Hennon, Paul Research Forest Pathologist, U.S. Forest Service
Blending Traditional Knowledge with Science to Develop a Teaching Curriculum on Cedars in Alaska The two cedars that grow in Alaska, western redcedar and yellow-cedar, are culturally, economically, and ecologically important. There is considerable knowledge and experience with the two cedars from Native People and from science and forestry, but information from these sources is rarely combined. This presentation explores several cedar topics that which could be included in teaching curriculum: 1) Origins of cedar oral traditions – current cedar distribution and habitats; 2) bark collection and weaving – bark anatomy and how a tree defends itself; 3) cedar wood carving – wood anatomy and wood chemistry; 4) clan house construction – engineering wood properties of the two cedars. Other information and teaching ideas on cedars will be shared. Pictures of foliage, cones, and bark will help everyone learn how to identify the two cedars. Maps will be displayed to illustrate where each cedar grows relative to villages in Alaska. The threat of climate change to the survival of both cedars will be presented. Opportunities to help maintain the cedar resource in our forests through active forest management will be discussed.
