Notes from the Native Stewardship Corps

AMLT Native Stewards Esak Ordoñez, Zechariah Ordoñez, and Jacob Girouard joined the Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association, CA State Parks, Tamien Nation and others for a series of prescribed burns this past December.

Please enjoy photos and reflections from this week of burning! All photos courtesy of Jacob Girouard, AMLT Native Steward and Tribal Member.

“I recently participated in my first official prescribed burns. I’ve done cultural burns, and pile burning, but this was the first prescribed burn. There were three in total. One was at Molino Creek up on Highway 1, there was one at McCullough Ranch by Panoche Valley in San Benito, and one at Henry Coe State Park. The burn at Henry Coe was really great to participate in because it is partly the land of our cousins, Tamien Nation. They had been preparing for this burn and preparing this land to burn for the past two years. They said they hadn’t burned that land in close to 100 years and so it is very special for them to get fire back.

It was a good experience learning from them, they’re very experienced in fire ecology and practicing good fire. I learned about fire behavior, their way of explaining fire behavior. When it comes to fire, you have to understand that it’s alive…it’s everywhere and a live entity. You can connect with fire and use it for good and bad. When you learn to be aware of that and in that mentality, having a relationship with fire is very healing.” - Zechariah Ordoñez, AMLT Native Steward and Tribal Member

“It’s nice to be out there connecting with my cousins and the land. Fire is an important relationship that in my opinion, needs to be rediscovered.” - Jacob Girouard, AMLT Native Steward and Tribal Member

We are very excited and proud to announce that AMLT’s Native Stewards are returning February 2025! If you or anyone you know is interested in applying for our available Native Stewardship Corps Program Manager position, please read and share our job announcement.