California Climate Investments Program Publishes Annual Report
California Climate Investments Program Publishes Annual Report
The 2023 Annual Report to the Legislature from California Climate Investments tracks the impact of California Climate Investments, including estimates of greenhouse gas emissions reductions, benefits from project investments, and data on the benefits to priority populations, and program achievements.
As of November 2022, California Climate Investments programs have implemented over $9.3 billion in addition to $4.3 billion in expenditures by the High-Speed Rail Project for a total of $13.6 billion. Investments are delivering major economic, environmental, and public health benefits for Californians, including meaningful benefits to disadvantaged communities and low‑income communities and households. Roughly half of these implemented funds address concerns faced by priority populations by providing cleaner air, enhanced mobility options, access to clean energy sources, and new employment opportunities.
CDPH Publishes Air Pollution Health Burden Mapping Dashboard
CDPH Publishes California Wildfire Smoke and Air Pollution Health Burden Mapping Dashboard
California Department of Public Health’s dashboard shows the health burden related to air pollution and wildfire smoke. By mapping excess respiratory or cardiovascular-related emergency room visits, the dashboard allows users to visualize the burden in any zip code, as well as how the burden is distributed among races and ages, and proximity to medical facilities, schools, historical wildfires and Air Quality readings. The dashboard is based on data in the publication, Wildfires and the Changing Landscape of Air Pollution-related Health Burden in California. The dashboard was supported in part by a grant from the CAL FIRE’s Forest Health Research Program, as part of California Climate Investments.
Planscape now lives on the Task Force website
Planscape Now Lives on the Task Force Website
A collaborative effort between CA Natural Resources Agency, USFS, UC Berkeley, Spatial Informatics Group and Google.org, Planscape is a decision support tool that empowers regional planners to prioritize resilience treatments across the landscape and inform the funding process. Planscape partners provided a demonstration of the tool at the March 30 Task Force meeting. This version of the tool is available for beta testing, with the region-specific scenarios released this summer through fall.
RESOURCES
Public Comment Sought on Proposal to List California Spotted Owl
Photo Courtesy of Anastasia Stanish
Public Comment Sought on Proposal to List California Spotted Owl
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is proposing to list two distinct population of the California Spotted Owl under the Endangered Species Act: the Coastal-Southern California DPS as endangered and the Sierra Nevada DPS as threatened. As part of this proposed listing, USFWS is including a 4(d) rule for the Sierra Nevada DPS that exempts the prohibition of take under the ESA for forest fuels management activities that reduce the risk of large-scale high-severity wildfire. USFWS is seeking public comment on the proposed rule through April 24.
USDA Invests More than $48.6 Million to Manage Risks, Combat Climate Change
USDA Invests More than $48.6 Million to Manage Risks, Combat Climate Change
USDA will invest more than $48.6 million this year through the Joint Chief’s Landscape Restoration Partnership for 14 projects that mitigate wildfire risk, improve water quality, restore forest ecosystems, and ultimately contribute to USDA’s efforts to combat climate change. Under the Joint Chiefs’ Partnership, the USDA Forest Service (USFS) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) co-invest in areas where public forests and grasslands intersect with privately-owned lands. An award of $3.3 million was awarded to a phase three project focused on fire resilience in Trinity County. The project will address high-risk cross-boundary threats by strategically treating forests on both private and national forestlands, and it will address new threats created by 2020 and 2021 wildfires.
$117 Million Available for Schoolyard Greening Projects
$117 Million Available for Schoolyard Greening Projects
A historic level of funding is available to provide shade and nature for California schools and communities through CAL FIRE’s Green Schoolyard Grants program. $117 million is available for both planning and implementation of projects that will improve nature and tree canopy cover on California K-12 public school campuses and nonprofit childcare facilities. CAL FIRE’s Urban & Community Forestry Program will accept applications until April 14, 2023.
Recap of The Southern California Regional Meeting
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL MEETING RECAP
February 2, 2023
Nearly 350 people gathered at the King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas on February 2 for updates and in-depth panel discussions focused on the unique challenges in balancing the protection of the region’s forests and shrublands with community protection from the increased threat of wildfires. Sponsored and hosted by Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and Mountains and Recreation Conservation Authority, the meeting brought together a wide range of experts and Task Force agency partners.
If you couldn’t make it in person, or missed the real-time webinar, video recordings are available below.
REGIONAL MEETING AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS
- Balancing Priorities in A Complex Landscape: A panel of experts discussed Southern California’s unique landscapes, ecosystems and fire dynamics. The Task Force Interagency Science Team then introduced the Southern California Regional Resource Kit to support efficient and effective planning and prioritization.
- Key Issues & Priorities: A panel of regional leaders highlighted the prime issues they deal with in managing fire and landscape resilience in Southern California. Topics included minimizing ignition reduction, fuelbreaks and forest conservation, workforce development, and structure and infrastructure resilience.
- Regional Investment Strategy & Next Steps: A highlight of the February 2 meeting was the announcement of a multi-agency, $70 million investment in Southern California to support regional landscape and community protection programs. Regional partners responded to this funding commitment with a pledge to formalize their strategic coordination with the outcome being a process to develop and implement a Southern California-wide pipeline of shovel ready projects.
Tribal Blessing & Opening Remarks
• Rudy Ortega, Santa Monica Mts. Conservancy
• Alan Salazar, Tribal Elder
Opening Remarks
• Wade Crowfoot, CNRA
• Jennifer Eberlien, USFS
• Task Force Executive Committee
Director’s Report
Director’s Report
• Patrick Wright
Balancing Priorities In A Complex Landscape
Balancing Priorities In A Complex Landscape
• Moderator: Steven Ostoja, USDA California Climate Hub
• Nicole Molinari, USFS
• Daniel Berlant, CAL FIRE
• Jon Keeley, USGS
• John Battles, UC Berkeley
A panel of experts discussed Southern California’s unique landscapes, ecosystems and fire dynamics. The Task Force Interagency Science Team introduced new tools for practitioners.
Key Issues & Priorities
Key Issues & Priorities
• Moderator: Michael O’Connell, Irvine Ranch Conservancy
• Scott Tangenberg, USFS
• Susie Kirschner, Inland Empire RCD
• Stan Hill, RCD of Greater San Diego
• Rorie Skei, Santa Monica Mts. Conservancy
- Ignition Reduction
- Structure and Infrastructure Resilience
- Strategic Fuelbreaks and Forest Conservation
- Workforce Development
A panel of Southern California regional leaders highlighted key issues and discussed how they are aligning priorities and meeting shared goals.
Regional Investment Strategy & Next Steps
Regional Investment Strategy & Next Steps
• Moderator: Forest Schafer, Task Force
• Sherry Hazelhurst, USFS
• Matthew Reischman, CAL FIRE
• Keali’i Bright, Dept. of Conservation
• Ann Baldridge, RCD of Greater San Diego
Task Force partners will introduce the Regional Investment Strategy and provide funding updates.
Final Remarks
• Task Force Co-Chairs
Survey Detects 36 Million Dead Trees in California
Survey Detects 36 Million Dead Trees in California
On February 7, the U.S. Forest Service published the 2022 Aerial Detection Survey report providing an annual estimate of tree mortality. The survey revealed about 36.3 million trees across 2.6 million acres of federal, state and private land died in California in 2022. The central Sierra Nevada Range and areas further north showed the highest mortality rates with true firs being the most impacted.
These data points mark an increased level of mortality compared to 2021 due to the cumulative impacts of extended drought, overstocked forest conditions, insect outbreaks, and disease.
“Forest health is a top priority for the Forest Service,” said Jennifer Eberlien, Regional Forester for the Pacific Southwest Region. “The agency’s 10-year strategy to address the wildfire crisis includes removal of dead and dying trees in the places where it poses the most immediate threats to communities.”
Unique Coalition Unites to Restore California's Giant Sequoias
Unique Coalition Unites to Restore California's Giant Sequoias
Giant Sequoia Land Coalition Brings Together Government Agencies, Tribes and Environmental Groups To Save Iconic Trees
California has lost nearly a fifth of its population of giant sequoias to wildfires over the past few years, according to a 2021 report.
Over the past year, however, the Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition has treated more than 15,000 acres of forest land in and around the groves. By sharing their knowledge and working to better treat forest areas where groves of giant sequoias can be found, the group is working to make these titans more resilient to future massive wildfires.
CARB Releases Final 2022 Scoping Plan
CARB Releases Final 2022 Scoping Plan
On November 16, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) released the 2022 Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality (2022 Scoping Plan), which will be presented to the CARB Board on December 15, 2022. The 2022 Scoping Plan lays out a path to achieve targets for carbon neutrality and reduce anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 85 percent below 1990 levels no later than 2045. Significant reductions in fossil fuel combustion will be achieved by deploying clean technologies and fuels, requiring further reductions in short-lived climate pollutants, supporting sustainable development, employing technology to capture and store carbon, and taking increased action on natural and working lands to reduce emissions and sequester carbon.