The North Yuba Forest Partnership has renewed a memorandum of understanding, reaffirming its commitment to continue improving forest health and reducing the risk of high-intensity wildfire across 275,000 acres of the North Yuba River watershed.

Established in 2019, the partnership is a diverse group of nine organizations focused on prioritizing, planning, funding, financing and implementing landscape-scale forest restoration, helping protect communities and natural resources. The partnership includes the U.S. Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, South Yuba River Citizens League, Camptonville Community Partnership, Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe, National Forest Foundation, Sierra County, Blue Forest and Yuba Water Agency.

To date, the partnership has secured $150 million in funding and has successfully implemented work across more than 30,700 acres using ecologically-based treatments such as fuels reduction, forest density thinning and prescribed fire, with an additional 42,597 acres prepared and ready for treatments in the coming field seasons. Work has been prioritized near at-risk communities across the North Yuba watershed, including Camptonville and Downieville. Upcoming treatments will continue to target community protection through roadside fuel reduction, fuel break creation and restoration treatments in priority locations in the headwaters.

This MOU documents the continued commitment of the partners to further cooperate, communicate and work together to promote healthier, more resilient forests within the North Yuba River watershed.

“Strong partnerships are the foundation of lasting forest resilience,” said Tahoe National Forest Deputy Forest Supervisor Amber Waters. “We thank all partners for the continued commitment in restoring the North Yuba, creating healthier forests and protecting communities.”

While restoration efforts for the entire landscape will take many years to complete, the partnership’s staged treatment plan targets the most critical project areas first, including at-risk communities, emergency response and evacuation routes and treatments to areas that have the potential to stop a wildfire from spreading.

The North Yuba River watershed stretches from New Bullards Bar Reservoir east to the Sierra Crest along Highway 49. The area includes thousands of acres of forested habitat, is an important source of water to downstream users, supports high biodiversity and many recreation opportunities and is home to many communities including Camptonville, Downieville and Sierra City.

Learn more about the North Yuba Forest Partnership and ongoing efforts at yubaforest.org.

About the Partners:

• Blue Forest: 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: Engaging 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 Nisenan Tribe: 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 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.
• U.S. 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.