What do the history and symbolism of the apple tree in Washington teach us about our changing relationship with the land, and the tensions and collaborations between Indigenous and settler cultivation practices? 

The apple is Washington's state fruit, but long before settlers introduced cultivated varieties, the Pacific Northwest's only native crabapple or q̓aʔxʷ thrived. In this free webinar, agricultural historian Josiah Pollock, Puyallup Tribal Sustainability Director Kalicia Bean, and Pierce Conversation District's Chris Madden will each share their perspective on what we can learn from the history and current cultivation of the Pacific crabapple and cultivated apple trees in our region. Please join us for this conversation!

This webinar is hosted by Tacoma Tree Foundation and Job Carr Cabin Museum. It is made possible through Tacoma Creates and the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation.

Speaker Bios

Chris Madden, Agroecology Program Coordinator - Chris Madden serves as the Puyallup Tribe’s Agroecology Project Coordinator, bringing extensive expertise in conservation, sustainable agriculture, native plant systems, and environmental stewardship. As a fruit tree specialist, Chris leads the strategic development of the Tribe’s 5-acre Agroecology and Food Sovereignty Hub, an initiative designed to advance climate resilience, sustainable land management, and culturally grounded food systems.

Kalicia Bean, Sustainability Director - Kalicia Bean manages the Sustainability Program for the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, where she leads initiatives focused on environmental stewardship, tribal food systems, and community resilience. With a background in Agricultural Science and Natural Resource Stewardship, her work centers on strengthening Indigenous sustainability, indigenous food sovereignty, and climate adaption. Her work is grounded in collaboration, cultural knowledge, and sustainable community development.

Josiah Pollock, Agricultural Historian - Josiah Pollock is an agricultural historian and Iowa State University Extension professional in organic agriculture. His research couples an understanding of mid-nineteenth century agricultural practice with modern organic farming. A native of the Pacific Northwest, his research is influenced by the agricultural history of The Hudson’s Bay and Puget’s Sound Agricultural Companies at Fort Nisqually and the Cowlitz Farm. He won the University of Washington Tacoma, History Paper Prize in 2018, for his research on the Cowlitz Farm, an important tribal and settler community farm in Washington State.