Stewardship Pathways Training Held at the Lake Morena Fuel Break Area
- Climate Science Alliance
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
On May 31st, twenty-four community members and partners from the Campo Band of Mission Indians and U.S. Forest Service came together on Kumeyaay lands at the Lake Morena fuel break area located on the Cleveland National Forest in Campo, California. Focused on plant identification, ecological monitoring, and traditional knowledge, this Stewardship Pathways training provided attendees with knowledge and connections to advance collaborative fire stewardship and native plant restoration efforts.
On the last day of May in 2025, twenty-four individuals convened on Kumeyaay lands in Campo, California to visit an active fuel break area along the southern edge of the Cleveland National Forest that is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. This area has undergone a variety of fuels reduction techniques such as pile burning and goat grazing to reduce the “fuel” present—including woody plants like chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum) and low-lying plants like cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum)—with the overall goal of limiting fire spread. For a full decade, the presence of this fuel break area has provided multiple benefits to the Lake Morena community and the surrounding shrubland ecosystem and the broader Cleveland National Forest—the southern range of which directly neighbors the Lake Morena community. On May 31st, the fuel break area provided yet another benefit as a Stewardship Pathways training classroom for partners from Tribal governments, federal agencies, and community members to exchange knowledge, ask questions, and build relationships around land stewardship.
The Stewardship Pathways training—co-hosted with Climate Science Alliance partners at the Campo Band of Mission Indians and U.S. Forest Service—began with a warm welcome from our partners, which included an overview of the location’s collaborative stewardship history and opportunities from the Region 5 Tribal Relations Program Specialist. Then it was time to depart the dirt road and begin our tour of the fuel break area. The air was damp, birds were abound, and attendees were eager to learn about the fuel break. With notebooks and plant identification sheets in hand, attendees first heard from a Forest Botanist with the Cleveland National Forest who shared extensive knowledge about plant identification and demonstrated techniques to assess plant composition, using transects and quadrats to count the different plant species in a certain area as part of ecological monitoring efforts. Next, attendees heard from a U.S. Forest Service Wildlife Biologist who also works within the Cleveland National Forest. They shared about the diversity of wildlife who call these shrubland ecosystems home, including bobcats, Spotted towhees, and Woodland skippers. In addition to providing the Lake Morena community with defensible space and increased access for tactical response from firefighters in the event of wildfires, fuel reduction activities in this area have contributed to an increase in native plant species that support wildlife and provide important ecosystem services.
Halfway through the training, low clouds began to roll in and eventually thunder was heard booming in the distance. For safety reasons, the training was paused and moved offsite to a pergola shelter at the Buckman Springs rest stop. Under the pergola, attendees heard from Mike Connolly, Campo Tribal Member, who highlighted the relationships between the land, plants, and Indigenous fire and land stewardship practices, and emphasized the importance of honoring and integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge within those practices.
The final presentation of the day came from a U.S. Forest Service Forestry Technician who works within the Cleveland National Forest. They demonstrated fuel moisture sampling and how it is used within monitoring efforts to anticipate fire behavior and better understand forestry health. The training concluded with a shared lunch, where attendees came together one more time to build connections, share stories, and continue conversations with the presenters before departing.
This Stewardship Pathways training was developed in partnership with the Campo Band of Mission Indians and the U.S. Forest Service to provide a unique opportunity for attendees to visit and learn from an active fuel break area. By bringing together community, traditional knowledge, and science, we hope the technical skills learned and connections made will continue to foster collaborative co-stewardship actions that benefit our shared lands into the future.
