YFN: September/October Newsletter
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
Yuba Watershed Institute: On September 6th from 7:00-9:0pm at Pioneer Park YWI is hosting a public discussion on the Little Deer Creek Landscape Resilience Project. This initiative will directly affect our local environment by reducing fuels on about 200 acres of BLM and private lands, primarily between Banner Lava Cap Road and Banner Mountain Trail, and along Gracie Road. The project area contains parts of the Cascade and DS Canals, the Woodpecker Preserve, the Nevada County Sportsmen Club archery range, a Nevada City water storage and treatment facility, and other important resources.
Yuba Resource Conservation District is looking for new Board Members! You must be a landowner in Yuba County, interested in resource conservation, and want to help bring grant funding to Yuba County communities for this volunteer position. The mission of YCRCD is to assist Yuba county landowners and land managers in providing stewardship of the County’s natural resources and educate stakeholders and policy makers on the county’s natural resource base. Contact DJ Baker at dbaker.ycrcd.info@gmail.com for more information.
California Biodiversity Day takes place on September 7th of each year, marking the anniversary of the launch of the California Biodiversity Initiative in 2018. This annual event celebrates our state’s exceptional biodiversity, while also encouraging actions to protect it. Come celebrate California’s biodiversity this year during the week of September 2nd – 10th! Explore biodiversity in your local neighborhoods and parks or join one of the many CA Biodiversity Week events, which includes guided hikes, volunteering, and becoming a community nature scientist! See below for more information and use the hashtag #CABiodiversity to share your biodiversity day adventures.
SYRCL – USFS -Western Aspen Alliance: On September 7-8th there will be a Central Sierra Western Slope Aspen Workshop in the North Yuba. This is a fantastic opportunity to have aspen experts visit the North Yuba landscape and provide updates on aspen research, restoration techniques, and showcase the North Yuba Project through a restoration lens. The South Yuba River Citizen’s League is working directly with the Forest Service on planning this workshop and will be contracting experts from the Western Aspen Alliance to provide their expertise on aspen ecology. The event will be held at the San Francisco State University Sierra Nevada Field campus in the North Yuba. The workshop will include both classroom learning of recent research on aspen ecology, and will have a field tour component, on which the preliminary aspen restoration sites from the North Yuba Project will be showcased. Register for one or both of the days here.
The monthly Sierra Speaker Series connects folks to the rich cultural and natural history of the area. Join us at Donner Memorial State Park Visitor Center on September 9th to learn and engage! Doors open at 5 pm, and the presentation is to follow at 5:30 pm. Admission is a suggested $5 donation. Light refreshments will be available. Parking is free after 5 pm. No registration required.
BYLT invites the community to join in celebration of their newest Preserve! Gather with BYLT Board and staff, friends, and neighbors on September 14 from 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm under leafy cover of one of Wildflower Ridge Preserve’s heritage oak groves for a toast to the land and a Preserve-inspired reading by Nevada County Poet Laureate Kirsten Casey. This event is FREE and open to all, though they do ask that people RSVP.
University of California Cooperative Extension: Post-Fire Forest Resilience Workshop Series Post-fire Forest Resilience Workshop Series, Online Thursday, Sept. 14th – Oct. 26th (Nov. 2nd, 3rd and 4th field days). Register here.
South Yuba River Citizens League: A Day of Impact: Saturday, September 23rd – a day to revitalize the Yuba River Watershed. The community-wide cleanup returns stronger than ever. With 30+ sites and over 80 potential miles of watershed to clean, we are looking for the support of more than 650 volunteers. From 9am to 12pm, individual volunteers, families, groups, and organizations gather at sites with experienced leaders providing guidance and supplies. Cleanup Celebration: Post-Cleanup Party at Pioneer Park in Nevada City – 12pm to 3pm Not available on Saturday the 23rd? Between September 24th and 27th, 8:30am to 5:30pm, you can sign up for the self-guided cleanup. Swing by the SYRCL office at 313 Railroad Ave, Nevada City CA 95959 to pick up your essential materials. Once your mission is complete, return the supplies and data cards to the SYRCL office. It’s a simple yet impactful way to create ripples of change. Register here!
