Lomakatsi Restoration Project

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Lomakatsi Restoration Project

Restoring Ecosystems, Sustaining Communities
http://lomakatsi.org/
541-488-0208 [email protected]

Lomakatsi is the Hopi word for “Life in Balance”

We are a nonprofit organization that designs ecological restoration projects in damaged forests and watershed throughout southern Oregon and northern California. Guided by social and ecological principles, we train and employ hundreds of skilled workers. Since 1995, we have helped restore ecological balance in thousands of acres of public and priva

te land. Our projects set important precedents and receive national recognition. Our work is done in collaboration with a broad range of partners including private landowners, industry, land conservancies, city and park municipalities, Native American tribes, and federal and state land management agencies. Through an integrated, holistic approach, our programs encourage the recovery of ecosystems and the sustainability of communities, cultures and economies. Please help us succeed in our Mission by visiting our website and providing a donation or volunteering your time.

09/03/2026

Advancing Forest Health and Tribal Workforce Development at Taktokeewa

Over the past several weeks, Lomakatsi’s technical team completed the next phase of the Taktokeewa Forest Health Project, a partnership between the Kosealekte Band of the Pit River Tribe, Lomakatsi, and the U.S. Forest Service. The 3,100-acre project is designed to improve forest health, reduce wildfire risk, enhance wildlife habitat, and strengthen ecocultural resources on the Kosealekte Band’s ancestral lands within the U.S. Forest Service-Modoc National Forest in northeastern California.

The first 907-acre treatment area will include commercial ecological thinning, in which small- and medium-diameter trees are removed from overly dense forests and sold to local mills through a stewardship agreement between Lomakatsi and the Modoc National Forest. This approach increases forest resilience, protects large old trees, supports local wood products infrastructure, and generates revenue for future restoration work. It also provides valuable opportunities to build technical forestry workforce capacity, an important need for large-scale stewardship projects.

In August, a team of 10 Lomakatsi intertribal trainees, experienced foresters, and restoration specialists completed a timber cruise across 88 plots throughout the project area. The data collected will help determine the commercial value of trees removed through restoration treatments and support the solicitation of bids from industry partners. Along the way, trainees gained hands-on experience using forestry tools, establishing plots, applying standardized cruise protocols, and marking trees for treatment.

We are grateful to the crew for their hard work and to Accenture Corporate Citizenship for funding an advanced forestry training module for intertribal crew members. Check out these photos from last week: trees marked with orange paint will remain, while trees marked with blue paint are designated for harvest as part of the restoration treatment.

The Corps Network

08/28/2026

It’s National Park Week! 🌲

This National Park Week, we're celebrating the parks and public lands that inspire us, connect us to our shared history, and remind us of our responsibility to care for the places we cherish.

We're especially grateful for the partnerships that make this stewardship possible. Through our Master Cooperative Agreement with the National Park Service, Lomakatsi is honored to bring capacity to ecological restoration, wildfire resilience, Tribal workforce development, and youth education efforts that strengthen both landscapes and communities.

In eastern Oregon's John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Tribal youth restored native plant communities, enhanced riparian areas and springs, and collected native seed for future restoration efforts. They worked alongside NPS staff and other natural resource specialists through the Tribal Stewards program—a collaboration between the Burns Paiute Tribe, Lomakatsi, Oregon Natural Desert Association, and numerous agency and community partners.

At Crater Lake National Park, 20 high school-age Rogue Valley youth learned about botany, fire ecology, and fish habitat management during the summer while contributing to fuel hazard reduction through Lomakatsi’s Ashland Watershed Youth Ecological Training and Employment Program.

Through our developing collaboration with Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, we’re building the foundation for an Indian Youth Service Corps program in southern Idaho, creating opportunities for Tribal youth and young adults to earn industry-recognized certifications, gain hands-on restoration experience, and pursue careers in natural resource stewardship.

These experiences help connect the next generation of stewards to the lands, stories, and natural resources that make our national parks so special.

