On January 9, 2018, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Los Padres National Forest – Wildfires Restoration Grant Program.
The Zaca Fire, the Piru Fire and the Jesusita Fire were major historical wildfire events affecting the Los Padres National Forest. Combined, these three fires burned more than 280,000 acres of National Forest lands and left a significant impact on the landscapes, watersheds, and ecosystems of the region. The Los Padres National Forest has partnered with NFWF to establish a conservation strategy to restore the watersheds and ecosystems affected by these three fires.
This represents the third round of funding available through the Wildfires Restoration Grant Program. The Wildfires Restoration Grant Program is a multi-year program to manage and invest monies dedicated to fire recovery in the Los Padres National Forest. In the first two years of the program, NFWF has awarded more than$4 million to over 25 restoration projects, while generating approximately $2.5 in matching funds for a total conservation impact of $6.5 million.
Through the Wildfires Restoration Grant Program, NFWF is investing in projects that provide sustainable and lasting ecological benefits and promote ecological resilience to future wildfire events. Investments will improve the Forest’s capacity to identify and address resource management issues stemming from these fires and repair fire-damaged critical infrastructure such as trails, roads, and fuel breaks to support the goals of ecological restoration.
Examples of current restoration priorities include:
- Improve forest and watershed health through management practices such invasive species eradication and revegetation;
- Employ restoration strategies that strengthen ecosystem and wildlife populations’ resilience to future fires and changing environmental conditions;
- Target restoration and protection in areas critical to recovering and maintaining species such as steelhead, California condor, and bigcone Douglas-fir;
- Develop tools and information to support effective planning of resource management actions and guide future restoration actions;
- Repair or enhance infrastructure, including trails and fuel breaks, impacted by the fires, and;
- Create opportunities for public engagement and education.
Funding decisions are based on the ability of the applicant to implement strategies that achieve the program priorities and result in measurable conservation outcomes. Major funding for Los Padres National Forest – Wildfires Restoration Grant Program is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service.
Pre-Proposal Due Date: January 25, 2018 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Full Proposal Due Date: March 8, 2018 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Featured photo by USFS shows Mudslide coming down the fire-damaged Cold Spring Trail in Montecito, January 9, 2018.