NCRP Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Planning

NCRP RFFC Concept Proposals for Demonstration Projects and Processes

California Land Stewardship Institute, Developing a tool to test and demonstrate the feasibility of livestock grazing for fuel reduction and ecosystem enhancement

Forestscapes, Roadside Biochar production for one acre of roadside fuels reduction

Healdsburg Fire Department, Fitch Mountain Fire Resiliency and Russian River Watershed Protection Plan

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

Karuk Tribe, Burning Across Boundaries: An Inter-Tribal Collaborative Planning Project for Increased Wildfire Resiliency in the North Coast Region

Mattole Restoration Council, Prosper Ridge Prairie Restoration Project

Mid Klamath Watershed Council, NCRP Strategic Fire Planning and WKRP State-and-Transition Modeling

Northwest California Resource Conservation & Development Council, California Resource & Habitat Zone Development

Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District, Siskiyou County Collaborative Prescribed Burn Association and Demonstration Projects

Sonoma Ecology Center, Falk Forestry Carbonator 500 Test Project

Sonoma Ecology Center, Use of Portable Field Kilns to Process Biomass and Make Biochar

Sonoma Resource Conservation District, North Coast Forestry Education Program – Inspiring the Next Generation

Watershed Research and Training Center, North Coast All Hands All Lands Prescribed Fire Team

Requests for Proposals

On February 12, the NCRP announced that it was seeking proposals from eligible North Coast entities to assist in the development of a Regional Priority Plan that will include a comprehensive and integrated set of strategies, actions and projects to support forest, watershed and community health and long-term resilience to wildfire. The NCRP is sought support in three areas – Forest Advisors, Technical Consultants, and Demonstration Projects. Applications were due March 13, 2020.

• Tribal and County Forest Advisors – Request for Letters of Interest

• Forest Health and Fire Management Consultant Services – Request for Qualifications/Proposals

• Demonstration Projects and Processes:

  • Request for Concept Proposals

  • NCRP 2020 Demonstration Project Review & Selection Process Guidelines

  • Demonstration Project Budget and Schedule Excel Template

Request for Proposals Questions & Answers

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.