Rising from Ashes: A Tribe’s Nature-based Approach to Watershed Restoration: On September 26 – 28, 2023 in Española, New Mexico. This field workshop will highlight an innovative and iconic case study in public and private collaboration on sovereign tribal lands following a series of catastrophic wildfires. Given the increasing frequency of these fires, there is a vital need to mitigate destruction through preemptive nature-based restoration practices before disaster strikes. By collaborating with federal agencies and other partners to incorporate indigenous knowledge and values into the recovery planning process, the Santa Clara Pueblo is working to achieve long-term, sustainable resiliency of the watershed.
Stop the Idaho Maryland Mine: Save the Date: public hearing for the Idaho Maryland Mine Project Scheduled for October 2nd and 3rd. The Board of Supervisors’ Public Hearing for the proposed Idaho Maryland Mine – Rise Grass Valley Project has been scheduled for October 2nd and 3rd. The Clerk of the Board will issue a formal Notice of Public Hearing for the Special Meeting of the Board of Supervisors Public Hearing no sooner than the beginning of September. Interested residents are encouraged to subscribe for updates on the project’s planning process at www.NevadaCountyCA.gov/IMMRise, including subscribing for notifications on how to submit a public comment.
California Wildfire & Forest Resilience Task Force Northern California Regional Meeting: Join us in Redding or remotely via Zoom. Hosted by Shasta College, North Coast Resource Partnership, and Napa and Tehama RCDs, discussions will focus on landscapes and land management issues unique to Northern California. The meeting will open with a Resource Fair showcasing local organizations at work in the region. Field tours will be offered on October 6. We look forward to connecting, committing to action, and collaborating on real solutions to the daunting challenges facing our landscapes and communities. Dates: October 5: Task Force Meeting, October 6: Regional Tours In person at Shasta College or available online via zoom. Visit the Task Force’s Meetings page.
Our Heritage Our Planet Film Week: Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month following Indigenous People’s Day by participating in Hispanic Access Foundation’s Our Heritage, Our Planet Film Week from October 10 – 13. An annual celebration of the voices, experiences, and storytelling traditions of communities of color in connection to our heritage and our planet; Uplifting the nexus between our communities and the lands, waterways, and ocean we all call home. The festival will be 100% virtual, free to attend for all, and feature interactive discussions between artists, communities, and decision-makers on environmental topics. Please reach out to conservation@hispanicaccess.org with any questions.
Connect with other nature lovers, be inspired, share knowledge, and learn how you can help 30×30 become a reality in different regions. The event will be on October 11-12 at the Riverside Convention Center. Celebrate stories from across California about how lands and coastal waters are being conserved and cared for through 30×30. Register here.
Tahoe Science Conference: On October 11-13 at Lake Tahoe Community College the Tahoe Science Advisory Council will be hosting a 3 day conference between Tahoe scientists and resource managers. The gathering will bring together academic scientists, agency staff, and community members for a thoughtful, interactive dialogue about science as the foundation for environmental protection policy – past, present, and future. Participants will learn how science drives policy and management in Lake Tahoe and bring back lessons on how to steward land, water and sustainable recreation in an uncertain future marked by the growing impacts of climate change. Register here.
Coastal Quest, in partnership with Ventura County Wildfire Collaborative, is proud to present the first California Wildfire Conference. This three-day exchange will bring together a diverse community of practitioners to focus on understanding, preventing, and recovering from wildfires. The conference will be held from October 24-26, 2023, in Ventura County at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Participants will be drawn from California, Western US States, and globally where wildfire and communities interface.
2023 Cal-IPC Symposium: Join the 2023 Cal-IPC Symposium, Oct. 25-28, in Chico or Online
We’re excited to gather in person once again! Join us at CSU Chico to connect with colleagues and share the latest in invasive plant management. We are keeping on online option to welcome as many folks as possible.
