North Yuba Forest Partnership receives $1.13 million for Forest Health & Wildfire Resilience Projects in the Yuba Watershed
NEVADA CITY, Calif. (Nov. 18, 2020) –The North Yuba Forest Partnership has entered into an agreement to receive $1.13 million to plan future forest health and wildfire resilience treatments within the North Yuba River watershed. This funding originated from the US Forest Service’s Fireshed Program.
“We are absolutely thrilled,” said Melinda Booth, Executive Director for the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL). SYRCL is one of the Partnership’s leading organizations for restoration planning and project management. “This funding couldn’t be better timed or more appreciated. It will enable us to develop the restoration plan to restore the North Yuba River watershed- 275,000 acres. In light of the extreme fire season Californians are experiencing this year, we recognize more than ever the importance of restoring health and resiliency to our forests, for nature and people alike.”
The Fireshed funds will support the Partnership’s landscape-level planning, design, and prioritization efforts. These efforts include assessments for wildlife, botany, cultural resources, and hydrology throughout the North Yuba River watershed as well as upcoming environmental review and analysis. Additionally, funds will cover staff support for project management, meeting facilitation, public outreach, communication, and collaborative management needs.
“The US Forest Service’s Fireshed Program funds build on the existing capacity of staff specialists with the Tahoe National Forest, bringing us close to fully-funding the first phase of the planning process—an important and timely goal,” continued Booth. “This allows the North Yuba Forest Partnership to focus on the task at hand – to protect communities and restore forest health and wildfire resilience within the North Yuba watershed.”
“The Fireshed model and associated funding are relatively new,” said Eli Ilano, Tahoe National Forest Supervisor. “In recent years, researchers in the US Forest Service’s Rocky Mountain Research station created a framework for assessing cross-boundary wildfire risk on National Forests. The areas within this framework that have a higher wildfire risk can be identified and prioritized for fuel management and forest resilience treatments. The North Yuba River watershed was identified as a top priority in California based upon this model and an ideal candidate for Fireshed funding. The strong commitment and collaboration of the North Yuba Forest Partnership will help implement improvements to reduce wildfire risks in this fireshed.”
The North Yuba Forest Partnership is a diverse group of nine organizations committed to using the best available science in planning and implementing landscape-level forest restoration within the North Yuba River watershed.
Explore the North Yuba Forest Partnership Interactive Story Map
To learn more about the North Yuba Forest Partnership and the North Yuba River watershed, please visit the new online interactive story map highlighting the ecological and human values within the watershed, the risks posed by high-severity wildfire, and the treatments that can be used to restore forest health and resilience and protect communities within this 275,000-acre landscape.
To sign up for updates from the North Yuba Forest Partnership, visit www.yubaforests.org.
About NYFP Partners:
- Blue Forest Conservation: An innovative nonprofit organization committed to creating sustainable financial solutions to pressing environmental challenges.
- Camptonville Community Partnership: A nonprofit organization with a mission of rural people working together for a safe, sustainable, and healthy community.
- National Forest Foundation: A nonprofit organization focused on engaging all Americans in promoting the health and enjoyment of our public forests.
- The Nature Conservancy: One of the world’s leading conservation organizations, dedicated to scaling up forest restoration across the Sierra Nevada.
- Nevada City Rancheria: The local tribal unit of the Nisenan people of Northern California, passionate about forest health and management, as it is central to their well-being.
- Sierra County: Positioned at the headwaters of the North Yuba River, Sierra County’s highest priorities include reducing wildfire risk, enhancing forest and watershed health through the implementation of fire resilient treatments, and protecting its rural communities.
- South Yuba River Citizens League: Uniting the community to protect and restore the Yuba River watershed, SYRCL understands that forest health and resilience are essential to a healthy watershed.
- The United States Forest Service – Tahoe National Forest: Sustaining the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation’s forests and managing over 50 percent of the Yuba River watershed, which lies within the Tahoe National Forest.
- Yuba Water Agency: A special district in Yuba County, committed to forest health in the entire Yuba watershed, to ensure a sustainable water supply and reduce the risk of fire for the people of Yuba County.
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