The Forest Keeps Its Own Record: Fire, Science & Stewardship on the East Side of Mount Hood

A Film by Madison Washburn *The Forest Keeps Its Own Record: Fire, Science, and Stewardship on the East Side of Mount Hood* explores what tree rings can tell us about the history of fire and forest development across the diverse landscapes of Mount Hood—and how that history can help us better understand the forests we see today. I created this short documentary as the capstone project for my Master of Forestry degree at Oregon State University’s College of Forestry. During my time at OSU, I worked with the Tree Ring Lab conducting field and laboratory research across Oregon’s forests. Through this film, I wanted to bring viewers into that research process: from collecting tree cores and fire-scarred cross sections in the field to preparing, crossdating, and interpreting those records in the lab. Just as importantly, I wanted to explore how scientific research can contribute to conversations about fire, forests, and stewardship alongside the knowledge and perspectives of the people who live and work in these landscapes. I filmed, produced, narrated, and edited the documentary in collaboration with the Oregon State University Tree Ring Lab, the Hood River Forest Collaborative, and the Wasco County Forest Collaborative. This project was advised by **Dr. Andrew Merschel, Dr. Emily-Jane Davis, and Dr. Kayla Bordelon**. *Project support and sponsorship:* USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station Mt. Hood National Forest, USDA Forest Service Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center Oregon Department of Forestry Wasco County Forest Collaborative Hood River Forest Collaborative National Forest Foundation Wasco County Soil and Water Conservation District Oregon State University College of Forestry Thank you to the many researchers, collaborative members, land managers, community members, and partners who contributed their time, knowledge, and support to this project.