Landscape photo of conifer trees in the Sierra Nevada mountains

Forestry issues in California are wide-spread, complex, and continually changing. From the state to the local level, the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts (CARCD) participates in identifying and creating solutions to these issues.

Latest Forestry Committee News

-The Joint Forestry Committee has released its 2022 Annual Report, which can be accessed HERE.

-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.

Fire Recovery Resources

We are compiling a list of resources for RCDs and landowners impacted by fires. These include post-fire recovery guides, financial assistance sources, and information on topics important for post-fire recovery such as assessing fire impacts, erosion control, and reforestation.

Our current list of resources can be found here.

Please email sophia-lemmo@carcd.org if you have any questions or know of additional resources that should be included in the list.

Joint Forestry Committee Meetings

Committee meetings are now held quarterly on the second Tuesday of the month (Feb, May, Aug, Nov)

The next Forestry Committee meeting will be held via conference call on Tuesday, May 9th at 8am. The agenda and call in information for this meeting can be found here (usually a week prior to the scheduled meeting).

The State of California and many Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs) have active forestry programs focused on assisting forest landowners to better manage their forest, watershed and wildlife resources. To increase efficiency and reduce redundancy, the CARCD Forestry Committee and the Statewide Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee joined together in May 2020 as one committee managed by the CARCD. The Joint CARCD Forestry Committee and Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee (Joint Forestry Committee) serves as an advisory body to the CARCD board of directors, to California’s RCDs, to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and to the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to address statewide forestry issues and opportunities. The Committee’s mission is to provide expertise, advice and support to conserve, restore and sustain the health, diversity and productivity of California’s forested landscapes.

Mission and Charter
The mission of the Joint Forestry Committee is to provide expertise, advice, and support to conserve, restore, and sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of California’s forested landscapes. The Joint Forestry Committee Charter was signed on May 13, 2020.
Current Appointed Members
Member Name Organization Term Exp 12/31
Allison Erny Placer RCD 2024
Ben Waitman CA Dept of Fish & Wildlife
Chris Zimny NRCS Agency Rep
Dana Walsh USDA Forest Service Agency Rep
David Cowman San Mateo RCD 2024
Diane Dealey Neill Forestry Educators, Inc. 2023
Dillon Sheedy Truckee Fire Dept. 2023
Gordon Long Calaveras/Amador RCD 2024
Jerry Jensen American Forest Resource Council 2023
Jerry Reioux NRCS Retired 2023
John Henshaw Napa Co Land Trust/Napa Co RCD/Bay Delta Regl Rep 2024
John Ramaley CAL FIRE Agency Rep.
Kim Ingram UC Ag & Natural Resources Cooperative Extension
Lauren Miller Sierra Foothill Conservancy 2024
Laurie Tippin – Chair Honey Lake Valley RCD/Modoc Plateau Regl Rep 2023
Mark Andre BBW & Associates 2023
Mark Egbert El Dorado County RCD 2023
Mary Mayeda NRCS Agency Rep.
Paul Mason – Vice Chair Pacific Forest Trust 2024
Pete Johnson Consulting Forester 2023
Peter Lecourt Pacific Union College Demo & Experimental Forest 2023
Seronica Biggs Tehama RCD/Sac Valley Regl Rep 2024
Sophia Lemmo  – Exec Sec’y California Association of RCDs & Executive Secretary to Joint Forestry Committee
Steve Haze Sierra RCD/San Joaquin Valley Regl Rep 2024
Susie Kirschner Inland Empire RCD/SoCal Inland Regl Rep 2023
Yvonne Franco Coachella Valley RCD/So Baja Regl Rep 2024
Agendas

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). The below agendas predate that merger.

Meeting Minutes

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).

The below notes predate that merger.

Forest Landowner and Homeowner Resources

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

RCD Forestry Resources

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.

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.

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.

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 May 2020

Federal Forest Legacy Program

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 2024 Project Review for Joint Forestry Committee members

The following information is to be used to review and rank the FY 2024 project proposal submissions. Your final ranking sheet must be submitted electronically no later than 12pm, Wednesday, August 31, 2022 to Al Klem (Al.Klem@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.

Projects for scoring:

News
  • 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
Archive CARCD Forestry Committee 2017 - 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 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.

History

The CARCD board of directors has sponsored a forestry committee for several decades to provide expertise, advice and support to private landowners and partners. Formerly known as the CARCD Forestry Committee, its name is updated to the Joint CARCD Forestry and Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee since it now also serves as the lead for the California State Forest Stewardship Coordinating Committee (FSCC). The FSCC was established by the federal Forest Stewardship Act of 1990 (16 USC 2113), which amended the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978, and requires states to form a committee to ensure a coordinated and cooperative federal, state and local forest program for the management and enhancement of forest lands, among other purposes. At the request of the State Forester, this unique partnership between CARCD and CAL FIRE was established in January 1998 to reduce duplicative efforts and gain efficiencies.

For questions, comments or requests for information, please email forestry-committee@carcd.org.