Garry oak (Quercus garryana) woodlands on the Nisqually Reservation: Assessing potential harvest and education possibilities

The Garry oak woodlands found in the northeast corner of the Nisqually Reservation are remarkably beautiful and intact. The woodlands are located on a 131-acre site bought by the tribe in 1992.  The site has been slated by the Nisqually as a potential restoration site that could be used for harvesting traditional plants, as well as an outdoor educational area for tribal youth to learn more about traditional practices. 

However, a previous restoration of the site had limited success. Using geospatial data, historic photos, understory field surveys, and interviews with Nisqually tribe members, this research examines the site’s capacity for supporting a variety of traditional plants, and what steps should be taken to maintain these plant populations.