Lessons from Woodpeckers: Informing Holistic Restoration of Second-Growth Forests in Haida Gwaii

​Old-growth forests are unique ecosystems whose complex structures support diverse habitats for rare and endemic species. Logged (second-growth) forests can develop old-growth attributes over time through natural succession, however this process takes hundreds of years which is not fast enough to support declining populations of threatened species like the Haida Gwaii Goshawk (“Stads K’un” in Haida language). In partnership with the Council of the Haida Nation, Ania’s research focuses on understanding how we can accelerate the restoration of old-growth attributes in second-growth forests. Specifically, this research aims to learn from Haida Gwaii’s woodpeckers (who conduct their own restoration in forest ecosystems) and historical forestry practices in order to inform holistic restoration grounded in cultural values, Stads K’un recovery, and overall forest resilience and biodiversity.

Traditional Forest Plants of ʕaaḥuusʔatḥ (Ahousaht Nation)

​Indigo’s Masters research is a co-developed and relationship-first approach with the Maaqutusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society and the ʕaḥuusʔatḥ Haw’ił (hereditary Chiefs). The work is centered around the goal of documenting important cultural plants both historical and presently within their territory. Through archival and literature searches there is the potential to find voices and historic changes that may have been lost during past logging on the territory. The findings will then be curated in a way for easy access by the ʕaḥuusʔatḥ Haw’ił and in a way to best allow for practices and preservation of these culturally important resources.
While this work is ongoing, Indigo is also reflecting on the experience of working within decolonial frameworks. Asking how the colonial history of geography and academia interact with decolonial geographic work and what the graduate student experience might expose of these interactions.