Joint Forestry Committee

As of February 2020, the Committee meets quarterly on the second Tuesday of the second month in the quarter (Feb, May, Aug, Nov).

• August 2023
• June 2023 In-Person
• May 2023
• February 2023
• November 2022 In-Person
• November 2022
• August 2022
• May 2022
• February 2022
• November 2021
• August 2021
• May 2021
• February 2021
• November 2020
• August 2020

In the May of 2020, the CARCD Forestry Committee and the State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee merged to become the Joint CARCD Forestry and Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee (Joint Forestry Committee). The below agendas predate that merger.

• April 2020 (webinar meeting)
• February 2020
• January 2020 – cancelled
• December 2019 – cancelled
• November 2019 (field meeting)
• October 2019
• September 2019
• August 2019
• July 2019 – cancelled
• June 2019 – cancelled
• May 2019 (field meeting)
• May 2019
• April 2019 – cancelled
• March 2019
• February 2019
• November 2018
• October 2018
• September 2018
• August 2018
• July 2018
• June 2018 (field meeting)
• June 2018 (teleconference)
• March 2018
• February 2018
• January 2018
• November 2017
• September 2017
• August 2017
• March 2017
• November 2016
• June 2016

As of February 2020, the Committee meets quarterly on the second Tuesday of the second month in the quarter (Feb, May, Aug, Nov).

In the May of 2020, the CARCD Forestry Committee and the State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee merged to become the Joint CARCD Forestry and Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee (Joint Forestry Committee).

• August 2023
• August 2023 WCB Presentation

• June 2023 In-Person
• May 2023
• February 2023
• November 2022 In-Person
• November 2022
• May 2022
• May 2022 (Notes on Infrastructure Bill)
• February 2022
• November 2021
• May 2021
• February 2021
• August 2020
• May 2020

The below notes predate that merger.

• April 2020 (webinar meeting)
• February 2020
• January 2020 – cancelled
• December 2019 – cancelled
• November 2019 (field meeting)
• October 2019
• September 2019
• August 2019
• July 2019 – cancelled
• June 2019 – cancelled
• May 2019 (field meeting) 
• May 2019
• April 2019 – cancelled
• March 2019
• February 2019
• December 2018
• November 2018
• September 2018
• August 2018
• July 2018
• December 2017
• March 2017
• February 2017
• November 2016
• October 2016
• September 2016

CAL FIRE’s Forest Resource Protection and Improvement (CFIP) programs offer a variety of services and funding opportunities to encourage public and private investment in, and improved management of, California forest land and resources. The website provides links to their forestry programs, including landowner assistance, urban & community forestry, forest pest management and others.

• Mariposa RCD put together an educational video about CAL FIRE’s CFIP landowner cost-share program. Watch the video here.

Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP): EFRP is a program of the Farm Service Agency and helps the owners of non-industrial private forests restore forest health damaged by natural disasters. The EFRP does this by authorizing payments to owners of private forests to restore disaster damaged forests. This EQIP CFIP EFRP Crosswalk document provides an overview of landowner forestry assistance programs that RCD staff may find useful. The EFRP training slides may also be useful to better understand the program.

Forestland Steward is a joint project of CAL FIRE, Placer County Resource Conservation District, UC Cooperative Extension and USDA Forest Service to provide information on the stewardship of private forestlands in California.

Mariposa County RCD YouTube Channel – Reducing Wildfire Danger: Mariposa County RCD has launched a YouTube channel with videos for homeowners who want to reduce the risk of wildfire on their property. The videos were created from presentations given by local experts— CAL FIRE, University of California Cooperative Extension, fire history expert George Gruell, and others — and have been approved for content by CAL FIRE. There are 14 videos online, and more will be added based on viewer feedback and as new information becomes available.

NRCS California State Office provides a variety of technical and financial assistance to forest landowners.

UCCE Forest Stewardship Workshops for Landowners will help landowners develop plans to improve and protect their forest lands in an ecologically and economically sustainable manner. The workshops will address management objectives and planning, forest restoration, fuels reduction, project development, permitting, and cost-share opportunities. Participants will connect with other landowners and learn how to collect information to develop their own management plans.

University of California Cooperative Extension extends its resources to help forest landowners solve their natural resource problems. The resources they provide to forest landowners is diverse from research publications to educational opportunities to technical and financial assistance programs.

The US Forest Service helps ensure that private landowners have access to technical, educational and financial assistance to achieve their unique objectives and to keep forests sustainable and working for everyone. The nationwide website provides links to a variety of cooperative forestry and fire programs for landowners. California-specific cooperative forestry programs may offer additional opportunities for financial and technical support to forest landowners.

Updated September 2020

California’s Forest Management Task Force was organized to protect the environmental quality, public health, and economic benefits that healthy forests provide to California. The Task Force aims to increase the rate of forest treatments and expand state wood product markets through innovation, assistance, and investment. Regional prioritization groups and topic specific working groups provide opportunities for RCDs to shape forest management in the state.

California Fire Safe Council Brochures are available digitally and in print. The brochures include information and resources about maintaining defensible space and home hardening.

CARCD Guide to Forest and Fire Project Opportunities.  The guide details local, state, and federal  project opportunities for forest, fire, and fuels. The guide outlines different ways RCDs can approach funding for forestry work and includes one page overviews of community wildfire protection plans, USFS good neighbor authority and master stewardship agreements, and direct contracting with state agencies.

