The Sierra Fund

PROJECT ABSTRACT SUMMARY: THIS PROJECT SCALES UP CURRENT EFFORTS IN STREAM AND MEADOW RESTORATION BY FORMING A COLLABORATION BETWEEN FIRE AND STREAM RESTORATION PROGRAMS IN THREE COUNTIES TO REDUCE WILDFIRE FUELS AND USE THE SLASH TO INCREASE WATER STORAGE AND SOIL MOISTURE FOR 3 STREAM RESTORATION PROJECTS IN SIERRA WATERSHEDS. SPECIFIC AREAS ARE TARGETED TO REDUCE FUEL LOADS IN PRIORITY FIRE HAZARD AREAS THAT ARE NEAR DEGRADED STREAM CORRIDORS AND MEADOWS. WHEN COMBINED THESE PRACTICES WILL REDUCE FUELS AND RAISE THE WATER TABLE OR INCREASE SOIL MOISTURE RESULTING IN WIDER WETTED RIPARIAN STREAM AND NATURAL WETLAND OR MOIST SOIL BUFFERS ON THE LANDSCAPE. THESE EFFORTS WILL ALSO PROVIDE FOR MORE FINE SEDIMENT CAPTURE PROCEEDING AND FOLLOWING FUTURE WILDFIRES FURTHER BENEFITTING DOWNSTREAM INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS CULVERTS OR RESERVOIRS. THE PARTNERS PROGRAMS IN AUBURN IS WORKING WITH ONE TRIBE, TWO COUNTY GOVERNMENTS, SIX PRIVATE LANDOWNERS AND MULTIPLE NGOS ON THESE EFFORTS WITH THE DUAL PURPOSE OF APPLYING FUELS MANAGEMENT PRACTICES THAT TARGET THE RESTORATION OF HABITAT FOR KEY MIGRATORY BIRD AND AMPHIBIAN SPECIES. THIS PROJECT WILL EXPAND ONGOING MEADOW RESTORATION EFFORTS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIAS BUTTE, AND PLUMAS COUNTIES BY RESTORING AN ESTIMATED 90 WETTED-ACRES OF FLOODPLAIN AND MEADOW HABITATS, 2.5 MILES OF STREAM, AND ACCOMPLISHING 115 ACRES OF FUELS REDUCTION. PROJECT PLANNING WILL INVOLVE AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS EXPERIENCED IN FOREST HEALTH AND STREAM RESTORATION. PROJECTS HAVE INITIATED PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION WILL BEGIN IN 2024 WITH THE REMAINING IMPLEMENTED IN 2025 AND 2026. THE U.S. FISH WILDLIFE SERVICE HAS BEEN WORKING WITH KEY PARTNERS INCLUDING SIERRA FUND, OCCIDENTAL ARTS AND ECOLOGY CENTER, MOUNTAIN MAIDU TRIBE, MAIDU SUMMIT CONSORTIUM, AND SIERRA PACIFIC INDUSTRIES.USING FOREST FUELS REDUCTION MATERIALS FOR STREAM RESTORATION HAS MULTIPLE BENEFITS INCLUDING BETTER WILDFIRE DEFENSIBLE SPACE REPLENISHING WOOD IN STREAMS AND GREATER BASE-FLOW WATER STORAGE ON THE LANDSCAPE DURING FIRE SEASON.