National Parks are more than destinations. They are living landscapes situated across an array of Tribal aboriginal lands—places that preserve cultural heritage, support wildlife, inspire learning, and provide opportunities for people to build meaningful connections with the natural world. This week, we celebrate the partnerships, knowledge, and dedication that help ensure these treasured places continue to thrive for generations to come.

The Corps Network Gray Family Foundation Roundhouse Foundation

08/18/2026

Hammawi Band, Lomakatsi, and Symbiotic Restoration Join Forces to Build Beaver Dam Analogs and Restore Stream Habitat

Through our growing partnership with the Hammawi Band of the Pit River Tribe, Lomakatsi deployed a six-person inter-tribal crew, including ecocultural specialists from the Hammawi Band, to the Canyon Creek Meadow project—joining restoration specialists from Symbiotic Restoration Group who are managing this riparian reconnect effort on private lands.

Together, we constructed beaver dam analogs (BDAs) and supported riparian restoration within the ancestral homelands of the Hammawi Band in the Upper Pit River watershed of Modoc County, California. This work is part of a broader partnership with Symbiotic Restoration to build approximately 100 BDAs along Canyon Creek, working to reinvigorate habitat and support the beavers already active in the watershed.

Modoc County’s meadow systems have been heavily impacted by channel incision, drought, loss of natural beaver wetlands, and encroachment of upland vegetation. Inspired by the many benefits of natural beaver dams, BDAs help reverse these trends by:

• Slowing water and reconnecting creeks to floodplains

• Rehydrating soils and maintaining groundwater-wetland connections

• Capturing sediment and increasing channel complexity

• Enhancing habitat for fish, amphibians, birds, beavers, and other culturally important species

• Strengthening resilience in drought-prone landscapes

We’re proud of the hard work and stewardship demonstrated by our inter-tribal crews and grateful for our partnerships with the Hammawi Band that make this work possible. We appreciate the opportunity to work under the guidance of Symbiotic Restoration and are honored to be invited into the project they are leading. We’re also grateful to Jonas Philanthropies for providing a grant to Lomakatsi that helps make this project possible.
🦫🌎🐟

08/12/2026

Lomakatsi Crews Support Wildland Fire Response Across the Region

Since late July, Lomakatsi's Engine and Hand Crews have provided additional capacity for regional wildland fire response efforts.

Fire season accelerated in mid-July, with a cluster of more than 2,000 lightning strikes igniting dozens of fires across Oregon. High winds, hot temperatures, and low humidity pushed some of these fires into large incidents, requiring sustained support from firefighting crews across the region.

Lomakatsi’s Type 6 Engine Crew began the season contributing to coordinated response efforts on the Hay Creek Complex in north-central Oregon. Our Type 2 Wildland Fire Hand Crew was dispatched by Oregon Department of Forestry to the Ridge Vista Fire near Cave Junction, where they operated as a self-sufficient resource—commuting home each day when conditions allowed and spiking out when extended operational periods required.

So far this season, Lomakatsi crews have served as part of wildfire response teams on:

🔥 Ridge Vista Fire — Cave Junction, Oregon

🔥 Hay Creek Complex — Central Oregon

🔥 Rowe Complex — Central Oregon

🔥 Sinlahekin Fire — Northeastern Washington

🔥 Woodrat Fire — Applegate Valley, Oregon

🔥 Gold Mountain Fire — Douglas County, Oregon

The Hand Crew was assigned to the Gold Mountain Fire this morning following a five-day shift on the Woodrat Fire in the Applegate Valley, where a 10-person crew worked the night shift focused on mop-up while a 20-person crew supported daytime operations.

The Engine remains assigned to the Sinlahekin Fire, supplying hand crews with water and securing fire lines. Two of our recent Inter-Tribal Oregon Conservation Corps (Oregon Youth Works) graduates—a graduate from the most recent cohort and one from a previous cohort—are working alongside a seasoned Engine Boss, covering several divisions across the fire footprint on the eastern edge of the Okanogan National Forest. Three additional recent OCC graduates have joined the Hand Crew.

