Trouble in the Forest: California Communities' Perspectives of Restoration, Fire, and Wilderness

The concepts of restoration, wilderness, and wildfire in California are widely debated and multi-faceted. Because these concepts come with preconceived notions, the proposed idea of post-fire restoration in Sequoia National Park has inevitably encountered opposition. This specific restoration has faced conflict due to the location being designated wilderness. This prompts a question of authority when it comes to post-fire restoration. Who ultimately gets to decide if restoration will take place and what that restoration will look like? This project attempts to start the process of answering these questions by interviewing local residents of varying backgrounds around Sequoia National Park. Through these interviews we aim to gain insight into community perceptions of wilderness, restoration, wildfire, and land stewardship. It is our goal to analyze these interviews through the lens of social, economic, and policy conflict as it relates to people's preconceived notions of the situation regarding restoration and wildfire in wilderness and national parks in general.