YFN: November/December Newsletter

Published 11/1/2023 | South Yuba River Citizens League

Land Acknowledgement

SYRCL works throughout the Yuba River watershed on the Ancestral and Traditional homelands of the Nisenan Tribe, and includes shared boundaries with the Mountain Maidu, Konkow, and Washoe peoples. These tribes have lived here for millennia and live here still. We acknowledge and mourn the painful history of genocide and the devastation of lands and waters irreversibly altered.  We are grateful for opportunities to partner with the tribes to create a shared vision and rebalance our relationship to this place.

Upcoming Events

Join the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe and CHIRP for their 14th annual Nisenan Heritage Day on Saturday, November 4th from 11am – 3pm at Sierra College. They will have speakers, short films, art, and more great opportunities to learn more about the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe, their efforts toward Federal Recognition and much more. There will be a kids area and activities. There will be some snacks and water available. Opening Welcome and introductions begin at 11 AM. Free event. Free parking.

Join NCRCD for a ‘Preparing to Burn’ Workshop! The Nevada County Resource Conservation District invites you to learn how to prepare for a controlled, prescribed burn. Good fire is a tool that reduces uncontrolled wildfire hazard, improves defensible space, promotes biodiversity and restores the health of fire adaptive environments. Join us to learn more about the benefits, safety, and careful planning needed for safe, legal and responsible controlled burns. Learn how to: locate & prepare a burn site, build control lines, what tools to use, prepare the site for safe burning, such as selective pruning and ladder fuel removal . CAL FIRE will join us to discuss permitting requirements. These workshops will include 4 hours of hands-on education at an actual prescribed burn site. Sign-ups and details for each of the workshops are included below. Information on what to bring and wear are included on the sign-up page.

November 4th – You Bet Area, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm at the You Bet FireWise Community. Address to be provided to those who sign up. Event details & Sign Up: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/preparing-to-burn-workshop-tickets-744458554577?aff=oddtdtcreator

November 11th – San Juan Ridge Area, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Address to be provided to those who sign up. Event details & Sign Up : https://www.eventbrite.com/e/preparing-to-burn-workshop-tickets-745606718767?aff=oddtdtcreator

If you have any questions regarding this event or need help signing up, please call the Nevada County Resource Conservation District!

Yuba Watershed Protection & Fire Safe Council: Presenting a documentary film screening on California’s Watershed Healing, directed by James Thebaut on November 8, 2023. Doors open at 6:00 pm. Located at the Alcouffee Center, Oregon House. Free.

Experience the world of wildland firefighting with “Hotshot”, a film directed by Gabriel Kirkpatrick Mann and shot over the course of 6 years. This documentary takes you into the heart of some of California’s most devastating wildfires, offering an unfiltered, close-up look at the challenges faced by Hotshot crews. Meet an inspiring female Hotshot and her crew, who put everything on the line to protect our public lands and communities. Their story, often overlooked, is a testament to human resilience and commitment. More information here. November 14 at 6:30 pm at the Town Hall Theatre. Quincy, CA.

California Forestry Workforce Summit: The Foundation for California Community Colleges’ Resilient Careers in Forestry program presents the California Forestry Workforce Summit from November 6 to November 8, 2023, including a half-day of Pre-Summit field trips and workshops in Anderson, California at the Gaia Hotel and Spa. Register here.

Prescribed-Fire Burn Boss Training: November 6th-10th, 2023. The CAL FIRE-Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) State-Certified Prescribed-Fire Burn Boss is for persons seeking Certification to plan and manage prescribed fire on State or private lands. A State-Certified Prescribed-Fire Burn Boss may possess authority to engage in a prescribed burning operation and to enter into the necessary contracts with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The qualifications are documented in the State Certified Prescribed-Fire Burn Boss Certification Training Standards (CTS).

