Eco-cultural Restoration of Riparian Wetlands in California: Case Study of White Root (Carex barbarae Dewey; Cyperaceae)

Abstract

This study defines the cultural and ecological significance of white root (Carex barbarae Dewey; Cyperaceae), and presents a template for eco-cultural restoration, drawing from both Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Scientific Ecological Knowledge. Carex barbarae is an herbaceous perennial understory plant in valley oak riparian woodlands, endemic to California and southern Oregon. Referred to as white root, C. barbarae is an indicator species of both cultural and ecological health. Two-thirds of the California Indian tribes within the range of white root historically tended and managed these sedges for basketweaving. Traditional management by Indian groups resulted in the creation and maintenance of homogeneous patches throughout low-elevation riparian forests of California, maintaining a lawn-like understory and a park-like physiognomy. Gathering and tending practices significantly influenced the distribution, quality and abundance of white root beds on species, community, and landscape scales. Understanding how indigenous people shaped their environment using Traditional Resource Management practices and related ecological effects is integral to successful contemporary restoration of riparian habitats. Understanding the reciprocal relationships between California Indians and their sovereign landscape is important to contemporary indigenous cultures and their identity, resilience, and vitality.