Two New Films Showcase Paths to Heal CA’s Relationships with Fire and Watersheds
New Films Showcase Paths Forward to Heal California’s Relationships with Fire and Watersheds
MATTAAW: The Fire Within Us
A powerful, Indigenous-led research documentary created by the Condor Visual Media team with support from the Climate Science Alliance, this film documents the cultural, emotional, and scientific relationships of Southern California Tribes with the gift of fire. The film features cultural practitioners who were part of a panel on Cultural Fire and Indigenous Stewardship at our recent Southern California Task Force meeting. The project is still in production with an anticipated release in Spring 2024. However, you can watch the informative and inspiring 12-minute extended trailer now! Learn more about the project and donate here.
California’s Watershed Healing
Documenting how restoring forests to healthier densities has cascading benefits starting from headwaters to watersheds and ultimately to the state’s water supply, this beautiful film features an array of Task Force partners and makes a compelling case for California to better align goals for forest, wildfire, watershed, and landscape resilience. The full-length film created by UC’s Center for Ecosystem Climate Solutions and the nonprofit Chronicles Group is available to watch here.
Partnered Efforts Will More Than Double Firefighting Capability of Redding Air Attack Base
Partnered Efforts Will More Than Double Firefighting Capability of Redding Air Attack Base
On April 25, the US Forest Service and partners, including the Army Corps of Engineers and the City of Redding, will celebrate the completion of Phase 1 in a five-year, $28 million project to expand airtanker loading capabilities by 132% at the Redding Interagency Air Attack Base. The upgrades allow for simultaneous loading of five aircraft, up from two, and increases the base’s fire-retardant loading capacity from 3 million to 6 million gallons. This base is vital in providing initial and extended attack for wildfires across California and the western United States.
US Department of Labor Awards $2.9M for Clean-Up & Recovery After Northern California’s 2021 Wildfires
US Department of Labor Awards $2.9M for Clean-Up & Recovery After Northern California’s 2021 Wildfires
On March 25, the US Department of Labor announced the incremental award of more than $2.9 million to continue supporting disaster-relief employment and employment training services for residents as the state continues to recover from the wildfires that devastated several Northern California communities between July and October, 2021. The grant allows the state to provide temporary jobs for debris removal and forest restoration activities in Lassen, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Tehama and Trinity counties, including employment and training services for eligible people in the affected areas. This award builds on a previous award from 2022 and brings the department’s total award to California to $5,936,700.
USFS Investments to Help Landowners Access Climate Markets
USFS Investments to Help Landowners Access Climate Markets
On March 15, the USFS announced it is investing nearly $145 million from the Inflation Reduction Act to connect forest landowners with emerging climate markets. This will expand access to markets for underserved and small-acreage forest landowners to address climate change. $32 million will go to organizations with multi-state projects that will impact California.
“Private landowners are key in the fight for climate resilience and forest health,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “These investments announced today will expand access to markets that were previously out-of-reach, allowing underserved and small-acreage forest landowners to address climate change, while also supporting rural economies and maintaining land ownership for future generations.”
SNC Celebrates 20 Years of Impact and Awards $27.5 Million to Forest Resilience & Community Protection Projects
SNC Celebrates 20 Years of Impact and Awards $27.5 Million to Forest Resilience & Community Protection Project
The Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) released a report of accomplishments made with its partners over the past 20 years. SNC is keeping up the good work with the announcement of $27.5 million to 16 different projects that help with the planning and implementation of forest-health efforts that promote recovery and resilience throughout the Sierra-Cascade. Of the 16 projects awarded, eight went to the implementation of shovel-ready projects in Amador, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou, and Tulare counties.
Fire Adapted Communities (FAC) Baseline Assessment Released
Fire Adapted Communities (FAC) Baseline Assessment Released
The Task Force FAC Work Group released a Baseline Assessment as part of the FAC Roadmap and Dashboard Project. The purpose of the project is to provide a strategic plan for fire-adapted and resilient communities, based on a holistic and shared vision for FAC. The Baseline Assessment documents a broad sampling of the FAC-related research, actions, and efforts being taken across California to identify and address critical gaps to achieving the FAC vision and goals which will be considered for the ultimate Roadmap and Dashboard deliverables to be developed later in the project.
Governor Newsom Introduces 2024-2025 Budget
Governor Newsom Introduces 2024-2025 State Budget Proposal
On January 10, 2024, the Governor introduced a budget proposal that closes a $37.86 billion shortfall while protecting key investments in education, public safety, addressing homelessness, mental health care reform, and climate action. PENDING approval from Dept of Finance With regard to wildfire and forest resilience, the budget proposal maintains most of the previously available $2.8 billion in funding from last year, with a reversion of $100.7 million General Fund for various wildfire programs and an increased funding timeline from 4 years to 5 years.
Planscape Adds All Four CA Regions and Launches Plan Journey
Planscape Adds All Four CA Regions and Launches Plan Journey
Planscape is a free decision support tool built to maximize wildfire resilience and ecological benefits across California. Planscape has expanded its coverage to Northern California and now offers statewide coverage. The recently launched Plan journey helps determine the best locations for land treatment. Planscape is a collaborative effort by the California Natural Resources Agency, the US Forest Service, The University of California, and Spatial Informatics Group (SIG) with support from Google.org.
Reforestation Pipeline Report Released
Reforestation Pipeline Report Released
On January 31, the Task Force Reforestation Work Group released a report that outlines strategies to ensure California has the capacity to actively reforest lands impacted by wildfires, drought, and pests by offering solutions to address critical supply gaps through a Reforestation Pipeline Partnership. This includes expanding capacity for seed collection and processing, nursery production, project planning and environmental compliance, site preparation, planting, maintenance, and monitoring.
The California Reforestation Pipeline Cooperative will host a March 6 gathering in Williams for presentations and discussion on all lands post-fire restoration.
USFS Awards Stanislaus National Forest $57.6M in FY24 Wildfire Crisis Strategy Landscape Funding
USFS Awards Stanislaus National Forest $57.6M in FY24 Wildfire Crisis Strategy Landscape Funding
Stanislaus National Forest is currently into year three of a ten-year, 305,000-acre project to reduce fuel loads on the forest through a variety of methods to include mechanical thinning and the application of prescribed fire. FY24 funding is part of USFS’ Wildfire Crisis Strategy, which also includes the already underway Social and Ecological Resilience Across the Landscape (SERAL) Project being implemented by Stanislaus National Forest, Tuolumne County and Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions (YSS), a collaborative of 25 local industry, environmental and recreational groups.