Society of American Foresters: The SAF National Convention will be held on October 25-28 at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center in Sacramento. Registration for SAF2023 is now open! Early-bird rates are available through August 31. All registration rates and details can be viewed here.
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.
RVCC: The Rural Voice for Conservation Coalition’s Annual Meeting on November 1-3 will have sessions to explore the emerging vision for rural western communities rooted in the stewardship economy – an economy shaped by the need, and responsibility, to manage for the sustainability of both land and communities. What practices, strategies, investments and policies will lead to thriving landscapes and people in the face of environmental challenges such as catastrophic wildfire and climate change, shifting economic drivers and population trends, and historic levels of funding for conservation and rural communities? The $650 registration fee includes admission, two nights of lodging, and all meals at the Stanford Sierra Conference Center. Registration closes Friday, October 6th.
General News and Press Releases
Sierra Streams Institute: SSI has secured funding for Wildfire Restoration in the Jones Bar and Lobo Fire Footprint! WCB voted to grant over 2 million to SSI and Nevada County OES to implement the Sierra Foothills Forest Resilience Project.
Yuba Fire Safe Council has a cost share program for up to $2000 for household defensible space. Check out the link for more information. They are also offering a free Wildfire Mitigation Review as part of their new program. The Residential Chipper Program is taking in chipping requests for up to 3 hours of free chipping.
Placer Resource Conservation District: Placer RCD has a survey on their prescribed fire program, part of the Prescribed Burning on Private Lands (PBPL) program to inform and teach private landowners on how to make prescribed fire an accessible and safe management tool. Fill out the survey if you would like to provide input on how to make Placer RCD a better resource for the community.
Recurring Meetings and Events
Nevada County Quarterly Wildfire Stakeholder Meeting: on September 8th from 10am to 12pm at the Grass Valley Vets Hall. The meeting will focus on Past Events: Lessons Learned and Future Outcomes: thee 2020 Jones Fire from the perspective of wildfire response, ecological impact/recovery, and community recovery. This will tie into the group activity around wildfire resiliency and answer the question “Is Nevada County Wildfire Resilient”? Please RSVP with the attached calendar invite or using this link: https://forms.office.com/g/7JbsLAVBd6
Sierra Nevada 30×30 Meeting: Contact Lis Olearts at liesbet@sierranevadaalliance.org for more information. 2023 Meetings: September 13, October 11, November 8, December 13 at 11:00 am-12:00 pm on Zoom.
Yuba Fire Safe Council Meetings: September 13 at 6:30 pm and October 11 at 9:30 am. Meetings are held via Zoom and In-Person at the Alcouffe Center at 9185 Marysville Rd Oregon House.
Forests Lab: A monthly meet up on recent literature on forest health, the next one is scheduled for 6 pm on September 20th at Gold Vibe Kombuchary. Email Erin Andrew (erin@sierrastreamsinstitute.org) for more information.
Yuba Forest Network Quarterly Meeting: An in-person event, location TBA. 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.
Nevada County Coalition of Firewise Communities Meeting: Contact Jeff Peach at jeff@nccoalitionfwc.com for more information. 2023 meetings: November 7: Esterly Hall and Zoom.
California ad hoc Forest Biomass Working Group: September 20th and October 18th from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm on Zoom, contact martin@thewatershedcenter.com for more information.
Webinars
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, Sampling and Environmental Attribution, will occur on September 12 from 7:00 am – 8:00 am. 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
This workshop highlights two specific conservation mechanisms from the Pathways to 30×30 document:
- #1 – Accelerating Regionally Led Conservation
(Disadvantaged Community Focus) - #3 – Increasing Voluntary Conservation Easements (Natural & Agricultural Lands Focus)
- #4 – Enhancing Existing Lands & Coastal Waters (Agency Perspective & Funding Opportunities
Join us to learn about how to use these three pathways in your biodiversity, equity, and climate resilience work.
NFF: Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) Peer Learning Session on September 13 from 11:00-12:30 pm. Register today. During this peer learning session, attendees will: The suggested audience for this session includes collaborative groups, Forest Service staff, and partners and alumni of CFLR Programs. We encourage you to forward this invitation to those in your network who would find it useful.