When not responding to wildfire, these crews put their skills to work during the shoulder seasons, helping reduce hazardous fuels and improve landscape resilience. We’re excited to continue building capacity through our OCC, Inter-Tribal Indian Youth Service Corps, and Inter-Tribal Fire & Forestry Training Programs. Crew members are gaining experience across multiple crews and projects on public, Tribal trust, municipal and provate lands, building the skills, qualifications, and experience needed to strengthen the region’s forestry, reatoration and wildfire workforce.

We’re proud of the dedication, professionalism, and hard work our crews bring during an increasingly demanding wildfire season. Thank you to our crews and to all the firefighters, incident management teams, local contractors, agencies, and partners working together to protect communities and natural resources.

08/04/2026

2026 Tribal Stewards in Action: Another Year Caring for Land and Community

The 2026 Tribal Stewards crew will soon wrap up an eight-week program, contributing to ecological restoration projects across the ancestral lands of the Wadatika Band of Northern Paiute, Burns Paiute Tribe. Along the way, crew members have gained valuable field experience while supporting emergency response efforts when called upon.

The crew recently assisted with evacuation efforts for the Burns Paiute Tribe during the Second Flat Fire in late July. We’re incredibly proud of this dedicated crew for stepping up in service to the community and restoring the ecocultural landscapes of eastern Oregon through the Tribal Stewards program.

Lomakatsi has partnered with the Burns Paiute Tribe, Oregon Natural Desert Association, and many dedicated agency and community partners for the past three years to operate the Tribal Stewards program. This year, the program employed five Tribal and rural young adults, along with two Tribal crew leaders and mentors, who developed practical skills in ecological restoration, cultural stewardship, and natural resource management while exploring meaningful career pathways in conservation.

Guided by Lomakatsi tribal staff and technical specialists, Burns Paiute tribal elders, ONDA staff and trainers, and other natural resource professionals, participants worked on a wide range of projects, including native seed collection for post-fire recovery, invasive w**d removal, native plant propagation, fisheries monitoring and management, bird banding and surveys, bat emergence counts, vegetation surveys, and tule harvesting to create traditional duck decoys. They also contributed to the Burns Paiute Tribe’s food sovereignty efforts through community garden maintenance and site preparation to improve access to traditional foods, medicines, and gathering areas.

Due to smoke from active wildfires, during weeks six and seven the crew was reassigned from projects at Pine Creek Conservation Area and beaver dam analog work at Hart Mountain Wildlife Refuge to conduct Genetic Site Stocking Surveys on the U.S. Forest Service - Fremont-Winema National Forest near Chiloquin, OR. This technical reforestation assessment and training included measuring seedling survival, stocking density, and overall tree health—critical data for guiding reforestation efforts and increasing the U.S. Forest Service's capacity to complete regeneration and survival surveys in priority areas.

The reassignment also created an opportunity for cross-regional skill development through peer-to-peer learning alongside Lomakatsi's Inter-Tribal Indian Youth Service Corps (IYSC). Through the program, participants earned 366 of the 640 hours needed for Public Land Corps hiring eligibility, taking them one step further toward long-term careers in natural resource stewardship.

We’re especially grateful to the Burns Paiute Tribal Council and community, ONDA, the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon State University, Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Bird Alliance of Oregon, Roundhouse Foundation, and all of our partners for making this program possible. Together, we’re creating opportunities for the next generation of natural resource professionals while building healthier ecosystems and stronger communities.

📷Lomakatsi Restoration Project

📷 Ian Snyder, Stewardship Technician with Friends of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge

07/21/2026

Check out this Jefferson Public Radio article highlighting the Klamath Siskiyou Oak Network and our collaborative work to restore oak ecosystems. It's a great example of what can be accomplished when partners come together around a shared vision—creating more resilient landscapes, supporting wildlife, and strengthening communities. 🌳🤝

🔗 https://www.opb.org/article/2026/07/14/southern-oregon-collaboration-trying-bring-back-oak-trees-landscape/?fbclid=IwY2xjawTMozZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFUUkVHMDhub091VW9JcGZuc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHnR2awiskbE3OIsmAHQ1-APVLuN1qLb2py1KySkjIjLdbCOWvZnyt7IyS6H0_aem_8xIlQydYDdjJkxX6hbG0Bw

Take a look at these photos of our crews in action, bringing our shared vision to life through hands-on restoration and creating tangible benefits for the land, wildlife, and communities we serve.

