Topic: Woodlands

Land use and land classification traditions of Northeastern Algonquians remain poorly understood. Even less clear are traditions governing use of sacred lands: ceremonial places as well as hunting and gathering lands. Epistemic genocide, also called “erasure” and “vanishing act,” in concert with destructive policy and oppressed Native narrative, obstruct our path to understanding. What is Northeastern Algonquian zoning practice? Through traditional narrative, archaeology, ethnohistory, and onomastics, Northeastern Algonquian land classes and uses are described—sacred lands in particular. We discover that ritually circumscribed activity includes not only ceremony but hunting and gathering. When informed by Native cultural sources, we can apprehend Algonquian land use patterns, knowledge that we can apply to improve sacred site preservation and plan for intelligent land management.

From the Ground Up is a quarterly publication that embodies the WWF&C vision by bringing together voices and igniting conversations at the intersection of climate, conservation, and New England communities, human and non-human. Sign up below to receive your free digital subscription. Issue #1 releases in November 2023.

A 2022 report from Highstead in Redding, CT, explores how New England’s forests are important climate solutions and explores five pathways to increase forests’ impact. New England’s forests are an underrated asset in the fight against climate change, already sequestering the equivalent of 14 percent of carbon emissions across the six states and capable of much more. Through five complementary strategies, forests could sequester 21 percent of carbon emissions while also enhancing critical co-benefits such as cleaner air and water, greater recreational opportunities, and jobs.