Amador County – A Shasta County group that has used collaborative forest resource management is visiting next month with members of the Amador Calaveras Consensus Group.

Brandon L. Sanders, of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy and an organizing member of the Amador Calaveras Consensus Group, said Burney-Hat Creek Collaborative Group “has been discussed in recent meetings of the ACCG as a potential partner” in the “triple-bottom-line” “Sierra-Cascade All Lands Enhancement Demonstration Project.”

Burney-Hat Creek will visit Sept. 18-19 to “tour in and around the Mokelumne Watershed, including current and planned projects” and plan to attend a full ACCG meeting, likely Sept. 19.”

According to June minutes, liaisons of Amador Calaveras Consensus Group visited Burney, in unincorporated Shasta County, on June 13, meeting with representatives of the Burney-Hat Creek Collaborative Group, including Sierra Institute for Community & Environment, the U.S. Forest Service, Sierra Pacific Industries and ranchers: “Both groups agreed there were clear differences between each place-based effort and much to learn from each other, such as from projects under way, infrastructure, involvement of native people, group sizes and meeting periods.”

Burney-Hat Creek Group was invited to view ACCG projects and tour with the liaison group, made up of Teresa McClung, Doug Barber, Steve Wilensky, John Heissenbuttel, Katherine Evatt, Robert Smith and Rick Breeze-Martin.

The Burney-Hat Creek Group was initiated by Shasta County Resource Advisory Committee with “primary resource concerns” of “fuels management, watershed restoration, sustainable forests, sustainable economy, improved recreation opportunities,” and a collaborative process, according to a presentation posted by Group partner Sierra Institute of Community and Environment.

Sierra Institute said the location was chosen because it had three cogeneration plants, two sawmills that take small logs, a high risk of severe wildfire and an “out-of-the-box” District Ranger. With willing players including the U.S. Forest Service, SPI and large ranchers, the project sought to blend forest and stream work and restoration with fire and fuel management and saw-log harvesting.

The Burney-Hat Creek Group builds on “success of collaboration and improving resources and community health.” It also gives an “increased understanding and respect of multiple stakeholder needs,” builds confidence in the role of “local communities for improving resource conditions and economic viability,” and creates a “legacy project.”

Sierra Institute said stakeholders were actively engaged, stimulated to “implement projects.” It “improved understanding of community needs resulting in efforts to make the connection from land-based projects to community improvement.” It has also “encouraged adjacent watersheds to consider” this “community forestry” model.

Sierra Institute said project priorities included local unemployment, declining forest industry, and opportunities and challenges for recreation and tourism.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.