Millions Of State Dollars Coming For Local Forestry Projects
Sonora, CA — California’s Sierra Nevada Conservancy approved spending $21-million for various forest resilience projects, with a big chunk of it coming to the Mother Lode region.
$3.5-million was awarded for phase one of the Social and Ecological Resilience Across the Landscape (SERAL) project. It is taking place in eastern Tuolumne County near the communities of Mi-Wuk, Long Barn and Strawberry. During the initial phase, covering 1,300 acres, there will be new fuel-breaks, clearing of roadways, and the creation of defensible space to help protect against future wildfires.
In addition, $1.45 million is going to the Bummerville/Blizzard Mine Fuels Reduction and Forest Restoration Project in Calaveras County. The Calaveras County Resource Conservation District will complete 460 acres of ladder fuel reduction and forest thinning on Bureau of Land Management parcels within the Mokelumne Watershed.
The Amador County Fire Safe Council is also receiving $1.2-million to reduce fuels on 413 acres of Bureau of Land Management property in eastern Amador County outside of Pioneer.
Angela Avery, SNC Executive Officer, says, “We are so proud of all our regional partners who ensure the necessary projects to advance state and local wildfire-recovery and forest-resilience goals are successfully achieved.”
In total, 18 projects received a share of the $21-million that was awarded yesterday.