CalVTP Field Training: on Wednesday, November 1st from 1:00 – 5:00 pm in the Sierra Foothills, Vista Del Rio Project. This is an opportunity to learn about a fuel reduction project at Vista Del Rio in Oakhurst, California. Participants will increase their understanding of how CALFIRE used the CalVTP at Vista Del Rio to facilitate vegetation management and fuels reduction. Participants will complete a field treatment tour of the project area, learning about the different treatment methods used and why they were chosen. Sebastien Cordier, Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit Environmental Scientist at CAL FIRE, and Brian Mattos, Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit Forester at CAL FIRE, will discuss the need for this project, how the treatment zones were selected, and the successes as well as the shortcomings that happened while implementing this project.

Lake Tahoe Defensible Space Training for Landscaping Professionals: This course will include sessions from UNR Extension staff and other experts, covering a wide range of topics related to wildfire risk reduction, better plant choices, fire behavior, horticulture, and more. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from experts in a classroom setting. They will then be able to apply the concepts and knowledge gained during a field site visit, putting theory into practice. Participants who complete this training will be listed on the Tahoe Living With Fire website. Cost: $60. Fees include food, course materials, certificates of attendance and Continuing Education Units.

General News and Press Releases

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) owns a vast portfolio of hydroelectric assets, including the Drum Spaulding project on the Yuba and Bear Rivers, which comprises 24 dams and reservoirs and 7 powerhouses. The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) has been actively involved in the relicensing of this project, advocating for balanced consideration of energy conservation, power generation, water supply, wildlife protection, public benefit, recreational opportunities, and watershed health. Now, PG&E proposes to transfer all its hydroelectric assets to a new company, Pacific Generation (PacGen), a move that SYRCL believes would favor PG&E shareholders at the expense of California ratepayers, the Yuba River, dam safety, and the public interest. This transfer would be the largest of its kind in California’s history and would include 62 powerhouses, 97 reservoirs, 72 diversions, 167 dams, and 400 miles of pipes and canals. PG&E stands to gain $1.1 to $2.5 billion from this deal while transferring the responsibility and liability for these assets to PacGen. The proposal is now before the California Public Utility Commission.

The Nevada County Coalition of Firewise Communities is seeking a Chair for their Steering Committee, please contact Jeff Peach at jeff@nccoalitionfwc.com or any other committee member if you are interested.

CALFIRE: Draft Grant Guidelines are now available on our website for public review and comment. Please send all comments and recommendations by November 8, 2023. Please email ForestHealth@fire.ca.gov with the subject line “Grant Guidelines Public Comment” to ensure your comments are received and reviewed. The Forest Health program is excited to announce 2 grant types to apply for in the upcoming solicitation including Forest Health and Post-Fire Reforestation and Regeneration. CAL FIRE will open the FY 2023-2024 Forest Health grant solicitation on November 13, 2023. Final grant guidelines, applications, supporting documents, and a recorded workshop will be posted on the Forest Health Grantees Resources web page. Applications will be due by 3 p.m. onJanuary 15, 2024.

For questions or concerns, please email ForestHealth@fire.ca.gov

Links: DRAFT Grant Guidelines , Forest Health Grantees Resources

SB 337 was signed into state law. On October 7th, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 337. Authored by Senator Dave Min, SB 337 codifies into law California’s commitment to Protect 30% of land and coastal waters by 2030, ensuring that this goal will exist beyond the Newsom Administration. Here is the link to the coalition news release.

Reforesting California: Landowners, we need your help! Due to wildfires, drought, and pests and pathogens, the state has witnessed large-scale tree mortality across its forests. CAL FIRE is looking for private landowners who can grant access to their properties for cone collections to achieve statewide reforestation goals.

Free Chipping: The Fire Safe Council of Nevada County will chip brush that is cleared from defensible space of any permanent structure, and/or 30’ from any roadside or driveway used for evacuation purposes. Our chipping service is limited to 4 hours per customer per application. Your partnership is greatly appreciated in making Nevada County safer from wildfire!

Recurring Meetings and Events

Yuba Forest Network Quarterly Meeting: An in-person event at the Eric Rood Center in Nevada City. Email Anne Marie Holt (annemarie@yubariver.org) for more details or if you have any updates or would like to present. November 3rd 10:00 am –12:00 pm.