07/10/2026

Congratulations and Thank You to Graduates of the 2026 Ashland Watershed Youth Ecological Training & Employment Program

We’re proud to celebrate another incredible group of Rogue Valley youth, ages 16-18, for completing Lomakatsi’s 14th Annual Ashland Watershed Youth Ecological Training & Employment Program!

Over the past month, these dedicated crew members gained hands-on ecosystem restoration experience, built new skills, and made a meaningful impact caring for the forests and waterways of southern Oregon. As they reflected on their experiences during Thursday’s graduation, many shared how the program shaped their confidence, strengthened their connections to the land, and inspired future education and career pathways.

A huge thank you to our crew leaders John Cymore and Rhiannon Ahimsa, and to the many instructors who shared throughout the program for their guidance, encouragement, and commitment to creating such a meaningful experience for every participant. We also thank City of Ashland Oregon Mayor Tonya Graham and Ashland Fire & Rescue Forestry Officer Chris Chambers for joining Lomakatsi leadership at the celebration to share words of inspiration with the crew and hear about their experiences.

We are deeply grateful to the many partners who shared their knowledge and expertise throughout the program, and to our 2026 funders, including U.S. Forest Service- Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, The Ford Family Foundation, Gray Family Foundation, National Forest Foundation, and Rogue Workforce Partnership, for making this opportunity possible. Thank you for investing in the next generation of environmental stewards!

Here are some photos from the program’s final week. We wish all the youth a fantastic summer!

07/03/2026

Ashland Youth Crew Week 3: Exploring Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Fire & Fuels Management

🔥 The Ashland Watershed Youth Ecological Training & Employment program concluded its third week with a focus on fire and fuels management. Participants visited Crater Lake National Park, where they practiced building fire line while learning about fire management from National Park Service Forestry Technician Scott Wickham.

🪶 Lomakatsi Tribal Partnership Program Staff -
Crew members began the week learning about Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ITEK) and ecocultural restoration with Lomakatsi Tribal Partnerships Director Belinda Brown (Kosealekte Band of the Pit River Tribe, Northern Paiute descendant), Cultural Resource Specialist Virginia Amoroso (Ajumawi Band of the Pit River Tribe, Shasta descendant), and Abe Jacobs (Kosealekte Band of the Pit River Tribe). ITEK lessons introduce crew members to traditional subsistence resource management, First Foods, and place based knowledge of plants, animals, and natural phenomena, as well as traditional technologies—including the use of fire—for sustainable cultivation of natural resources as part of interconnected ecological, social, and spiritual systems. Crew members also learned about cultural resource protection measures essential to responsible land stewardship.

🐦 Klamath Bird Observatory Senior Research Biologist Sarah Rockwell led the youth through an ornithology lesson at the Ashland Pond Riparian and Ecocultural Restoration Project in City of Ashland Oregon—an ideal outdoor classroom for learning about birds as important indicators of ecosystem health.

🌲Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative (SOFRC) Education Program Coordinator Sofia Maciel led a fire ecology lesson at Shan Apple, where participants assessed fuel types, explored various treatment methods, and practiced using tools of the trade, including D-tapes for measuring diameter at breast height (DBH), transect tapes, loppers, and hand saws.

⛰️ Located on the U.S. Forest Service- Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest along a ridgeline in Josephine County separating the Illinois Valley from the Applegate Valley, the Shan Apple project gave participants insight into how restoration projects are strategically designed to reduce the risk of severe wildfire. By thinning overly dense stands of trees and preparing the landscape to receive beneficial fire, these projects help protect both ecosystems and nearby communities.

