Whose Hands are on the Land?

Understanding the forest and fire stewardship economy in the Northwest

Latino workers increasingly find employment as laborers in Pacific Northwest forests — performing labor-intensive forest and fire stewardship work. The Latinx forest workforce now represents the majority of forest service workers. These workers include native-born and naturalized U.S. citizens, multi-generational U.S. residents and business owners, foreign temporary laborers (on H-2B visas), and undocumented workers.

The Latinx workforce has its history in reforestation and was often employed as tree planters known as pineros. Today, they continue to play a pivotal role in improving forest resiliency and reducing wildfire risk through labor-intensive activities. Activities can include cutting trees, clearing brush, removing noxious weeds, implementing prescribed fire, and responding to wildfire incidents.

Although state and federal agencies have come to depend on the growing Latinx workforce to implement much of these labor-intensive activities, Latino forest workers face:

• Unsafe working conditions
• Inequitable wage practices
• Violations of worker rights
• Limited opportunity for advancement
• Lack of recognition and inclusion in decision-making.

As policies are made, funding invested and manuscripts written — all typically far from the woods — these workers’ hands are on the land. Hands on the Land aims to support and inform the engagement between workers, practitioners and researchers. Engagement that is both practical and mutual.