The Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County announced that it’s been awarded a $7 million Cal Fire grant for forest health projects in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
The money is for a variety of projects on 830 acres of public and private lands throughout the region targeting “high-priority landscapes in a strategically planned ‘ring’ around populated areas,” RCDSCC officials said.
Projects include post-fire reforestation, invasive species removal, encroaching conifer removal and prescribed burns, among other things.
“By working across property lines and jurisdictions, we can make a lasting impact on forest health, biodiversity, and community safety in the face of increasing wildfire threats,” said RCDSCC executive director Lisa Lurie.
The projects range from the northern coastal regions of the county, the city of Santa Cruz, the University of California at Santa Cruz campus, the San Lorenzo Valley’s sandhills habitat, and the high elevation areas of the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park.
Project partners include the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, California State Parks, U.C. Santa Cruz, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo’s Swanton Pacific Ranch, and the Santa Cruz Parks Department.