NCRP Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Planning

Tribal and County Forest Advisors

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:

• In depth knowledge of forest health and forest ecosystems in the North Coast region, including their role in carbon sequestration, climate adaptation, maintaining biological diversity and culturally-significant natural and historic values, human health and safety, sustaining local economies, and water quality and supply. Demonstration of experience in this field.
• In depth knowledge of wildfire risks, hazards, and ignition sources as well as an understanding of fuel loading, fire behavior characteristics, and fire management and wildfire response.
• Experience working with California Tribes, a deep understanding of Tribal practices, and the ability to work with a variety of North Coast Tribes
• Understanding and experience with Traditional management of wild lands and cultural burns, includes the practical application of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in relationship to restoring and protecting fire resilient landscapes and cultural use areas.
• Knowledge and demonstrated experience in identifying shared values and priorities among diverse partnerships using processes that balance wildfire risks and hazards with community, economic, cultural, and natural values and assets.
• Knowledge and demonstrated experience in the identification, prioritization, and design of forest management techniques to establish healthy and resilient forests and achieve other benefits; using methods such as prescribed fire, cultural burning, forest thinning and sustainable timber harvest, grazing, and habitat restoration.
• Knowledge of and work experience in the landscape and human communities of the North Coast region.
• Knowledge of and work experience in forest economics, policy, permitting, code enforcement and regulation
• Knowledge of biomass utilization techniques and emerging industry trends
• Knowledge of and demonstrated experience with forest thinning, prescribed fire, and biomass processing workforce development and crew training, including the associated maintenance of existing and acquisition of new equipment and infrastructure.

Forest Health and Fire Management Consultant Services

The NCRP seeks proposals from qualified consultants  with knowledge and experience related to North Coast forest ecology and management, fuel load reduction, indigenous use of fire, forest project planning and permitting issues. The NCRP is seeking forestry consultants who have field experience, technical research, writing and/or technical assistance skills and knowledge in one or more of the following areas:

• In depth knowledge of forest health and forest ecosystems in the North Coast region, including their role in carbon sequestration, climate adaptation, maintaining biological diversity and culturally-significant natural and historic values, human health and safety, sustaining local economies, and water quality and supply. Demonstration of significant experience in this field.
• In depth knowledge of wildfire risks, hazards, and ignition sources as well as an understanding of fuel loading, fire behavior characteristics, and fire management and wildfire response.
• Experience working with California Tribes, a deep understanding of Tribal practices, and the ability to work with a variety of North Coast Tribes, and the NCRP Tribal Engagement Coordinator
• Understanding and experience with Traditional management of wild lands and cultural burns, includes the practical application of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in relationship to restoring and protecting fire resilient landscapes and cultural use areas.
• Knowledge and demonstrated experience in identifying shared values and priorities among diverse partnerships using processes that balance wildfire risks and hazards with community, economic, cultural, and natural values and assets.
• Knowledge and demonstrated experience in the identification, prioritization, and design of forest management techniques to establish healthy and resilient forests and achieve other benefits; using methods such as prescribed fire, cultural burning, forest thinning and sustainable timber harvest, grazing, and habitat restoration.
• Knowledge of and work experience in the landscape and human communities of the North Coast region.
• Knowledge of and work experience in permitting and regulatory streamlining, including related policy enhancements
• Knowledge of forest economics, forest policy, funding and legislative strategies
• Knowledge and experience in regional socio-economic assessment and strategies related to workforce capacity and training, revenue generation
• Market based innovations, public-private partnerships, innovative funding approaches
• Knowledge of and demonstrated experience with forest thinning, prescribed fire, and biomass processing, including the associated maintenance of existing and acquisition of new equipment and infrastructure.
• Workforce development and crew training
• Technical support for project proponents in the NCRP region
• Human health and safety policies – fire resiliency at the Wildland-Urban Interface: code enforcement, home hardening, community education, emergency preparedness, incentive programs
• Innovations in forest practices, equipment, tools and forest products, including knowledge of biomass utilization techniques and emerging industry trends
• Research and technical writing related to the above technical categories
• Graphic design, education, interpretive outreach related to the above technical categories

Demonstration Projects and Processes

The NCRP seeks concept proposals for demonstration processes and on-the-ground projects designed to test concepts, methods, and innovative techniques to identify effective management practices for fuel load reduction and forest health that can be quantified and scaled up in the region and elsewhere.

Sub-grants for demonstration projects will be allocated based on the project’s ability to achieve the goals of fuel load reduction, long term forest and ecosystem health, local jobs and revenue, workforce development, support for local infrastructure, innovation and capacity enhancement. The NCRP expects to issue subgrant agreements for demonstration projects in two rounds of funding during the spring of 2020 and all projects will need to be completed by July 30, 2021.