Grants
The US Forest Service (USFS) and Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Joint Chief’s Restoration Partnership Program: supports collaborative projects that address several program objectives: reduce the risk of wildfire; protect water quality and supply; and/or improve wildlife habitat for at-risk species. due September 4.
The CA Strategic Growth Council (SGC) Regional Climate Collaboratives Program: helps create new, and supports existing, regional climate collaboratives that assist under-resourced communities in accessing funding for climate-change mitigation and adaptation projects. Mandatory pre-proposals due September 6.
The CA SGC Community Resilience Center Grant Program: provides planning, implementation, and project-development funding for neighborhood-level community resilience centers. Due September 18.
The CA Natural Resources Agency Tribal Nature-Based Solutions Grant: supports California Native American tribes in advancing multi-benefit, nature-based solutions efforts, including planning, implementation, and ancestral land-return projects. Due September 29.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE) Business and Workforce Development Grants Program: provides funding for business and workforce-development projects that support healthy, resilient forests, and the people and ecosystems that depend on them. Due September 30.
The Yamaha Motor Corporation Guaranteeing Responsible Access to our Nation’s Trails (GRANT) Program: provides support to implement projects that will promote safe, responsible, and sustainable use of off-highway vehicles (OHVs), educate the public on proper recreational land use and wildlife conservation practices, and/or protect appropriate and sustainable access to public lands. Due September 30.
The Western Mining Action Network (WMAN) and Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN): Grassroots Communities Mining Mini-Grant Program: provides financial assistance to Indigenous communities and nonprofit grassroots organizations threatened or adversely affected by mining. Due October 1.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Landowner Support: Supporting Underserved and Small-Acreage Forest Landowner Participation in Emerging Private Markets Grant Program – Track A: supports the participation of underserved and/or small-acreage landowners in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience. Track A is for projects with budgets ranging from $2 – $25 million. Due October 21.
The Coalitions and Collaboratives, Inc. Action, Implementation, and Mitigation (COCO AIM) Grant Program: funds personnel, planning, partnership development, fuel reduction, and equipment to increase community resilience, restore fire-adapted ecosystems, and create safer conditions for residents and firefighters. Concept papers due October 27.
USDA: The second round of the Community Wildfire Defense Grant Program is now accepting applications! To apply, follow the instructions in the Notices of Funding Opportunity or search for the grant opportunity number specific for your notice (USDA-FS-2023-CWDG-TRIBES, USDA-FS-2023-CWDG-CWSF, USDA-FS-2023-CWDG-NEMW, USDA-FS-2023-CWDG-SGSF) at grants.gov. Applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. eastern time on October 31, 2023.
The USFS Community Wildfire Defense Grant (CWDG) Program: Indian Tribes/Alaska Native Corporations: assists at-risk Indian tribes with planning for, and mitigating against, the risk created by wildfire. The two primary project types supported are the development and revising of community wildfire protection plans (CWPPs) and the implementation of projects described in a CWPP that are less than 10 years old. Due October 31.
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.
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 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.
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 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 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.
Literature
Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network: “Giving Power to Communities for Fire Resilience” and interview with Cordi Craig from Placer RCD
The Wildfire Research (WiRē) Center is a nonprofit organization that works with wildfire practitioners to seek locally-tailored pathways to create fire adapted communities.
“Sometimes Simple Works: The value of rapid parcel-level wildfire risk assessments”
“More smoke today for less smoke tomorrow?”
“‘Community’ definition matters for wildfire risk education efforts”
“Nudging WUI residents toward socially desirable risk mitigation behaviors”
“Social science can support evidence-based wildfire education efforts”
“Future of America’s Forest and Rangelands: Forest Service 2020 Resources Planning Act Assessment”
“American Trails: Why Trails Matter: Resilience to Wildfire”
UC ANR Forest Stewardship Story Map
The Yuba Forest Network is in part funded by the Catalyst Fund of the Network for Landscape Conservation
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