A new study led by researchers from Penn State provides compelling evidence that Indigenous cultural burning significantly influenced the composition of forests in southern New England over the past 5,000 years. Published in the journal Land, the research found that fire-tolerant trees like oak, hickory, and pine were far more abundant near Indigenous settlements, challenging the long-standing debate over whether climate or human activity played a greater role in shaping these ecosystems.
The study compared historical Indigenous settlement locations, climate data, and tree pollen records to analyze forest composition. Results showed that forests near Native American villages consisted of 86% to 91% fire-tolerant species, compared to 66% to 82% in areas farther away. This pattern was particularly pronounced in cooler regions where oak-pine forests transitioned to northern hardwoods.
Cultural burning, along with other land management practices like clearing for agriculture and trails, promoted fire-adapted trees that produced nuts and acorns, key food sources for Indigenous communities and wildlife. The researchers also examined paleocharcoal data, which revealed evidence of repeated low- to low-to-moderate-intensity fires near settlements.
Marc Abrams, a co-author of the study and professor emeritus at Penn State, emphasized the ecological impact of fire exclusion after European colonization. Without regular burns, forests became denser, and shade-tolerant species like maple, beech, and birch began to dominate, a process known as mesophication.
“These results strongly suggest that Native Americans extensively used fire to manage their environment, directly and indirectly promoting fire-adapted trees,” said Abrams. He added, “Without fire, succession leads to closed-canopy forests where mesophytic species take over, undermining oak regeneration.”
The study underscores the lasting ecological legacy of Indigenous land management practices and their role in maintaining biodiversity. As debates continue about forest management and conservation, the findings highlight the importance of integrating traditional knowledge with modern science to restore and sustain healthy ecosystems.
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