The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs will host a Huckleberry Habitat Management Workshop this Wednesday, September 23, bringing together tribal members and traditional harvesters to help shape the future stewardship of one of the reservation’s most culturally significant landscapes.
The workshop runs from 10 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. at the Hehe Longhouse in Warm Springs. Attendees will hear presentations on huckleberry ecology and forest habitat management, followed by a facilitated afternoon discussion intended to surface community knowledge, concerns, and priorities around huckleberry stewardship on culturally important gathering grounds.
A Sacred and Sustaining Resource
Huckleberries hold deep cultural and spiritual significance for the Confederated Tribes — the Warm Springs, Wasco, and Northern Paiute peoples — who have harvested the berries for thousands of years from the slopes of the Cascades and reservation highlands. Traditional harvesting practices and intergenerational knowledge about huckleberry habitat have long been central to tribal culture, diet, and ceremony.
The workshop is part of a broader effort by the Tribes’ Natural Resources Department to engage community members in developing long-term management plans for reservation forests and traditional gathering grounds. Presentations and discussions are expected to help prioritize which landscapes receive active management attention in the years ahead.
Drought and Climate Adding Pressure
The workshop comes at a critical moment. The 2026 season has been one of the driest on record for Jefferson County and the reservation, with severe drought gripping the region since early spring. Huckleberries are sensitive to moisture levels and soil conditions, and prolonged dry years can reduce berry production and stress established plants.
Researchers and tribal natural resource managers have increasingly looked at the role of prescribed fire and strategic forest management in maintaining the open, sunny habitats that huckleberries favor. Early successional areas created through periodic burning or timber management often support the most productive berry patches.
The Confederated Tribes have been recognized nationally for their natural resource stewardship work. Earlier this year, the Tribes received the Wild Sheep Foundation’s Federal Statesman Award for their contributions to bighorn sheep restoration — a program that raised over $760,000 for conservation efforts.
How to Participate
Tribal members and traditional harvesters are encouraged to attend Wednesday’s workshop and share their knowledge and priorities. The gathering is free to attend. For more information, contact the Warm Springs Natural Resources Department or tune in to KWSO 91.9 for updates.
The Hehe Longhouse is located in Warm Springs. The workshop runs 10 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday, September 23.