Faulkner Park Fuel Reduction Project
Summary
SCH Number
2025070098
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Faulkner Park Fuel Reduction Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
7/2/2025
Document Description
The Mendocino County Fire Safe Council, in collaboration with CAL FIRE, will implement a fuel reduction project to reduce wildfire risk in Faulkner County Park, one mile west of the town of Boonville. The project encompasses the entire 40-acre public park owned by the County of Mendocino. Vegetation consists primarily of redwood forest along with broad-leafed upland forest dominated by Shreve oak. Fuel reduction activities will consist of thinning the understory (i.e., dead ground fuels and brush) and removing dead and hazard tree material with manual and mechanical treatment methods and pile burning. Hand crews will employ chainsaws (tree falling, bucking, brushing), pole saws, string trimmers, and hand tools. Live trees (=12” DBH) will be thinned, and larger trees will be pruned to provide for a minimum vertical clearance of 14 feet. Dead and dying trees greater than 12 inches DBH may be removed if they pose a risk to public safety. Oregon white oak trees will be retained, and all true oak trees will be evaluated for potential retention. Thinned trees will have their tops lopped, piled, and burned. The remainder of the tree bole will remain on the ground. Burn piles will not be ignited in the buffer zone of any watercourses or floodplain. The option for mechanical or masticator use will be restricted to existing skid roads or those portions of the park that have slopes under 40%, outside the floodplain along Bear Wallow Creek. This project includes long-term maintenance of fuel loading and hazard tree removal as necessary.
Contact Information
Name
Monica Morris
Agency Name
CAL FIRE
Job Title
Environmental Scientist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Counties
Mendocino
Regions
Northern California
Total Acres
40
Township
13N
Range
14W
Section
3,4,8,
Base
MDBM
Other Location Info
Faulkner County Park
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4/15304 Minor Alterations to Land
Reasons for Exemption
The project meets the requirements of a CEQA Article 19 Class 4 Categorical exemption “Minor Alterations to Land” (Section 15304, Public Resources Code) as the proposed fuel management activities entail understory brush removal, 12-inches DBH or less tree removal, thinning, pruning, chipping, mastication, pile burning, and dead/tree removal to improve access and reduce volume of flammable vegetation. As such, CAL FIRE has concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, energy, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use planning, mineral resources, noise, population and housing, public services, recreation, transportation/traffic, utilities, and service systems, or to wildfire. No exceptions apply (Section 15300.2) which would preclude the use of a Notice of Exemption for this project. The documentation of the environmental review completed by the Department is kept on file at CAL FIRE Mendocino Unit, 802 N. Main Street. Attn. VMP Coordinator.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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