Archive
Items of Interest for May 15th Meeting
There have been a couple submittals for blog posting which are listed below:
STUDY: Financing Woody Biomass Clusters: Barriers, Opportunities and Potential Models for the Western U.S.
WEBINAR: Effectiveness and longevity of fuel treatments in coniferous forests across California
Materials for Review in Advance of May 15th Meeting
Callecat Ecological Restoration: Implement restoration actions to protect, increase, and perpetuate old forests and wildlife habitat; reduce the threat to communities from wildfires; reintroduce fire into fire-adpated ecosystems; reduce the degradation of watersheds and aquatic resources; and, provide employment and commodities to the local community; Amador Ranger District
Callecat Ecological Restoration Project Submission Form 2013
Forest Creek Roadwork/Watershed Improvments: Repair hydrologically connected segments of Forest Service Road 7N30, above Forest Creek; Calaveras Ranger District
Forest Creek Roadwork_Cornerstone Project Submission Form 2013
Mokelumne River Crossing Watershed Improvement: Removal of large culvert and associated fill material at crossing the South Fork of the Mokelumne River on Forest Road 6N64; Calaveras Ranger District
Mokelumne crossing Removal_Cornerstone Project Submission Form 2013
San Domingo Trail Maintenance: Perform required trail maintenance to enhance the approach to and departure from San Domingo Creek; Calaveras Ranger District
San Domingo Maintenance_Cornerstone Project Submission Form 2013
The planning committee is suggesting ACCG concurrence with the planning and/or implementation of these Cornerstone projects. The planning committee will also circulate a Letter of Support for the Ramsey Burn Forest Salvage project.
Ramsey Burn Forest Salvage – Concurrence with Draft Decision Memo: Letter of Support for the Proposed Action/ Draft Decision Memo; Calaveras Ranger District
Two National Forest Foundation Workshops Next Week
Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Desired Conditions? CFLRP Five Year Reporting
Monday, May 13, 2013 | 2:00-4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
Who’s afraid of the big bad desired conditions? Not us! You’re invited to join the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program Monitoring Network and National Forest Foundation in this upcoming webinar on developing desired conditions and ecological and indicators.
Here’s why this is important: In order to fulfill the requirements of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, which established the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration (CFLR) program, the USDA Forest Service must submit a 5-year report to Congress that assesses whether, and to what extent, the program is fulfilling its purposes. In 2011, the National Forest Foundation facilitated a meeting with Forest Service staff and agency partners to develop a suite of national indicators for the 5-year report. The result of this meeting was five draft indicators covering the purposes of the Act, including one covering ecological impacts.
Guidance for the ecological indicator, which will assess the ecological outcomes of the CFLRP projects, was released by Deputy Chief Leslie Weldon in 2012. As part of the guidance, project collaboratives must develop desired conditions that are specific to their collaborative group and the landscape and they are working on. This webinar will highlight three CFLR projects where collaborative members have been hard at work developing desired conditions and monitoring indicators to address the national indicators for wildlife, fire, and invasive species. Participants will hear about the design and development process, and see examples, from representatives of the Dinkey Landscape Restoration Project, Uncompahgre Plateau Project, and Selway-Middle Fork Clearwater Project. There will be time to delve into the details, ask questions, and share experiences.
Click here to RSVP for this peer learning session on CFLRP Five Year Reporting
Evaluation and Adaptation in Collaborative Resource Management – A New Sourcebook
Tuesday, May 14th, 2013 | 12:00 p.m.- 2:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
We hope you can join us for a discussion about a newly-published sourcebook, Closing the Feedback Loop: Evaluation and Adaptation in Collaborative Resource Management. The sourcebook explores strategies and tools that collaborative groups use to systematically evaluate their work and adapt plans and management actions based on what they have learned. Presenters will share examples from the field, and we will discuss process tools from nine rapid assessments that are described in the sourcebook. This session builds on a previous peer learning session (May 4, 2012), held during the sourcebook’s development. We invite you to join the discussion, share other examples and discuss opportunities for integrating shared learning, systematic evaluation, and adaptive change into collaborative resource management.
The sourcebook was developed by Ann Moote in coordination with a project team of the following organizations: Ecological Restoration Institute, Forest Guild, National Forest Foundation, USFS Ecosystem Services and National Partnership Office, Watershed Research and Training Center, and Sustainable Northwest.
