Huckleberry harvest thrives after ban — a win for conservation and Native rights in Gifford Pinchot

The first huckleberry season since the U.S. Forest Service banned commercial harvesting in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest was a resounding success for conservation of the berries, as well as Native nations’ treaty-reserved rights to gather them.

The Forest Service banned commercial harvesting because it strained already-shrinking huckleberry habitat, and Native gatherers reported threats and harassment from other berry pickers.

Pacific Northwest Native nations already struggle to obtain their traditional foods — including fish, berries, …