FOREST HEALTH ASSISTANCE

FOREST HEALTH LANDOWNER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SITE VISITS - (SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE)

Landowners in Amador, Calaveras, and Tuolumne County are eligible to receive free technical assistance to review their forest health and fuels management goals. 
​Site Visits Include:

• One-on-One site visit with an Amador RCD Natural resource specialist trained in forestry. 
• Discussion of long term and short term goals for your property.
• Site Visit Report that includes property mapping and suggestions of potential best management practices to reach forest health and fuel management goals.
• Summary of potential financial assistance available to meet your land stewardship goals. 

FEDERAL GRANT FREEZE IMPACT: As of 5:00 PM on January 28th, funding for this service, provided through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, has been impacted by the current federal grant freeze. Consequently, the ARCD is unable to offer Forest Health Landowner Technical Assistance site visits at this time. This webpage will be updated when/if funding to this program is restored.

Assistance is available on a first come first served basis and while funding in available. 

 FOREST HEALTH SITE VISIT INTEREST FORM

JACKSON CREEK FOREST HEALTH PROJECT

 In 2021, the Amador Resource Conservation District (RCD) was awarded funding from the CAL FIRE Forest Health Grant Program to implement fuel load reduction activities in the Jackson Creek Watershed. This program funds projects that improve the resilience of California’s forest and communities from the effects of wildfire. The Jackson Creek Forest Health project was funded specifically to implement three forest health and fuel-load reduction tools on private land within the Jackson Creek watershed. These three tools are 1) prescribed grazing, 2) mastication, and 3) prescribed fire. Over the next three years, the Amador RCD will conduct community outreach and solicit landowner engagement to implement these three fuel load reduction treatments and build community support for the on-going implementation of these treatments to sustain their benefits. In the coming months, the Amador RCD will be hosting a series of workshops to provide additional information about the project, solicit feedback from landowners and answer any questions about the project. 
 
FAQs: 

• What is fuel load reduction? Fuel refers to vegetation that contributes to the threat of wildfire. These activities will minimize that risk by removing the vegetation that acts as fuel. 
• What is prescribed grazing? Prescribed grazing is the targeted use of sheep and goats who eat brush reducing fuel load. 
• What is mastication? Mastication is the use of heavy machinery to mulch vegetation in place. 
• What is prescribed fire? Prescribed fire is the intentional use of fire in a safe way to protect landscapes from the possibility of an intense, much hotter and more dangerous fire in the future. 

 
PROJECT POINTS:

• Treatments will be provided completely free of cost to participating landowners 
• Amador RCD will be responsible for contracting and organizing all fuel load reduction treatments
• Landowners will need to sign an initial Right of Entry for planning purposes. Treatments will only begin once a landowner has signed an additional Right of Entry.
• Treatments will be chosen based on prescriptions created by a Registered Professional Forester or Certified Range Manager and with final approval by landowner
• Treatments (apart from prescribed grazing) will only occur when it is deemed that there is limited fire threat, such out of fire season. No work will occur on Red Flag Days.
• Properties will ultimately be selected to receive treatments based on the following criteria: A) willingness of landowner to participate, B) comparative need based on existing fuel load, and C) proximity to adjacent participating landowners for efficient implementation 
• All activities related to the project will be completed by March 2025

 
Questions? Please contact:
Gordon Long, Natural Resource Specialist, gordon@amadorrcd.org
 

CALFIRE - CFIP FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

The purpose of the California Forest Improvement Program (CFIP) is to encourage private and public investment in, and improved management of, California forest lands and resources. This focus is to ensure adequate high quality timber supplies, related employment and other economic benefits, and the protection, maintenance, and enhancement of a productive and stable forest resource system for the benefit of present and future generations.
The program scope includes the improvement of all forest resources including fish and wildlife habitat, and soil and water quality. Cost-share assistance is provided to private and public ownerships containing 20 to 5,000 acres of forest land. Cost-shared activities include:

• Preparation of a Forest Management Plan by a Registered Professional Forester (RPF)
• RPF Supervision of the reforestation, forest stand improvement and Forestland conservation practices.

NRCS - EQIP TECHNICAL & FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) implements Farm Bill Programs, such as Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).  The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is a voluntary conservation program for farmers and ranchers administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). EQIP was created to assist eligible farmers and ranchers to address conservation concerns affecting soil, water, air, and related natural resources. Through EQIP, farmers and ranchers can apply for financial assistance, information, and training to implement eligible conservation practices on their farms. 

 If you’re interested in applying for EQIP funding visit the NRCS Office is Jackson; 12200 B Airport Road Jackson, CA 95642 or contact the District Conservationist Jennifer Wood at Jennifer.Wood@usda.gov