Forestry and Watershed

Program Overview

The Forestry and Watershed program envisions healthy Sierra Nevada foothill and forest conditions with active management that employs people, supports recreation, is ownership-based, and relies on effective private and government partnerships.

The program enlists private landowners within and adjoining the Sierra National Forest and the Sequoia National Forest. As a voluntary participant, landowners are provided resources to better understand, protect, and enhance their forested resources. For private landowners, the Program has three components: Fire Risk Evaluations, Firewise Communities, and Contractual Work.

Fire Risk Evaluations

The Forestry and Watershed team offers Fire Risk Evaluations (FRE’s) to private landowners at no cost. The FRE highlights management practice opportunities for forested lands. The objective is for landowners to better understand their forested landscape. It includes recommendations on home hardening, defensible space, and forest stewardship. Not only will a FRE help prepare a landowner against wildfire, it will identify forest improvement opportunities, wildfire risk mitigation practices, and highlight resources to implement management practices.

Fire Risk Evaluation Example

Firewise Communities

The Sierra RCD is the regional coordinator for Fresno County for the National Fire Protection Association’s Firewise USA® Program. Firewise is a nationally recognized certification administered through the NFPA and CAL FIRE. It is a voluntary program that is education focused providing resources to help homeowners adapt to living with wildfires and encouraging neighbors to work together to take action now to prevent losses.

Firewise Information

Contractual Work

The Sierra RCD partners with Firewise Communities, the CAL FIRE Fresno Kings Unit, the Sierra and Sequoia National Forests, local Firesafe Councils, and other partners to facilitate forest mangement and fuel reduction practices.

Community Workdays

Since 2019 the Sierra Resource Conservation District and its partners have worked to aid private landowners and their properties. Workdays are a great way to inform and demonstrate the need and actions necessary for proper stewardship and land management. The Sierra Resource Conservation District is available and willing to provide a free evaluation for any property requesting assistance or a second opinion.

“The forestry team & volunteers, who worked on a portion of our property that was devastated by the Creek Fire, made a HUGE difference to us! We could have never recovered without them! My husband has two forms of cancer and I have a lifelong disability. Ian, Chelsea Hutchens, and the Ameri and Conservation Corps gave us hope and a future. They saw, they cleaned up, and they conquered by felling, clearing & chipping many pounds of dry dead material. This team rocks and there are no words to express how grateful we are and how much we are indebted to them!”

– Jeannie & Wayne Coe, HWY 168 Landowners

“Many thanks to the Sierra Resource Conservation District who coordinated a community effort to remove fuels and debris surrounding Cedarbrook and Mill Creek. Their efforts in conjunction with the Oak to Timberline Fire Safe Council have helped protect us from wildfire. Individual property fire risk assessments were provided ahead of time, and a crew of 30+ volunteers from Americorps, Team Rubicon, Dunlap Band of Mono Indians, and others did a fantastic job of cleaning up years of undergrowth. They were hard working and effective. The landscape now looks like it did 30 years ago–beautiful! We will be forever grateful for their efforts. Thank you!”

– Donna McBrien, President of the Cedarbrook Cabin Owner’s Association