Sierra Nevada 30×30 Meeting: Contact Lis Olearts at liesbet@sierranevadaalliance.org for more information. 2023 Meetings: November 8, December 13 at 11:00 am-12:00 pm on Zoom.

Yuba Watershed Protection and Fire Safe Council: the next meeting will be held on November 8th at 6:30 pm as part of a special screening of California’s Watershed Healing. This will be shown at the Alcouffe Community Center in Oregon House, followed by a panel discussion with local experts. More information here.

Forests Lab: A monthly meet up on recent literature on forest health, the next one is scheduled for 6 pm on November 15 at Gold Vibe Kombuchary. Email Erin Andrew (erin@sierrastreamsinstitute.org) for more information.

CA Wildfire & Forest Resilience Task Force: meeting on December 15h from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm at the CNRA Auditorium, 715 P St, Sacramento, CA. Hybrid. Register here.

Nevada County Coalition of Firewise Communities Meeting: Contact Jeff Peach at jeff@nccoalitionfwc.com for more information. 2024 meetings: February 6, at 5:30 pm.

Webinars

Approvals, Permits, and Compliance: Navigating the Regulatory Waters from Trail Plan Through Construction: Date Thursday, November 2, 2023, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am. Free.

Sierra Nevada Alliance: Annual Report Release Webinar: Join Sierra Nevada Alliance for our yearly Annual Report release. Enjoy a virtual lunch hour with our staff as we share accomplishments towards bettering the Sierra Nevada over the past year. Free and open to the public. To support conservation efforts in the Sierra Nevada and help keep community events free, you can make a donation here. November 30, 2023 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm.

Tahoe-Central Sierra Initiative Case Studies Webinar: Smoke and Health Impacts from Wildfire and Prescribed Fire. Both prescribed fire and wildfires produce smoke that can impact communities – but are they to the same degree? In this webinar, hear from Dr. Claire Schollaert about her new research on the impacts of smoke on vulnerable populations. Dr. Schollaert will discuss an analysis of risks associated with both prescribed fire and wildfires and provide guidance for land managers on how to minimize impacts to communities. November 15 from 11:00-12:00.

Functional Wetland Loss in the American West: How Water Scarcity is Reshaping Wetland Ecosystems Webinar. December 6, 2023 at 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm.

Three-part forestry webinar series with Tahoe-Central Sierra Initiative: “Defining Resilience in California’s Forests” November 1, “Planning for Change: Integrating Climate Modeling into Forest Management” November 8, and “Case Studies Smoke and Health Impacts from Wildfire and Prescribe Fire” November 15 from 11:00 am – 12:00 pm.

NAWM Tribal Wetlands Programs Webinar: Preparing Quality Assurance Project Plans for Your Tribal Wetland Program Webinar. November 2, 2023 from 12:00 to 1:30 pm.

SMOKE: State of the Science: November 1 at 9 am – 10:30 am. Join the Rocky Mountain Research Station for a live virtual session focused on the State of the Science about smoke. This facilitated panel discussion will be guided by your questions. Meeting Registration – Zoom (zoomgov.com).

Priority Landscape Treatments: November 9 at 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm. Join us for a live virtual session focused on prioritizing landscape treatments. Our presenters will share an overall framework, analysis considerations plus a case study from the Southwest Idaho Wildfire Crisis Landscape. Manager questions and experiences to guide this session are encouraged. Registration is required.

esri conservation webinar series: The Actionable Conservation Science for the Global Biodiversity Framework webinar series began in June and will continue through the fall. The next session will be on Species Distribution Modeling on November 20 from 7:00 am – 8:00 am, and the last webinar will be on January 20, 2024 from 7:00 am – 8:00 am on Regionalization and Optimization. Webinars are free.

