can control the intensity, frequency, and severity of fires, which will in turn help watersheds, salmon, and people.