Evan Larson: Rekindling Reciprocity: How the Story of Fire in the Great Lakes Offers Lessons Toward a More Just and Sustainable Society (September 11, 2025)

An emerging network of Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers are weaving tree-ring-based
fire history information with Traditional Knowledge to tell a more complete and accurate story about the role
of people and fire in shaping the forested landscapes of the Upper Great Lakes. In this talk, Larson will
discuss how Western perspectives on the idea of wilderness are evolving, making space for people to
be recognized as contributors to diversity and resiliency, and not just as damaging agents. He’ll
explore how the fates of people and red pine are intertwined and moderated through flames, and how
this relationship serves as a flagship for myriad other fire-dependent beings.