Mariposa County Could Receive Millions In Grants

Sonora, CA – The Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) will consider $22.5 million in forest resilience, land conservation, and recreation grants next month, and millions could go to Mariposa County.

The Conservancy is a California state agency focused on supporting and improving the environmental, economic, and social well-being of the Sierra-Cascade region. Its board is considering 24 different grants in 15 counties, including three in Mariposa County.

If approved by the governing board, nine projects would receive just under $14.5 million through SNC’s Wildfire Recovery and Forest Resilience Directed Grant Program. Another nine would be awarded just under $6.3 million via SNC’s Strategic Land Conservation Directed Grant Program, and nearly $2 million would go to six Vibrant Recreation and Tourism Directed Grant Program applicants.

The SNC provided these three projects being considered for Mariposa County:

1. Morrissey Conservation Easement Development Project (Mariposa County) – The $57,500 grant would be used by the Sierra Foothill Conservancy to help put together a plan to protect 2,086 acres near the town of Hornitos.
2. Sarah Priest Fuels Reduction Project (Mariposa County) – The American Indian Council of Mariposa County would use the $862,176 grant to treat overloaded fuels on a 160-acre parcel.
3. The Stockton Creek Preserve Recreation and Resilience Enhancements Master Plan Project (Mariposa County) – The Sierra Foothill Conservancy would utilize the $438,150 grant to produce a recreation and resilience master plan for the Stockton Creek Preserve.

The SNC Board will hold its quarterly board meeting Thursday, June 1 at 9 a.m. in the town of Chester in Plumas County. It will vote on which projects get approved. The other counties being considered for grants are Butte, El Dorado, Inyo, Lassen, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Trinity, Tulare, and Yuba.