I am always fortunate to speak with Dr. Colleen at length (and off the cuff!) about ecology and forest management in general, at times Southwest Montana in particular. Dr. Colleen is a big fan of foxes on Instagram and follows other subjects as well. She found this post the other day on huckleberries, and it shifted an already interesting conversation:
Colleen: “I saw this today and almost messaged them. Yeah they were basically lamenting not being able to get many berries, and I was like, ummm…You can!!!! And no domestication necessary”
Beau: “Interesting you bring up huckleberries. My river customers [on the Gallatin River] this morning noticed there wasn’t much forage when we talked about forest density along the river today. And she was an MD so completely understood my thoughts on Chronic Wasting Disease and forest health, specifically the understory and huckleberries and polyphenols and how it could all be related”
Colleen: “Yeah, they totally go together. Yin and yang. I’ve never been able to separate loves for ecological and human [and animal] health”
Beau: “Right on. So back to Instagram: they just need to open the canopy and pick them, right? Your social media friends?”
C: “Yes! Anddd BURN!!! It’s such magic.”
B: “Isn’t fire a tool we use to open canopy along with select cut? Or is it more distinct that opening canopy?”
C: “Super multifaceted tool. Not only does it open canopy, but it clears out the understory which is overly dense. Allowing each bush to have less competition for nutrients and water. “
B: “Making room for little berry guys.”
C: “It also hastens nutrient cycling. Particularly if you burn cool. Essentially creating biochar.”
B: “Umm biochar?”
C: “Which retains carbon IN THE SOIL so its not volatilized. Eg not causing climate change. And it absorbs nutrients, keeping them in the soil longer like slow release fertilizers. Probably because how it works with microbes. AND burning reduces pest and disease habitat and populations. Which is HUGE and totally underestimated. “
B: “Like beetles?”
C: “Sure. And it rejuvenates the plants themselves, stimulating new growth. And it opens up bare soil for new plants to germinate and grow. So yeah, fire is magic. AND thats not even mentioning its impact on weather and climate. “
B: “I love it! And I think they’ll find that that’s why we were able to leave Africa successfully 70,000 years ago. “
C: “yeah, and of course things like ice ages lol.”
