Tehama Mendocino Fuel Reduction Partnership Project Admendment
Summary
SCH Number
2021020282
Public Agency
Resource Conservation District of Tehama County
(RCD-TC)
Document Title
Tehama Mendocino Fuel Reduction Partnership Project Admendment
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
2/16/2021
Document Description
The Resource Conservation District of Tehama County (RCDTC), and Crane Mills (property owner) have designed the multi-component Tehama Mendocino Fuel Reduction Partnership Project Amendment, a large landscape carbon sequestration, forest restoration and post August Complex Fire restoration project that will help California meet its greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals, improve forest health and ecological functions, as well as restore fire resiliency , and the project area’s natural fire ecology through various forest management treatments.
As a result of improved forest health and fuels/fire ecology conditions, increased rates of growth within forest stands and subsequent rates of greenhouse gas sequestration will be achieved. This project will employ land management strategies to lessen the growing trend of landscape scale habitat changes as a result of high severity fires that have significantly impacted private timberlands, Mendocino National Forestlands and adjacent communities. The anticipated positive impacts that result from proposed vegetation treatments will improve multiple ecological components within that portion of the South Coast Range within Tehama County including State Responsibility Lands. Among these are carbon sequestration, ecosystem processes, as well as aquatic and wildlife habitat. These efforts will also improve conditions within adjacent communities through improvements in public safety and community, sustainability. The goals of this project will be accomplished through an array of vegetation treatments including:
•Removal of substantially damage timber stands through mastication and pile/burning.
•Thinning of young (less than 100 years old) conifer stands and plantations.
•Disposal of material unsuitable for commercial utilization through mastication, chipping and burning
•Herbicide application will be applied prior to reforestation, in order to enhance the survival of seedlings.
•Reforestation through planting of appropriate tree species.
•Retention of suitable snag trees within all treatment units.
Contact Information
Name
Jon Barrett
Agency Name
Project Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Paskenta
Counties
Tehama
Regions
Northern California
Other Information
South Ridge Project:
T24N R9W SEC 25 and 36
T24N R8W SEC 30
Russell Cat:
T24N R8W SEC 16,17,18,20
Snake:
T25N R8W SEC 32,33,34
Hensley:
T24N R8W SEC 21,28,29
Foot:
T24 R8W SEC 32
Riley Cat:
T24 R7W SEC 7,8
T24N R8W SEC 1
Fish:
T25N R08W SEC 20,21,28,29,30
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
1304 Minor Alternations of Lands
Reasons for Exemption
Due to the destructive results from the August Complex Fire, Crane Mills is performing harvest operations under a THP Exemptions related to fire impacted timber lands. Crane Mills will follow all Timber Harvest Practices as required for THP exemption work as specified in the California Forest Practices Act.
In connection with Tehama Mendocino Fuel Reduction Partnership Project efforts, the Resource Conservation District of Tehama County is providing project funding obtained through the California Climate Investments Fire Prevention Grant Program in order to conduct restoration activities on Crane Mills lands that are surrounded by those under Mendocino National Forest management. As a result, The RCDTC has determined that all proposed activities to be completed in connection with these efforts fall under a Categorical Exemption as the work entails removal of dead timber stands, replanted these areas and in certain instances, apply herbicide. No activities will disturb the soil other than surface scuffing, and will not cause harm to the environment, as project work will be completed within heavily damaged timber stands.
County Clerk
Tehama