Sierra Nevada Conservancy Considers $22.5 Million in Wilderness Projects Throughout Northern California
The Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC), a state agency based in California, is set to convene for a critical board meeting in Chester on June 1st. The day prior, the SNC will lead a field tour to review wildfire recovery efforts and forest resilience projects in the region. This comes as part of SNC’s mission to boost the environmental, economic, and social welfare of the Sierra-Cascade region.
An array of 24 grants worth a cumulative $22.5 million is on the discussion table, designated for wildfire recovery, forest resilience, land conservation, and recreational projects throughout the Sierra-Cascade area.
Upon approval from the Governing Board, nine projects could receive approximately $14.5 million via SNC’s Wildfire Recovery and Forest Resilience Directed Grant Program. Another nine may receive just under $6.3 million through SNC’s Strategic Land Conservation Directed Grant Program, and nearly $2 million may be distributed to six applicants under the Vibrant Recreation and Tourism Directed Grant Program.
The SNC is inviting the public to attend the field tour and participate in the board meeting. A live audio stream will also be available. However, there will be no provision for remote participation. The public is urged to review project details and submit any comments by May 26, 2023.
If all the grants are approved, projects would be rolled out in 15 counties across the Sierra-Cascade region, including Butte, El Dorado, Inyo, Lassen, Mariposa, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tulare, and Yuba.
Notable projects include the Magalia Forest and Wildfire Resilience Project in Butte County, aimed at protecting forests and water resources near Magalia, and the Mountain Meadows Trail Planning in Lassen County, which aims to create a new 7.3-mile non-motorized, shared-use trail at Mountain Meadows Reservoir. Another interesting project is the Almanor Rail Trail Planning in Plumas County, proposing to convert a 12-mile former railway track into a non-motorized, multi-modal trail.
In the central and south-central Sierra Nevada, the Caldor Fire Restoration Project in El Dorado County stands out. The first phase of this project will remove and dispose of roadside hazard trees within the Caldor Fire footprint using a $5.25 million grant. In Nevada County, the Wildflower Ridge Preserve Acquisition Project will help the Bear Yuba Land Trust acquire a 128-acre property with a $735,500 grant.
Southern and eastern Sierra Nevada projects include major upgrades to nine campgrounds in Inyo and Mono counties and the construction of a small-scale biomass power generation facility in Yuba County.