Click here to RSVP for the upcoming session on Evaluation and Adaptation
USFWS Proposing New ESA Protections and Critical Habitat Designations
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is proposing to list the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog and the northern distinct population segment of the mountain yellow-legged frog as endangered and the Yosemite toad as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The Service is also proposing to designate critical habitat for these three amphibian species in California: 1,105,400 acres across 16 counties for the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog, 221,498 acres across two counties for the mountain yellow-legged frog, and 750,926 acres across seven counties for the Yosemite toad.
With overlapping areas, the total proposed critical habitat for the three amphibians is 1,831,820 acres. Most of the proposed critical habitat is on federal lands.
http://www.fws.gov/sacramento/outreach/2013/04-24/outreach_newsroom_2013-4-24.htm
NFF Webinar on May 13th
Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Desired Conditions? CFLRP Five Year Reporting
Monday, May 13, 2013 | 2:00-3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
Who’s afraid of the big bad desired conditions? Not us!
You’re invited to join the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program Monitoring Network and National Forest Foundation in this upcoming webinar on developing desired conditions and ecological and indicators.
In order to fulfill the requirements of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, which established the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration (CFLR) program, the USDA Forest Service must submit a 5-year report to Congress that assesses whether, and to what extent, the program is fulfilling its purposes.
In 2011, the National Forest Foundation facilitated a meeting with Forest Service staff and agency partners to develop a suite of national indicators for the 5-year report. The result of this meeting was five draft indicators covering the purposes of the Act, including one covering ecological impacts. Guidance for the ecological indicator, which will assess the ecological outcomes of the CFLRP projects, was released by Deputy Chief Leslie Weldon in 2012.
As part of the guidance, project collaboratives must develop desired conditions that are specific to their collaborative group and the landscape and they are working on. This webinar will highlight three CFLR projects where collaborative members have been hard at work developing desired conditions and monitoring indicators to address the national indicators for wildlife, fire, and invasive species.
Participants will hear about the design and development process, and see examples, from representatives of the Dinkey Landscape Restoration Project, Uncompahgre Plateau Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project, and Four Forests Restoration Initiative. There will be time to delve into the details, ask questions, and share experiences.
Click here to RSVP for this peer learning session on CFLRP Five Year Reporting
Callecat Project Notification of Decision Now Available
Please see the link below containing a notification of decision from the Amador Ranger District:
Forest Service Seeking Comment on Ramsey Fire Salvage Project
The Forest Service is seeking comments on the Ramsey Fire Salvage project which would remove fire damaged trees from a portion of the area burned in 2012. The draft Decision Memo is available for review at the Calaveras Ranger District; 5519 Highway 4; PO Box 500; Hathaway Pines, CA 95233; or, on-line at
http://fs.usda.gov/goto/stanislaus/projects.
The Forest Service will accept comments on this proposal for 30 days following publication of the opportunity to comment legal notice (April 17, 2013) which is the exclusive means for calculating the comment period.
Comments may be submitted to: Calaveras Ranger District; Attn: Ramsey; 5519 Highway 4; PO Box 500; Hathaway Pines, CA 95233. Comments may be submitted by FAX (209) 795-6849 or by hand-delivery to the Calaveras Ranger District office during business hours (M-F 8:00am to 4:30pm). Oral comments must be provided in person or via telephone (209) 795-1381, during business hours. Electronic comments, in common (.doc, .pdf, .rtf, .txt, etc.) formats, may be submitted to: comments-pacificsouthwest-stanislauscalaveras@fs.fed.us with Subject: Ramsey.
In accordance with the April24, 2006 U.S. District Court order (CV 03-119-M-DWM), only those who provide comments during the comment period are eligible to appeal (36 CFR 215).
For additional information, contact Karl Graves at the Calaveras Ranger District; or, call (209) 795-1381 ext. 338.
Project Descriptions for Review
The following projects have been reviewed and approved by the Planning Workgroup, and are now being presented to the full group for concurrence:
Gold Note Restoration: Close and rehabilitate undesignated sites to allow vegetation re-growth,designate several of the undesignated sites allowing for OHV staging/camping, harden and better define the existing designated staging areas in the Gold Note area; Amador Ranger District
Cornerstone Project Submission Form_goldnoteohvrest
Ramsey Burn Forest Salvage: Removal fire killed trees from the Ramsey Burn to allow safe access along roads, trails, and private land, and to allow for artificial regeneration and forest restoration; Calaveras Ranger District
Cornerstone Project Submission Form Ramsey Project Submission Form
Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail – Mosquito Lake to Pacific Valley: Construct a 3/4 mile hiking/equestrian trail from Mosquito Lake, along Highway 4 to Pacific Valley; Calaveras Ranger District
Cornerstone Project Submission Form MCCT Mosquito to Pacific
Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail – Moore Creek to Cal Dome: Trail maintenance on 2 miles of the Mokelumne Coast to Crest Trail from Moore Creek to Calaveras Dome; Calaveras Ranger District
Cornerstone Project Submission Form MCCT Moore Cr to Cal Dome
Combined Thin (Lost Horse SMZ Hand Thinning, Oski Bear PAC Hazardous Fuel Treatment, Silver Lake WUI, Foster Meadow Restoration, Deer Valley Meadow Restoration, Barney Meadow Conifer Removal): Reduce hazardous fuels, thin stands for forest health and habitat improvement at various location in and around the East and South Silver Lake Recreational Residence Tract and the Stockton Municipal Campground; Amador Ranger District
There is one remaining project submission form which will be posted as soon as possible. Please take some time to review these prior to the meeting on Wednesday.
