Does San Juan County need prescribed fires?
Bill McLaughlin posted 05/30/01 Before the arrival of European settlers, the landscape of the San Juan Islands was quite different from what we see now. Stands of fir and madrona were interspersed amidst grasslands and oak woodlands. Canopies of mature fir, cedar and hemlock forests stood over mostly open understories. The land was shaped in part by the natural succession of forests. As the firs and cedars grew to maturity, the canopies blocked sunlight from reaching the ground below. In part, though, the landscape was also shaped by fire. Native Americans across North America viewed fire as a tool that could shape the world around them. Native Americans burned the prairies to improve grazing. They lit fires in the forest to reduce undergrowth and improve game hunting. Here in the Pacific Northwest, Native Americans used fire to improve and maintain certain plant habitats. Garry Oaks were prized for their acorns. Camas bulbs were another staple food that was cultivated by fire. Evidenc