PROJECT ABSTRACT SUMMARYTHE PRIMARY PURPOSES OF THE PROJECT ARE: 1.TO RESTORE MOUNTAIN MEADOW AND STREAM HABITATS BY UTILIZING A COMBINATION OF RESTORATION TECHNIQUES THAT ADDRESS THE DEGRADED CONDITIONS MOST COMMONLY FOUND IN THEM INCLUDING: A.EXCLUDING CATTLE FROM STREAM AND MEADOW AREAS THAT HAVE ACTIVE BEAVER POPULATIONS IN THEM, ENCOURAGING BEAVER TO RESTORE THE STREAMS AND MEADOWS THEMSELVES B.BUILDING LOW-TECH, PROCESS-BASED RESTORATION STRUCTURES THAT MIMIC BEAVER STRUCTURES IN MEADOWS THAT CURRENTLY CANT SUPPORT BEAVER, RESTORING THE HYDROLOGIC AND SEDIMENTARY PROCESSES BACK INTO THE SYSTEM SO WILLOWS AND OTHER BEAVER FORAGE AND HABITAT VALUES WILL BE RESTORED ENCOURAGING BEAVER TO RETURN TO THE SYSTEM AND MAINTAIN AND OR IMPROVE ON THE RESTORATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS C.REINTRODUCING BEAVER INTO HABITATS THAT CURRENTLY CAN SUPPORT BEAVER, BUT WHERE BEAVER ARE NOT KNOWN TO BE NEAR ENOUGH TO RE-OCCUPY THE SITES BY NATURAL IMMIGRATIOND.TRAINING NEW RESTORATION CONTRACTORS TO INCREASE CAPACITY OF THE AVAILABLE CONTRACTOR POOL MATCHING THE DEMAND FOR INCREASING PACE AND SCALE OF RESTORING MOUNTAIN MEADOW HABITATS2.TO HELP BUILD THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL FEDERALLY-RECOGNIZED TRIBES AS WELL AS LOCAL TRIBAL ORGANIZATIONS TO INCREASE THEIR ABILITY TO ENGAGE, HELP GUIDE, AND LEAD, WHERE POSSIBLE, RESTORATION OF MOUNTAIN STREAM AND MEADOW HABITATS IN THEIR ANCESTRAL LANDS BY:A.PROVIDING STAFF SUPPORT TO OVERSEE AND GUIDE WILDLIFE CAMERA MONITORING ON THEIR PROPERTIES IMPROVING THEIR AWARENESS OF WILDLIFE BENEFITS TO RESTORE HABITATS FOR AND PROTECT B.PROVIDING STAFF SUPPORT TO PARTICIPATE FULLY AND HELP GUIDE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH WILDLIFE, WHERE APPROPRIATE, THE REINTRODUCTION OF BEAVER BACK INTO THEIR ANCESTRAL LANDS.C.PROVIDING STAFF SUPPORT TO PUBLISH A MAIDU TRIBAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE PLANTS IDENTIFICATION REFERENCE BOOK

THE PARTNERS FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE (PFW) PROGRAM IS A VOLUNTARY, INCENTIVE BASED PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES DIRECT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF COOPERATIVE AND GRANT AGREEMENTS TO PRIVATE LANDOWNERS TO RESTORE AND CONSERVE FISH AND WILDLIFE HABITAT FOR THE BENEFIT OF FEDERAL TRUST RESOURCES.

SIERRA MEADOW RESTORATION PROJECT

SIERRA MEADOW RESTORATION PROJECT

THE PRIMARY PURPOSES OF THE PROJECT ARE:TO RESTORE MOUNTAIN MEADOW AND STREAM HABITATS BY UTILIZING A COMBINATION OF RESTORATIONTECHNIQUES THAT ADDRESS THE DEGRADED CONDITIONS MOST COMMONLY FOUND IN THEM BY APPLYING THEMTO:A. BUILDING LOWTECH PROCESSBASED RESTORATION STRUCTURES THAT MIMIC BEAVER STRUCTURESIN MEADOWS THAT CURRENTLY CANT SUPPORT BEAVER RESTORING THE HYDROLOGIC ANDSEDIMENTARY PROCESSES BACK INTO THE SYSTEM SO WILLOWS AND OTHER BEAVER FORAGE ANDHABITAT VALUES WILL BE RESTORED ENCOURAGING BEAVER TO RETURN TO THE SYSTEM ANDMAINTAIN AND OR IMPROVE ON THE RESTORATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THIS PROCESS REQUIRES AMINIMUM OF THREE TO FIVE YEARS OF FOLLOWUP STRUCTURE ENHANCEMENTS ANDIMPROVEMENTS AFTER THE WINTER STORMS ACT ON THE INITIAL STRUCTURES AND GUIDE THEFOLLOWING SEASONS STRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS BEFORE THE PROJECT IS CONSIDERED COMPLETE.B. TRAINING NEW RESTORATION CONTRACTORS TO INCREASE CAPACITY OF THE AVAILABLE CONTRACTORPOOL MATCHING THE DEMAND FOR INCREASING PACE AND SCALE OF RESTORING MOUNTAINMEADOW HABITATS

COOP-SIERRA FUND (MS E.SOLTERO) GAMA PGM

THIS PROJECT WILL CONDUCT OUTREACH TO HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND TRIBAL LEADERS IN THE FOUR COMMUNITIES AT THE HEART OF THE SIE