Amidst a growing risk of wildfires in our area, many community members and land managers have recently focused on the need for fuels reduction projects to compensate for over one hundred years of fire suppression policies in California. But what does fuels reduction actually look like in practice?
Had you hiked along the Hirschman’s Pond trail on Sunday, you would have seen a team of 20-somethings in AmeriCorps sweatshirts and hard hats working alongside SSI ecologist Shannon Henke and volunteers, lopping and sawing any tree less than 6 inches in diameter. Had you stuck around a little longer, you would have seen this crew form a half-mile long fire line to haul everything they cut out to the Woods Ravine trailhead. The end result? Six enormous piles of trees and branches ready for the chipper, and 27 exhausted AmeriCorps and Sierra Streams representatives who still rallied for a group photo even though it was nearly dark out.
While the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) groups cleared 2 acres along Hirschman’s trail, the scope of this project goes beyond just one day. The Hirschman’s Pond Forest Health Project, a partnership between SSI, Sierra Nevada Conservancy and the City of Nevada City, began in 2016 and will be completed by December 30, 2019. As of now, work crews (including volunteers!) have thinned 49 acres of the property and by January 1st will have removed invasive species from 21 acres.These fuel reduction and habitat improvement efforts ensure that Hirschman’s Pond, an open space close to Highway 49 and Nevada City, is healthier and more fire resilient for our community.
On Sunday, two hikers passing through the work area remarked how much better the forest looked now than two years ago, when this project was still getting started. It goes to show that through local partnerships and community engagement, we can get a lot done around here!
A big thanks to the NCCC crews who volunteered their time for this project, as well as Alan Barlow, our SSI volunteer for the day. And of course to Shannon Henke, SSI restoration ecologist, and Dorothy Punderson, the SSI AmeriCorps education and outreach coordinator, both of whom put together this entire field day!