🔎 During the program's final week, participants are slated to visit to the Upper Applegate Watershed for a post-burn monitoring and technical forestry lesson with Lomakatsi’s Technical Team, return to Siskiyou Mountain Park for one more day of trail maintenance, take a field trip to the Klamath Dam Removal Project, and wrap up the program with a graduation day hike. We look forward to celebrating with these youth and recognizing all their hard work throughout the program.

Wishing everyone a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July weekend!

07/02/2026

Honoring Wildland Firefighters on National Wildland Firefighter Day

July 2 is National Wildland Firefighter Day, a day to honor the wildland firefighters, support staff, and contractors who serve and protect our communities and landscapes across the country.

Every fire season, these dedicated professionals step into some of the most challenging terrain, often spending weeks away from home and family. Wildland fire crews contribute countless hours each year managing beneficial fire, reducing wildfire risk, and responding to dangerous wildfires. Our communities, forests, and natural resources depend on their skill, commitment, and sacrifice.

Each June, crews across the region transition from ecological fuels reduction and prescribed fire to wildland fire response. We are grateful to all our crew members for their year-round dedication to creating healthier forests and more resilient communities. Lomakatsi's Wildland Fire Hand Crews and Engine are now available for 2026 wildland fire assignments, standing ready to support wildfire response efforts throughout the season.

Our thoughts are with the crews currently deployed on wildfire incidents throughout North America. We thank every firefighter, dispatcher, aviation crew member, equipment operator, incident support specialist, and contractor working to protect lives, communities, and landscapes during this fire season.

July 2 also falls during the annual Week of Remembrance (June 30–July 6), when the wildland fire community reflects on the lessons learned from line-of-duty fatalities. Within that solemn context, National Wildland Firefighter Day is an important opportunity to recognize the courage, professionalism, and dedication of those who continue to serve.

As we head into the Fourth of July weekend, we also ask everyone to do their part to help prevent human-caused wildfires. Fireworks, unattended campfires, dragging trailer chains, discarded ci******es, and other preventable ignition sources can have devastating consequences during fire season. Celebrate responsibly, follow local fire restrictions, and help protect our communities, forests, and the firefighters who put themselves in harm's way to keep us safe.

Thank you to all who answer the call. Stay safe this fire season, and have a safe and responsible Fourth of July weekend.

06/26/2026

Week 2 Update: Checking in with the Ashland Watershed Youth Program training and employing youth across the Rogue Valley

This week, participants in our Ashland Watershed Youth Ecological Training & Employment program traversed southern Oregon working, learning, and earning!

They restored trails and removed invasive species at a campground and Star Ranger station on the U.S. Forest Service- Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, maintained planting sites at the Ashland Pond Post-Fire Restoration & Ecocultural Stewardship Project on City of Ashland Oregon lands, and cleaned native seeds for restoration under the guidance of The Understory Initiative during a visit to The Selberg Institute.

A field presentation with Ashland Fire & Rescue’s Chris Chambers in the The Ashland Forest Resiliency Stewardship Project (AFR) provided a close look at collaborative partnerships, fire ecology, and how the work of these youth crews contributes to ecosystem health and protection of important natural resources, including drinking water.

Retired smokejumper Gary Buck shared firsthand experiences from his career in wildland fire service during a field trip to the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base Museum in the Illinois Valley. A visit to Eight Dollar Mountain Botanical Wayside also provided an opportunity to learn about rare plant communities and the relationships that support healthy ecosystems.

This week showcased the wide range of career paths within the natural resource sector—from botanical science to recreation management, riparian restoration, wildland firefighting, and more.

Now in its 14th year, this program continues to build on AFR in the Ashland Watershed and grow across the Rogue Valley. Participants in this year’s program represent many local communities, including nine different high schools, homeschool, and independent learning pathways toward a GED.

We are proud to see these young people working together as a team, putting their hands on the land to support ecosystem and community resilience, and exploring careers in natural resource stewardship.

Address

645 Washington Street
Ashland, OR
97520

Telephone

+15414880208

Website

http://www.lomakatsi.org/

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