Aquatic Assessment and Fire Assessment workshops in Sacramento – March 27 & March 28
Workshop: Aquatic Assessment in the Sierra Nevada Bio-Region
March 27th, 2013, 9:30-3pm , McClellan Wildland Fire Training and Conference Center, Inaja Room
(directions http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5364195.pdf)
The Regional Planning Team Ecologist, Jo Ann Fites-Kaufman, from the Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region will host a workshop on sustainability of aquatic ecosystem conditions in relation to fire and water quality and quantity in the Sierra Nevada bio-region. This work is in support of an ongoing effort to revise land management plans on the Sierra, Sequoia, and Inyo National Forests using the 2012 Planning Rule. Currently, all three forests are in the “assessment phase” of plan revision. The Regional Planning Team is developing a Bio-Regional Assessment for the Sierra Nevada to provide the larger context for forest-level assessments and, eventually, plan revision. Subsequent national forests in California will undergo plan revision in the future.
This workshop will focus on multi-stakeholder information on current condition and trends, including information gathered thus far on ecological integrity of aquatic ecosystem conditions and fire resilience in the bio-region. The format of the workshop will be presentations and questions by a panel representing aquatic and fire specialists in the Regional Office of the Forest Service, and collaborators from non-government organizations, local, state, and federal agencies, and scientists. An agenda will be posted on Our Forest Place (http://ourforestplace.ning.com/). You can collaborate with us at http://livingassessment.wikispaces.com/ (Chapter 1, 2 and 3). Information added to the Living Assessment by April 8, 2013 will be used to draft the Bio-Regional Assessment Report.
There will be more opportunities for collaboration on the draft report. We hope you will join us for this workshop.
Workshop: Fire Assessment in the Sierra Nevada Bio-Region
March 28th, 2013, 9:30-3pm, McClellan Wildland Fire Training and Conference Center, Inaja Room
(directions http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5364195.pdf)
The Regional Planning Team Ecologist, Jo Ann Fites-Kaufman, from the Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region will host a workshop on fire in the Sierra Nevada bio-region. This work is in support of an ongoing effort to revise land management plans on the Sierra, Sequoia, and Inyo National Forests using the 2012 Planning Rule. Currently, all three forests are in the “assessment phase” of plan revision. The Regional Planning Team is developing a Bio-Regional Assessment for the Sierra Nevada to provide the larger context for forest-level assessments and, eventually, plan revision. Subsequent national forests in California will undergo plan revision in the future.
This workshop will focus on multi-stakeholder information on current condition and trends, including information gathered thus far on fire in the bio-region. The format of the workshop will be presentations and questions by a panel representing fuel and fire specialists, and fire ecologists in the Regional Office of the Forest Service, and collaborators from non-government organizations, local, state, and federal agencies, and scientists. An agenda will be posted on Our Forest Place (http://ourforestplace.ning.com/). You can collaborate with us at http://livingassessment.wikispaces.com/ (Chapter 3). Information added to the Living Assessment by April 8, 2013 will be used to draft the Bio-Regional Assessment Report.
There will be more opportunities for collaboration on the draft report. We hope you will join us for this workshop.
ACCG Meeting on March 20th
The next meeting of the ACCG will take place on Wednesday, March 20th, at the West Point Veterans Hall located at the corner of Highway 26 and Bald Mountain Road in West Point, CA. The meeting will begin at 9:30am. The agenda is attached.
March 2013 ACCG Meeting Agenda
Also attached are materials related to the discussion on biomass feedstock for the Wilseyville Project, which will be a large part of the overall meeting.
Feedstock Discussion Guide 3-20-2013
Feedstock Discussion Results_3.20.13
CHIPS is requesting a support letter from ACCG and its partners relative to the USDA Woody Biomass Utilization Grant. Details on that request and the sample letter are attached.
