Task Force Advisory Panel Seeks Input on Northern California Regional Profile
Task Force Advisory Panel Seeks Input on Northern California Regional Profile
In advance of the October 5 Regional Meeting, the Science Advisory Panel is developing the Northern California Regional Profile, a publicly available resource that will summarize the socio-ecological context of the region’s resilience to wildfire. The Panel is requesting those who live, work, or own property in Northern California to participate in a survey to understand regional perspectives on improving ecosystem health and community resilience to wildfire. The survey is open until Tuesday, August 1, 2023.
USFS and CAL FIRE Conserve Private Forestland in California
Significant New Investments in Forest Conservation
Conservation of working landscapes is essential in the biodiversity and climate goals of the California Wildfire & Forest Resilience Action Plan and supports the State’s goal of conserving at least 30 percent of California’s land and coastal waters by 2030. These important investments by the state and federal Forest Legacy Programs support these goals:
Federal Awards: On June 29, the U.S. Forest Service(USFS) announced 25,110 acres of working forests in California will be conserved between two conservation easements in California thanks to $13 million from the Federal Forest Legacy Program. Nationwide, the USFS invested $188 million to conserve more than 245,000 acres. The Trinity Timberlands project will protect 12,090 acres within Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers National Forests and the 13,020-acre Brushy Mountain project will conserve three miles of the federally designated Wild and Scenic Eel River.
State Grant Solicitation: CAL FIRE’s Forest Legacy Program will fund up to $20 million to protect forest land threatened with conversion to non-forest uses. Under this competitive grant program, CAL FIRE will purchase or accept donations of conservation easements or fee title of productive forest lands to encourage their long-term conservation. The pre-application period closes July 16, 2023.
New State and Federal Investments in Wood Innovations Products
New State and Federal Investments Being Made in Wood Innovations Products
USFS Invests $43 Million in Wood Innovations Projects: The U.S. Forest Service supports innovation in the wood products economy, expansion of wood energy markets, and promotes wood as a sustainable building material. California will receive nearly $3.5 Million to invest in 12 Wood Innovations grants as part of a nationwide $54 million investment. The funded projects will expand modern wood use — as construction material in commercial buildings, as an energy source, and as manufacturing and processing for wood products used in framing homes and more.
CAL FIRE Invests $16 Million in Biomass Energy, Wood Products and Workforce: CAL FIRE’s Wood Products and Bioenergy Program awarded $16 million through 14 grants to non-profits, small business and manufacturing facilities. Grants will allow the subsidized transport or low-value forest biomass, job training opportunities, forestry outreach, and the development or expansion of small forest operations and milling businesses.
USFS Invests Additional $33 Million in Deferred Maintenance Projects in California
USFS Invests Additional $33 Million in Deferred Maintenance Projects in California
On May 16, U.S. Forest Service announced $33 million in funding from the Great American Outdoors Act of 2021 to help support 23 select projects across 12 forests and/or management units in California.
State Agencies Fund Wildfire Resilience, Habitat Restoration and Conservation Projects
State Agencies Fund Wildfire Resilience, Habitat Restoration and Conservation Projects
State Agencies Fund Wildfire Resilience, Habitat Restoration and Conservation Projects:
State Coastal Conservancy $78 Million for Climate Resilience, Public Access, Habitat Restoration and Wildfire Resilience: On June 1, the State Coastal Conservancy approved nearly $78 million for 34 projects to protect and restore coastal lands, increase coastal resilience to climate change, improve public access to the coast, and reduce the impact of wildfire on coastal lands.
SNC Approves $22.5 Million to Build Resilience, Boost Recreation, and Conserve Land: On June 1, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) approved roughly $22.5 million for 24 different projects that will benefit wildfire recovery and forest resilience, expand recreation opportunities, and conserve strategic land throughout California’s Sierra-Cascade region.
USFS Releases New Forest Plans for Sequoia and Sierra National Forests
USFS Releases New Forest Plans for Sequoia and Sierra National Forests
Through a Notice of Plan Approval in the Federal Register, on May 26 the USFS released a final environmental impact statement and final decisions for the Sequoia and the Sierra national forests revised land management plans. The revised plans are strategic guidance documents that will be used to address the challenges of managing complex ecosystems for all forest users over the next 20 years. Each plan was developed with extensive stakeholder involvement and scientific consultation.
CNRA Publishes Annual Report on 30x30 Initiative
CNRA Publishes Annual Report on 30x30 Initiative
30×30 is California’s landmark commitment to conserve 30 percent of the state’s lands and coastal waters by 2030. This important target has launched a collective initiative that leads the world in protecting, restoring and preserving our natural environment. Real, tangible progress is being made toward realizing this goal. On May 18, CNRA released its annual report showing that California added approximately 631,000 acres of conserved land since April 2022, bringing the statewide total to 24.4 percent of lands and 16.2 percent of coastal waters protected. The report details investments of $116 million in 83 different conservation projects, and shows meaningful progress on 79 of the 112 Pathways to 30×30.
USFS Issues Old Growth Technical and Reforestation Strategy Reports
USFS Issues Old Growth Technical and Reforestation Strategy Reports
USDA Forest Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior have worked together on two reports required under Executive Order 14072 (4/27/2022) that calls for strengthening the nation’s forests, communities, and local economies.
Mature and Old-Growth Forests: Definition, Identification, and Initial Inventory on Lands Managed by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management contains the first national inventory of old-growth and mature forests on these lands.
Reforestation Goals and Assessments, and a Climate-Informed Plan to Increase Federal Seed and Nursery Capacity in which DOI and USDA outline an agency-specific target to reforest over 2.3 million acres nationwide by 2030. The report also includes an opportunity assessment of voluntary reforestation (in acres) through federal programs and partnerships.
State and Federal Agencies Make Significant Investments in Urban Greening
State and Federal Agencies Make Significant Investments in Urban Greening
USFS Grants Will Increase Equitable Access to Urban Tree Canopy: The U.S. Forest Service is requesting proposals from entities that are working to provide equitable access to trees and green spaces and the benefits they provide. The funding, made possible by the Inflation Reduction Act, is part of a $1.5 billion investment in the USFS’ Urban and Community Forestry Program. Of the total funding, the USFS is allocating nearly $47 million directly to the Pacific Southwest Region — $43.2 million to California. The application period ends June 1.
CNRA Invests Over $47 Million in Urban Greening: On April 6, the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) awarded 23 grants totaling $47.5 million through the Urban Greening Grant Program. The selected projects will create more sustainable communities by using natural and green infrastructure approaches, such as replacing schoolyard asphalt with native trees, plants, pollinator gardens and nature-based outdoor play areas, restoring wetlands or riparian corridors, or constructing new commuter paths to reduce vehicles miles traveled.
Wildfire & Forest Resilience Treatment Tracking and Mapping
Wildfire & Forest Resilience Treatment Tracking and Mapping
At the March 30 Task Force meeting, the Task Force’s Monitoring, Reporting and Assessment Work Group gave an update on their efforts to build an interagency treatment tracker. The group is assembling federal, state, local, private data on planned, active, and completed projects statewide, including those on forests, grasslands, shrublands, and covering approximately 60 different activities (type of work completed). The goals include tracking progress toward state/federal acreage targets; facilitating regional planning and monitoring; and assessing benefits/costs beyond “acres treated.” The Task Force anticipates having a publicly available treatment tracking map and dashboard by summer 2023.