November-December 2023 Blog

There were no November or December meetings as the ABC is deferring to the County and Forest Health Community Working Group which has been hosting a series of meetings on forest health and resilience, the Community Wildfire Protection Plan etc.  In the meantime, this blog will be published once a month so if you have any message that relates to the ABC mission statement that needs distributing, please let me know at dGriffith.9@gmail.com.

Emergency Fire Restoration Team (EFRT) wins the US Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region 5 Forester’s Award for Post-Fire Recovery and Disaster Relief.  Alpine County’s EFRT won the award for their work administering the $1.8 million in grant funding dedicated to private land restoration and recovery in the aftermath of the Tamarack Fire.  The EFRT consists of Clint Celio, State & Private Forestry Project Manager, JT Chevallier, Economic Development Director & State & Private Forestry Program Manager, and Matt Setty, Permitting and Project Implementer (NV Environmental).  The EFRT received support from the Carson District Ranger Matt Zumstein and most importantly from Anna Belle Monti, the Carson Ranger District’s Vegetation Management Officer.

L to R: Matt Zumstein, Matt Setty, JT Chevalier, Clint Celio, Anna Belle Monti (photo by Kisten Setty)

EFRTs working to restore and recover after other major fires in California were not able to make nearly as much progress as Alpine’s EFRT has, which is why the Alpine EFRT won the award.  Congratulations!

Carson Mill Ribbon Cutting.  On Monday Tahoe Forest Products had the ribbon cutting for their new sawmill immediately south of Carson City.  Production has started, at least of sawdust!  Over the next two to three months production will ramp up and the mill is expected to be in full production producing lumber.  Once the mill is in full production sawdust will be sold to composters and others for soil amendments.  The mill is located on Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California land, and in part is an economic development project of the Tribe.  Congratulations to Tahoe Forest Products and all those that worked with them to bring the project to fruition.

Initial Production – Sawdust photo by K. Leary

While the initial feedstock will be from the Caldor and possibly Tamarack fires, the mill will make it possible to economically increase fuels reduction throughout the region.  It solves the problem of what to do with the excess medium and larger trees, but we still need an economic solution for the excess smaller biomass material.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.