Queer Forestry and Fire Program

10/05/2024 09:00 AM - 04:00 PM PT

Description

Event Registration Closed

Queer Forestry and Fire Program 2024

Saturdays, October 5 – November 9, 9am - 4pm

At LandPaths' Preserves in West Sonoma County and Healdsburg

The Queer Forestry and Fire Program is a 6-week course for LGBTQIA+ identifying folks ages 18-40 interested in building their land stewardship capacities. This queer led community-oriented opportunity invites participants from all backgrounds and experience levels to cultivate a greater understanding and skillset in basic forestry practices and slow ecosystem restoration methodology. It will be a safe space to come together to work towards restoring a forest/grassland ecosystem and return good fire to the land.

Please see below for more specific program details!

Through this community-centered opportunity, whatever your background or experience with forestry and fire, you will gain greater understanding and skills in the following:

Basic forestry practices
Tree and other plant identification
Proper hand tool use and maintenance
Forest thinning protocols
Knowledge of grassland ecosystems and their importance
Proper burn pile formation and implementation
Patch burn unit preparation
Seed and monitoring of units post-burn

You can also look forward to guest presenters, the opportunity to practice plant collection for crafts, food, and medicine, group meditations, and a final day cookout!

Important Details

Dates: Saturdays, October 5 – November 9, 2024
Time: 9am to 4pm
Location: Occidental, California and Healdsburg, California at preserves stewarded by LandPaths. More specific details about location will be sent to confirmed participants.
Enrollment for this free training course closes on October 1!

What You’ll Gain

Basic forestry skills using hand tools
An understanding of Slow Restoration
Stewardship for the promotion of ecological restoration and biodiversity
Fuel reduction for wildfire mitigation and preparing a prescribed burn unit
Proper tree felling, limbing up, and burn pile formation and implementation in different ecosystems
Basic plant identification and ecology
Grass ID and seed collection
Burn pile and patch burn experience (learn more about LandPaths’ Good Fire Program here)
Hands-on lessons in forestry and fire ecology
Stewardship experience in tending and harvesting informed by Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)/Indigenous science, including discussion of cultivation of culturally significant plants
Tools, gloves, cotton t-shirt for burning and snacks will be provided for the duration of the workshop

What You’ll Need to Participate

Transportation to and from the project sites in Occidental and Healdsburg
Basic gear such as boots, backpack, water bottle, lunch (some simple snacks will be provided)
Plenty of water for drinking (up to one gallon a day)

Things to Know

This course is taught in English.
We do expect that you have basic wilderness skills including the ability to hike up to 5 miles, the ability to lift heavy logs and use tools, situational awareness, punctuality, and a willingness to learn.
Each Saturday project session will focus on a specific project site with a focus on developing skills at the site.
If you are over 40 years old, identify as LGBTQIA+ and feel called to participate, please reach out to lara@landpaths.org about applying.
Enrollment closes on October 1. Upon registration, you’ll be contacted to schedule a brief phone interview/check in with the group facilitator prior to the start date.
You will be expected to provide your own transportation to/from the preserves, which are located west of Occidental and northwest of Healdsburg respectively.
Carpooling is encouraged and we can help support participants to arrange carpools.

For Questions:

Please email lara@landpaths.org with any questions. We hope to see you out on the land soon!