The North Coast Resource Partnership (NCRP) was awarded $4.25 million in funding from the California Natural Resources Agency and Department of Conservation for planning and the identification and implementation of local and regional projects to improve forest health and increase fire resiliency. Funded by Cap-and-Trade revenues through California Climate Investments, the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program (RFFC) aims to help communities prioritize, develop, and implement projects strengthen fire resiliency, increase carbon sequestration, and facilitate greenhouse gas reductions. Please see the NCRP Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program Block Grant Work Plan for more information.
NCRP RFFC PlanningThe NCRP is developing a Regional Priority Plan (RPP) that will outline a region wide strategy for fuel load reduction and forest health, including a list of priority forest health and fire resiliency projects, strategies, and tools. Where relevant, the plan and/or process will include and evaluate local strategies, proposed projects, existing treatments, and tools for counties and Tribal areas. To support project prioritization, the RPP will utilize existing spatial and non-spatial data for the region, evaluate data gaps and, where possible, fill them.
The NCRP has developed a public group on ArcGIS Online of relevant geospatial data. To access the site, click here.
Regional data to be analyzed, as available, may include bio‐physical features; vegetation types and quality; stand density, tree size, tree mortality, and carbon stocks; sensitive habitats and species; wildfire history, fire regime, fuel loading, and condition class; cultural and ecological values; drinking water supply, water quality; public health and safety information; historic and projected climate and weather patterns; forest product infrastructure such as mills, equipment, processing facilities, and transportation options; as well as human capital, including existing and needed workforce capacity.
The NCRP has a long history of providing technical assistance to North Coast Tribal and disadvantaged communities to support and develop local and regional projects that promote integrated and multi-benefit outcomes in the North Coast region.
Through the Regional Forest & Fire Capacity (RFFC) program, the NCRP plans to offer project development technical assistance for projects that improve forest health, increase fire resiliency and adapt to climate change. Concept proposal solicitations for project development technical assistance are anticipated to occur in the spring of 2021.
Direct technical assistance will be provided by a team of regional experts and may include site assessment, mapping and GIS analysis, greenhouse gas calculations, cost estimates, permitting support, project benefits quantification and preliminary project design. The purpose of the technical assistance support is to help build projects that are permit ready and competitive for funding and implementation.
Nearly $1.8 million of the NCRP Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program funding will go to fund 13 demonstration projects that are scalable, replicable, measurable, innovative and result in outcomes that will increase the scope and scale of multi-benefit forest management in the North Coast region. Lessons learned from these projects will be integrated into the final NCRP Regional Priority Plan.
The Policy Review Panel reviewed and approved the following 13 Priority Demonstration Projects at the April 3 NCRP Quarterly Meeting and June 19 NCRP Quarterly Meeting.
On March 13, the NCRP received 18 project proposals in response to the NCRP RFFC Request for Concept Proposals for Demonstration Projects and Processes for a total request of approximately $3 million. On March 30, the NCRP TPRC conducted a technical review meeting to discuss the project concept proposals and select a draft suite of Priority Projects. For more information, please see the TPRC PROJECT PROPOSAL REVIEW SUMMARY.
Forestscapes, Roadside Biochar production for one acre of roadside fuels reduction
Hoopa Valley Tribe, Mill 1 Post-Fire Forest Restoration and Firewood Sales Project
Humboldt Economic Development Division, USFS Bio-Mass – Converting Waste to Cash Flow
Humboldt Redwood Company, Dual Exemption Fire Security and Oak Woodland Restoration
Humbots Data & Analysis, IGNIS Fire Starting Drone
Humbots Data & Analysis, Post Fire Emergency Response
Humbots Data & Analysis, UAV – Structure from Motion – Carbon Inventory
Mattole Restoration Council, Prosper Ridge Prairie Restoration Project
Mid Klamath Watershed Council, NCRP Strategic Fire Planning and WKRP State-and-Transition Modeling
Sonoma Ecology Center, Falk Forestry Carbonator 500 Test Project
Sonoma Ecology Center, Use of Portable Field Kilns to Process Biomass and Make Biochar
Watershed Research and Training Center, North Coast All Hands All Lands Prescribed Fire Team
On May 22, the NCRP received 15 project proposals in response to the NCRP RFFC Request for Concept Proposals for Demonstration Projects and Processes for a total request of nearly $2.7 million. On June 15, the NCRP TPRC convened a Technical Project Review meeting to discuss the project concept proposals and select a draft suite of Priority Projects. For more information, please see the TPRC Round 2 Project Proposal Review Summary.
Center for Social & Environmental Stewardship, Fire School Pilot Program at Lake Sonoma & Dry Creek
Dry Creek Rancheria, Vegetation Management and Demonstration Project Using Native Vegetation and TEK
Eel River Recovery Project, Tenmile Creek Watershed Forest Health Pilot Project
Forest Reciprocity Group, Forest and Mill Restoration for Fire Safe Housing Outcomes
Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District, Forest Stewardship Project Tracking
County of Humboldt Economic Development Division, USFS Bio-Mass – Converting Waste to Cash Flow
Humboldt Redwood Company, LLC, Forest Fuel Hazard Reduction and Utilization/Oak Woodland Restoration
Mendocino County Resource Conservation District, Redwood Region Greenhouse Gas Calculator Toolkit
Round Valley Indian Tribes, Learning to Burn
Scott River Watershed Council, Klamath Meadow Restoration Planning Demonstration Project
Sonoma Ecology Center, Use of Portable Field Kilns to Process Biomass and Make Biochar
The NCRP seeks letters of interest from qualified representatives from groups and Tribes in the region, to provide technical review and input on regional and sub-regional priority project planning. In addition, Forestry Advisors will inform and review the development of a process for the allocation of technical support for project development and permitting. The NCRP is seeking Forestry Advisors with knowledge and experience in one or more of the following areas: