California Awards SPI $3-million Grant For Tree Seedlings

State officials say massive wildfires are leaving landscapes bare, and there are not enough nurseries in the Western states to meet the demand for tree seedlings.

Looking for a solution, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has awarded a $3 million grant to Sierra Pacific Industries, the largest private landowner in the state, which locally has mills in Standard and Chinese Camp.

The company is in the process of developing a $10 million nursery in Siskiyou County that will specialize in the production of native conifer seedlings for forest restoration, research and conservation projects. The state money will leverage SPI’s investment and help move the project forward. The nursery is anticipated to be fully operational by 2026 and produce 25 million seedlings annually. They would be utilized in areas like the Sierra Nevada to help in the recovery from large wildfire events.

SPI Tree Improvement Management, Jessica Hinjosa, says, “Healthy, growing forests provide clean water and air, important wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, and jobs for rural economies. SPI is making this investment to help meet our State’s growing needs for high-quality, native conifer seedlings. We appreciate CAL FIRE’s support for this immense endeavor. We look forward to partnering with public and private organizations across the state that are working to recover and restore California’s forests.”

CAL Fire’s Reforestation Services Manager, Jimi Scheid, adds, “Being able to amplify these outputs in the form of ready-to-plant, climatically suitable seedlings, will help us mitigate the growing threats to our forests and the benefits they provide.”