Amador County – The U.S. Forest Service funded 10 new Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration projects across the country last week, including a joint Amador and Calaveras county project that will receive $730,000, and part of $40 million for similar projects in the program.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack released a new report, “Increasing the Pace of Restoration and Job Creation on our National Forests,” outlining a strategy and series of management actions for 193 million acres of national forests and grasslands managed by the Service.

John Heil of U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region said in the accelerated restoration strategy, 23 forest and watershed restoration projects will be funded for the upcoming year, with $40 million, including 10 new projects under the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration program. It also included continued funding for the original 10 projects selected in 2010, and an additional $4.6 million to support other high priority restoration projects.

Heil said: “The restoration of National Forest System lands is critically needed to address a number of threats to the health of forest ecosystems, watersheds, wildlife habitats and forest dependent communities. Major threats include wildland fire, climate change, beetle epidemics and invasive species.”

Vilsack said through partnerships with “states, communities, tribes and others, we are committed to restoring our forests and bringing jobs to rural America.” He said “it is vital that we step up our efforts to safeguard our country’s natural resources.”

The “national forests and grasslands are the backdrop and neighbor to many rural and urban communities,” Heil said, “providing a range of values and benefits, including clean drinking water for millions of people,” wildlife habitat, and a variety of recreation opportunities “that support jobs and economic growth in rural communities.”

The restoration program is designed to sustain the ability of federal forest lands to continue to deliver a full range of ecosystem services for generations to come, Heil said.

Two California projects received funding, including the Burney-Hat Creek Basins Project, awarded $605,000 and the Amador-Calaveras Consensus Group’s “Cornerstone Project,” which received $730,000.

Of 26 proposals for Collaborative Forest Restoration Grants, a federal advisory committee recommended 13 for funding consideration, of which 10 were selected.

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