Using the Stories from Tree Rings to Better Understand Fire, Climate, and People Relationships in the Upper Great Lakes

Michigan State University - 2025-26 Forests and Climate Learning Exchange Series

March 4, 2026 at 3pm ET

Presenter: Dr. Kurt Kipfmueller, 1855 Professor of Indigenous and Tribal Natural Resource Management, Michigan State University

Tree-rings are important sources of information for understanding environmental changes since their growth patterns are influenced by variations in their surrounding environment. This presentation will explore how the stories encoded in tree rings can be used to better understand how fire in the Great Lakes has shaped forests and been influenced by direct indigenous stewardship. I will provide examples from Great Lakes landscapes to illustrate how merging the stories from tree-rings and people can provide greater context for understanding change and serve as a guide for restoring important human-environment relationships.