Network for Landscape Conservation: In preparation for the 5th Annual International Symposium on Conservation Impact, the Salazar Center for North American Conservation is partnering with the Network for Landscape Conservation (NLC) to share the findings of the report, ‘How Landscape Conservation Partnerships are Working to Address Climate Change’ through an interactive webinar series. Each conversation will explore the extent to which landscape conservation partnerships are planning, building capacity for, and implementing on-the-ground strategies to address challenges related to climate change. This webinar will focus on how strengthening connectivity – both across lands and among people – is a way for incorporating climate change into their work. The webinar will explore a case study from the NLC white paper that exemplifies how land conservation groups play a key role in promoting connectivity, why that is important within the climate context, and how partnerships are necessary to make that connectivity happen. Link to register: The Power Of Long Term Ecological Research (LTER): Informing Natural Areas Management

Grants

Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Wildfire Resilience Grants: The grants are limited to the following eligible practices that project applicants shall provide to small forest landowners under this funding:
• Stewardship Planning – Assistance to eligible applicants to expand capacity to develop high-quality grant proposals for various forest health, fuel reduction, fire prevention and other forest conservation and restoration grant programs in the state.
• Education and Outreach – Provide educational outreach relevant to the small private forest landowner community. Due November 15, 2023.

The Western Forestry Leadership Coalition Landscape Scale Restoration (LSR) Competitive Grant Program supports high-impact projects that promote collaborative, science-based restoration of priority forest landscapes, leverage public and private resources, and advance priorities identified in a State Forest Action Plan or other restoration strategy. Due November 17.

California’s Fifth Climate Change Assessment Tribal Research Grant Program: The purpose of this solicitation is to provide funding for tribes, tribal organizations, and tribal-serving non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to conduct tribally-led climate change research, assessments, and similar projects deemed a priority by the applying tribe. Senate Bill 170 (Skinner, Chapter 240, Statutes of 2021) appropriated $3.625 million in grant funds for the California Energy Commission (CEC) to administer pursuant to this purpose. Due November 17, 2023.

CAL FIRE: CAL FIRE’s Urban and Community Forestry Green Schoolyards Grants Nonprofit Child Care Facilities is now open. Due December 1, 2023.

The USFS Landscape Scale Restoration Grant Program for Federally Recognized Tribes: funds collaborative, science-based restoration of priority forest landscapes on tribal lands. Due December 15.

The USFS Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program: supports the establishment of community forests through fee simple acquisition of private forest land to protect it from conversion to non-forest uses and provide community benefits. Due January 12, 2024.

CALFIRE Forest Health Grants: CAL FIRE will open the FY 2023-2024 Forest Health grant solicitation on November 13, 2023. Final grant guidelines, applications, supporting documents, and a recorded workshop will be posted on the Forest Health Grantees Resources web page. Applications will be due by 3:00 pm on January 15, 2024.

CALFIRE Wildfire Prevention Grants: Funds for projects in and near fire threatened communities to improve public health and safety while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Applications are due January 10, 2024.

USDA WaterSMART Cooperative Watershed Management Program Phase I: to develop a watershed group, complete watershed restoration planning activities, and design watershed management projects. Due September 3, 2024.

The Headwater Economics Community Planning and Assistance for Wildfires (CPAW) Program: provides interdisciplinary teams that collaborate with communities to develop site-specific planning recommendations regarding wildfire risks. Rolling applications.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Landowner Support: Supporting Underserved and Small-Acreage Forest Landowner Participation in Emerging Private Markets Grant Program – Track B: supports the participation of underserved and/or small-acreage landowners in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience. Track B is for projects with budgets up to $2 million. Rolling applications.

USDA Forest Landowner Support: to support the participation of underserved forest landowners in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience, and to support the participation of forest landowners who own less than 2,500 acres of forest land in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience. Due late Click the pencil icon above to replace this temporary copy. When you add the content for this text block, make sure it’s personal, informational, emotional, and actionable. That’s how to ignite change!

The Hind Foundation Standard Grants Program: supports community-based projects proposed by nonprofit organizations in several areas, including plant and wildlife protection, historic landmark restoration, and ecosystem conservation. Rolling applications.

30×30 Funding Resources: link to an excel Google Document for 30×30 related funding opportunities.