Many forests in the Yuba watershed are unhealthy. Over stocked with small trees and brush, they are susceptible to high-severity wildfire due to fire suppression and historic timber harvesting practices. On top of that, climate change is exacerbating these threats.
Even though the Yuba watershed evolved with fire in the past, it’s not prepared for the catastrophic fires of today. To address this, SYRCL is partnering with the United States Forest Service (USFS), private landowners, and other nonprofits to plan and implement projects across the Yuba watershed.
In order to efficiently support and develop current and future cross-boundary forest health projects, the Yuba Forest Network acts as a central networking hub to connect resources and practitioners across the watershed. To accelerate the pace and scale of forest health projects across the region, the Yuba Forest Network addresses the need for increased collaboration by connecting stakeholders, projects, and resources.
The North Yuba Forest Partnership is a diverse group of nine organizations passionate about forest health and the resilience of the North Yuba River watershed. Together, the partners are working on an unprecedented scale to collaboratively plan, analyze, finance, and implement forest restoration across 275,000 acres of the watershed. Through ecologically-based thinning and prescribed fire, the partnership seeks to protect North Yuba communities from the threat of catastrophic wildfire and restore the watershed to a healthier, more resilient state.
Quaking aspen stands provide ecosystem services such as enhanced landscape-scale fire resilience, improved water quality, and increased water retention. Despite comprising less than 1% of forests in the Sierra Nevada, aspen habitat bring outsized biodiversity benefits by adding complexity to the landscape and offering high-quality forage for a variety of species.
Aspen have been in decline on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada due to fire suppression, climate change, intensive grazing practices, hydrologic changes, and increased infrastructure. Restoration can be used to promote aspen regeneration to prevent further decline and loss. Aspen stands provide high elevation habitat for aquatic species, migratory birds, and terrestrial wildlife with a wetted landscape and high quality forage. With increasing periods of drought, aspen stand restoration is imperative to increasing resilience to climate change.
In 2020, the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) awarded SYRCL with a planning grant to conduct a watershed-wide aspen assessment. This effort cataloged the location, health, and size of aspen stands. In total, the assessment surveyed 123 aspen stands covering 490 acres on Tahoe National Forest (TNF) land within the Yuba River watershed. SYRCL’s aspen assessment…
In 2023, SYRCL and the Tahoe National Forest (TNF) transitioned into focused planning efforts for the Salmon and Packer Creek Aspen Restoration Project. This Project is within the Lost Sierra and Gold Lakes Highway region near scenic Highway 49 in the Sierra Nevada. After conducting desktop analyses, monitoring transects, and focused site visits, the project…
At SYRCL, invasive plant removal is a key part of mitigating wildfire risk and protecting the abundant density of rare plants native to the foothill’s serpentine soils. Invasive species threaten native species by outcompeting them for valuable resources. Invasive plants like Scotch broom, Spanish broom, and French broom are extremely flammable, and fire germinates their…
The Importance of Aspen Sierra aspen are hot spots for biodiversity, provide critical habitat for native birds and are known for their beautiful fall color and the fluttering of their leaves on warm summer days. As SYRCL continues to work with the Tahoe National Forest on developing comprehensive meadow restoration plans, we focus on hands-on…
Forest Health Partnership Resources Different organizations from local non-profits, special districts and municipalities, academic institutions, Indigenous communities, private businesses, and state and federal agencies are local partners working together though the Yuba Forest Network. Don’t see your name listed here? Email annemarie@yubariver.org to be added to the list! Local Non-Profits American Rivers Bear Yuba Land…
Relevant videos for Yuba Forest Network projects and learning Forest Health Video Resources Afterburn – The Creek Fire Debate – PBS America’s Forests with Chuck Leavell CA’s Forest News Video Series – USFS, PWS Region 5 The Path to Healthy Headwater Forests, Webinar Recording – PPIC Rebuilding and Resiliency: How We Need to Handle Wildfires From Now On …
