Cultural and Ecological Relationship between the Nisqually Indian Tribe and the Plants of Mount Rainier National Park
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David Hooper recently completed his PhD from University of Montana studying the impacts of traditional harvesting methods on particular plants within Mount Rainier. He presented at the October NRC meeting.
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Cultural and Ecological Relationship between the Nisqually Indian Tribe and the Plants of Mount Rainier National Park
- 1. Cultural and Ecological Relationship between the Nisqually Indian Tribe and the Plants of Mount Rainier National Park David A Hooper, PhD. Mount Rainier National Park
- 3. Policy Needs The Organic Act of 1916, states that one purposes of the Park Service “is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein…" balanced with Treaty of Medicine Creek 1854 “The right of taking fish, at all usual and accustomed grounds and stations,… together with the privilege of hunting, gathering roots and berries, and pasturing their horses on open and unclaimed lands”
- 4. Research Questions • What are the methods used by the Nisqually when they harvest plants? – What is the motivation for using plants in a traditional manner? – What is the importance of Mount Rainier to the Nisqually? • How does harvesting influence plant biology or the local ecology? • Are there relationships between ecological impacts and harvesting methods?
- 5. Future condi+on Current Plant condi+on Knowledge Plants Response Plant harves+ng Resource management Numerical Reponses Func+onal Responses Culture Nature Framework of Human-Plant Interactions Worldviews Prac+ces
- 6. Traditional Ecological Knowledge A cumulative body of knowledge, practice and belief, evolving by adaptive processes and handed down through generations by cultural transmission that informs how to interact with nature. Berkes 1999
- 7. Anderson 1997 Methods Used to Understand Plant Harvesting Ethnographic approaches • Semi-structured interviews • Participant-observation Natural History • Phenology • Plant response to damage Ecological monitoring and Experimental approaches
- 9. Beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax) • Liliaceae • Perennial, evergreen herb • Colonies bloom every 5 to7 years • Rhizomous • Leaves are used for basket making
- 12. 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 2001 2002 2003 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 PercentGroundCoverofBeargrass Year Harvested Control
- 13. Beargrass Harvesting Experiment Hypotheses • Harvesting stimulates leaf production • Harvesting causes the plant to produce new stems • The number of levels harvested per stem does not have a measurable affect
- 17. No changes in Beargrass abundance or Plant community Beargrass Knowledge of beargrass habitat and ecology Selective Plant harvesting Tolerance Nisqually Mount Rainier Model of Nisqually-Beargrass Interac+ons Connection to Ancestors
- 22. 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 AnnualRingwidth(mm) Year Average Ring Width per Year Control Peeled Pre peeled Post Peeled
- 24. • Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata) • Ericacea • Perennial, evergreen low growing shrub • Rhizomatous • Sea level to 5000 J.
- 31. Pipsissewa harves(ng experiment • Does traditional harvesting cause pipsissewa to compensate? • Three treatments – Control: no harvest (C) – All harvest (AH) – Nisqually Harvest (NH)
- 33. 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 AverageNumberofStems Treatment Number of Stems Reproductive stems Non reporductive stems
- 34. No changes in Pipsissewa abundance or Plant community Pipsissewa Knowledge of Pipsissewa Reproduction Harvesting is not harmful Plant harvesting Nisqually Mount Rainier Model of Nisqually-Pipsissewa Interactions Health tonic Compensation
- 35. Other Species • Natural History – Growth and reproduc(on paRerns – Ecology of herbivory • Ethnobotany • Similari(es with cedar, pippissewa, and beargrass
- 38. • Variation in harvesting methods between and within communities.
- 40. Policy Implications • Rotate harvesting sites • Establish protocols for adding new plant species • Clarify who can harvest • Economic considerations
- 45. Does harvesting affect the plant community? Detrended Correspondence Analysis
- 46. Mount Rainier as a National Park March 2, 1899 “Mount Rainer National Park Act” – By 1917 hunting and the majority of plant harvesting ended – “Indians never lived on the mountain” • “Indians made summer pilgrimages to hunt and to gather wild berries.” (Schmoe 1926:2) • "...and seldom hunted there..." (Schmoe 1967:128)