County receives three Health Forest grants

MARIPOSA

The Sierra Nevada Conservancy’s (SNC) Governing Board today approved $2.2 million in “Healthy Forest” grants for 24 projects designed to reduce the risk of forest fires and protect California’s watersheds in 14 Sierra counties, including three for Tulare County.  With Thursday’s award, the SNC has now awarded $45 million for similar projects in the Sierra in the past four years, including $7 million this year.

The grants are funded by Proposition 84, the Safe Drinking Water Act passed by voters in 2006.

Tulare County’s three grants totalled $662,138. The largest of the 24 grants $350,000 went to the Tulare County Resource Conservation District and Sequoia Fire Safe Council for a fuel load reduction project at Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest.

The Sequoia National Forest was awarded two grants — $237,000 for to control velvetgrass (Holcus lanatus) in the Kern Canyon of Sequoia National Park and Sequoia National Forest and $74,500 to create restoration plan for Cahoon Meadow in the Sequoia National Park.