Celebrating the Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering
By Stephanie Gutierrez Photos by Daisy Autumn Photography
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Ahead of next week's 2025 Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering, we look back at last year's inaugural gathering.
We express immense gratitude to the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe for hosting us at the Blue Lake Casino and to the Karuk Tribe, Hoopa Valley Tribe, and Wiyot Tribe for hosting us at site visits across last year's two-day event.
The Indigenous Agroforestry Network was sparked from a series of roundtable discussions with Indigenous tribal and agency staff, community leaders, and partners engaging in Indigenous land stewardship and agroforestry.
Participants desired an in-person, intertribal space for connection, collaboration, and learning.
In 2024, we were honored to bring that vision to life with the inaugural Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering.
The two-day event consisted of enriching presentations and hands-on field site visits. Together we explored Indigenous land management practices, connected with like-minded individuals, and celebrated connections to Indigenous agroforestry.
Despite extreme weather on the first day of the gathering, we were able to pivot and still witness six incredible presentations from
– Olivia Rose and Shawn Bourque of the Karuk Tribe and Pikyav Field Institute;
– William Matsubu from Blue Lake Rancheria;
– Ron Reed (Karuk), Pikyav Field Institute, ceremonial fire practitioner and leader, and Indigenous knowledge advocate; (pictured)
– Representatives from the US Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and National Agroforestry Center; and
– Stephanie Gutierrez (San Carlos Apache) from the Indigenous Agroforestry Network and Ecotrust.
Olivia Rose and Shawn Borque shared about the Tribe’s agroecology plots and the importance of fire in Indigenous land stewardship.
After an afternoon storm cleared, we visited Tsemeta Forest Nursery, located in Hoopa Valley. Owned and operated by the Hoopa Valley Tribe, the Tsemeta Forest Nursery is “dedicated to growing trees for reforestation needs both on and off tribal lands, as well as providing education on local ecology and food sovereignty.”
Kimberly Davis, Tsemeta Forest Nursery Manager, and her team took participants through a hands-on experience of their seed-processing operation and tour of their nursery.
At Tsemeta Forest Nursery, attendees were able to experience how to process maple seeds.
On the final day of the Gathering, we visited two newly acquired sites by the Wiyot Tribe and Blue Lake Rancheria to explore future integrations of Indigenous land stewardship and agroforestry with the land.
Attendees were introduced to Mouralherwaqh, the Wiyot Tribe’s newly acquired land located in King Salmon, Calif.
During a forest hike in Mouralherwaqh, Indigenous Agroforestry Network participants shared mushroom identification techniques.
At Mouralherwaqh, attendees also observed forest-thinning treatments done to reduce wildfire risk and increase light for understory vegetation.
At our next stop, William Matsubu, Environmental Director at Blue Lake Rancheria, shared how they have worked in partnership with local organizations for Land Back efforts at Blue Lake Rancheria's newly acquired site.
The final tour, hosted by the Blue Lake Rancheria, took Indigenous Agroforestry Network participants through an orchard and forested landscape.
Shawn Baroque and Ron Reed stopped to identify bird feathers.
The Inaugural Indigenous Agroforestry Network Gathering closed with a celebration of Northwest Indigenous foods at our cultural dinner.
Attendees shelled acorns in preparation for acorn soup.
Dr. Frank Lake (Karuk descendent) shared traditional foods.
With immense gratitude, we thank our participants, project partners, tribal site hosts, and tribal community members who made this event possible. Attendees shared what they felt was most meaningful about the experience:
“Meeting with the Tribal leaders and Elders was most valuable for me.”
“Hearing what other tribes are doing on [their] land.”
“My conversation with Elders … to discuss their local cultural interpretation about agroforestry. They used the words 'fixing' and a place for families healing with the land.”
