Kurt Kipfmueller is the Morse Alumni Distinguished Professor of Geography, Environment, and Society at the University of Minnesota. He uses the stories encoded in the annual rings of trees to reconstruct past histories of forest landscapes, particularly related to climate variations and disturbance patterns. Professor Kipfmueller’s most recent research centers on developing an understanding of how fires shaped the forest communities of the Great Lakes prior to widespread colonization. Dramatic changes in the culture and ecology of the Great Lakes after colonization including disruptions to landscape stewardship practices and the cultural suppression of Indigenous groups, climate change, and introduced species have placed tremendous pressure on the area. Identifying the intricate relationships between people, forests, and fire using tree rings is one way to help mitigate the impacts of a changing landscape and foster sustainability and resiliency.
TSN Conference 2025:
- January 23rd, 2025 (Thursday) // 3:05 pm – 4:05 pm // Red Cedar // “Setting the Straits on Fire”