SCH Number 2026030869

Project Info

Title

(RFFCP2022) Tribal Capacity Building Subgrant - Cosumnes Culture and WaterWays (1731-RFFCP)

Description

The Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) will amend and augment grant agreement #1731-RFFCP (RFFCP2022) Tribal Capacity Building Subgrant - Cosumnes Culture and WaterWays (Project) with the Cosumnes Culture and WaterWays (Grantee) to allow additional grant funds to be used for capacity building efforts, project development, and completing a Traditional Ecological (TEK) cultural burn 14.9 acres and a 8.2 acre hand-built fuel break. The objective of the Project is the removal of "obnoxious weeds" allowing the rejuvenation of native cultural plants and grasses and establishment of a shaded fuelbreak. The Grantee will utilize Tribal hand crews to minimize ground disturbance to complete the implementation activities. In lieu of destructive mechanical ground disturbance, all work will be done using only hand tools. This "low-impact" approach protects the sensitive soil organics and archaeological integrity of the site. The Tribal hand crews will hand cut a fire line providing minimal soil disturbance. These hand lines will be no more than 4’ft wide and down to organic soils. Tribal stewards will selectively thin understory ladder fuels while maintaining the overstory canopy by hand thinning with chainsaws and felling operations. There is a cooperative Vegetation Management Plan (VMP) agreement (AEU VMP – Ladies Valley RX-North-048-AEU) with CALFIRE for fuels reduction treatments for fuel breaks and prescribed fire application across the property. While the VMP involves standard mechanical treatments and higher-intensity burns, CAL FIRE agreed to work with the tribes under the VMP agreement to support implementing vegetation treatments using the lower-impact TEK appraoch. All operations will be conducted under the authority of valid local burn permits, strictly adhering to Air Quality Management District (AQMD) smoke protocols and local fire regulations to ensure public safety and ecological integrity. The burn will be done under the guidance of a Cultural Burn Practitioner, in coordination with on-site qualified CAL FIRE personnel. All work will follow protective measures and standards identified in the VMP and under Forest Practice Rules.

1 documents in project