The El Dorado County Resource Conservation District Collaborative Reforestation Program Reforestation Needs Assessment was published in June 2018. For questions or copies of the El Dorado County Resource Conservation District Collaborative Reforestation Program Reforestation Needs Assessment document, please contact El Dorado County RCD District Manager Mark Egbert at (530) 303-5328 or e-mail Mark.Egbert@ca.usda.gov.

The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR) publications office recently released a new book, “Reforestation Practices for Conifers in California”, a practical manual for landowners and managers that explains the why, where, who, when, what, and how of getting sustainable forests back into California’s diverse landscape. It is available now for immediate viewing and downloading for free on the Forest Vegetation Management Conference’s website: www.fvmc.org. Next year the book will be published in full color print and web format by UCANR.

Fire Safe Councils are often key partners to RCDs in the area of forestry and fire resilience. At least fourteen RCDs have been involved in championing Fire Safe Councils (FSC) in their local districts. Some even act as their FSC’s administrative home. Others are involved in starting the FSCs and then collaborate to provide services like chipping and technical assistance once they are established. If you are interested in starting a Fire Safe Council, reach out to the RCDs on this list to learn more.

Forestry technical service providers (TSPs) offer services to non-industrial private forest landowners on behalf of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). TSPs help these producers plan, design, and implement conservation practices or develop conservation activity plans to improve their operations. TSPs expand the number and availability of conservation technical experts capable of offering customized, one-on-one conservation advice on behalf of the NRCS. Learn more about becoming a TSP by viewing this flyer.

The National Association of Conservation Districts wants to ensure forestry contacts are aware of their LinkedIn group for conservation district professionals doing forestry work. This is a great way to tap into a network of forestry professionals. To find the group, search “conservation district forestry professionals” in LinkedIn or click here to access the group.

The RCD Post-Fire Playbook was created to provide RCDs information to perform post-wildfire recovery. The purpose of this handbook is to serve as a guide for RCDs to combat forest and property loss. While the focus is on post-fire action, this handbook recognizes the importance of pre- and during-wildfire actions to effectively accomplish the subsequent post-fire steps. This handbook was created and compiled through a series of Post-Fire Playbook Monthly Forums hosted by CARCD with regular RCD involvement and feedback.

University of California Cooperative Extension recorded a detailed prescribed fire workshop, which is now available online for free. The workshop provided attendees with the skills to develop smoke management plans, increase understanding of liability and permit development, and highlight management examples along with upcoming opportunities and policy changes. The workshop was intended for foresters, resource managers, and others with an interest in prescribed fire on private lands. Click here to view the online talks at your convenience.

Updated September 2023

The Federal Forest Legacy Program (FLP) was established by law in 1990 to promote the long-term integrity of forestlands. The purpose of the FLP is to identify and protect environmentally important forest areas that are threatened by conversion to non-forest uses and to promote forestland protection and other conservation opportunities. The FLP acquires and accepts donations of perpetual conservation easements that permanently limit property interests and uses to protect forest values.

The State of California has opted to receive grant funds from the USDA Forest Service for acquisition and holding title to lands or interests in lands acquired with those funds. The State has authorized CAL FIRE to oversee FLP administration. The FLP program guidelines provide detailed information on program administration.

FY 2025 Project Review for Joint Forestry Committee members

The following information is to be used to review and rank the FY 2025 project proposal submissions. Your final ranking sheet must be submitted electronically no later than 12pm, Tuesday, August 8, 2023 to Kevin Kiniery (kevin.kiniery@fire.ca.gov). Joint Forestry Committee responsibilities for the Federal Forest Legacy Program can be found on pages 9, 18, 32, and 122 of the FLP program guidelines.

• • July 13, 2023 Cover Letter to the Joint Forestry Committee
  • Background material on California’s Forest Legacy Program history and national-level program material: FLP History, National Project Scoring Guidance, FLP Assessment of Need Amendment (6/2020)
  • Scoring and ranking worksheet
  • Final scoring and ranking sheet

Projects for scoring:

• • Arrowhead Ridge II
  • Brushy Mountain Phase 4

• March 13, 2023: After more than two decades on the CARCD Forestry & Fuels Management committee and Joint Forestry Committee, Jerry Reioux stepped down from the executive secretary position at the committee’s winter meeting in November 2022. Jerry has remained active in forestry issues since his 2009 retirement from the NRCS as State Staff Forester. He will continue as a member of the Joint Forestry Committee to provide his expert perspective on forest and natural resource issues.
• April 30, 2020: The Forestry Committee was featured in the CARCD monthly news letter in the partner spotlight. Read a little about the Committee at this link.

• Nov 2019: In November of 2019 the Western Shasta RCD hosted a joint CARCD Forestry Committee and Statewide Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee forest health field tour. Click here to read the article.

• Nov. 12, 2018: In November of 2018 the RCD of Greater San Diego County hosted a joint CARCD Forestry Committee and Statewide Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee forest health field tour. Click here to read the article.

In the May of 2020, the CARCD Forestry Committee and the State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee merged to become the Joint CARCD Forestry and Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee (Joint Forestry Committee). The below documents represent the mission and charter of the CARCD Forestry Committee (2017-2020).

The Forestry Committee Charter was finalized on February 15, 2018

The Forestry Committee Action Plan was finalized on June 5th, 2019 and updated December 26th, 2019. The Action Plan will guide the Committee in providing the most meaningful support & assistance to RCDs. The actions, timelines & responsibilities outlined in the plan will meet this purpose.

The 2019 Accomplishment Report details actions taken towards the Forestry Committee Action Plan in 2019.

Initial Forestry Assessment Responses. A report prepared by the committee on February 12, 2018.

Forestry Program Needs Assessment Summary. A report prepared by the committee on February 12, 2018.