ECONOMIC AND CONSERVATION PROJECTS
The Siskiyou Mountains I-5 Wildlife Crossing Study area starts at Shasta River Bridge on I-5 and runs north to the Oregon Border where freeway traffic kills a lot of wildlife and impedes migration corridors. The project will run for four years in total from data gathering, study, and planning to design phases. One of the possible outcomes could be, based on data and design, up to two overcrossing and various other remediations to make for safer wildlife migration and vehicle travel.
Ore-Cal RC&D Council as applicant and the entire team which includes Caltrans, CHP, CDF&W, USFWS, Dudek Inc., Mark Thomas Inc., Wildlands, and supporters such as Siskiyou County Fish and Game Commission, California Deer Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and many others supporting this study and design project will be active participants and contributors to the data gathering and design phases of this project. Additional partners are welcome at monthly design meetings and quarterly public partner meetings. For more information, email project manager George Jennings (Executive Director of Ore-Cal RC&D Council) at orecalrcanddc@gmail.com.
Ore-Cal RC&DC and California Deer
Association support the YCC Youth Crew out of the Goosenest Ranger District, where the crew works on a wide variety of projects to benefit public lands, including wildlife habitat restoration, native seed collection, and noxious weed removal. Among the many experiential projects they are undertaking, they recently visited Modoc Nation properties to learn about the Tribe’s unique history and support restoration efforts.
The Ore-Cal RC&DC Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) was formed to assist federal agencies and other partners with environmental compliance and other planning needs to help increase pace and scale of land-health treatments in our service area. Program development and supporting documentation are complete thanks to funding from the North Coast Resource Partnership. Retired district ranger Mike Hupp and retired forest supervisor Patty Grantham were hired to help develop the team and take on the first planning projects.
The Shapa’sh Landscape Restoration Project in partnership with the Modoc Nation and Modoc National Forest is our IDT’s first contracted planning project. Ore-Cal IDT members, Modoc Nation Homelands and contract personnel, Forest Service and BLM representatives climbed to the top of Mt. Dome in Siskiyou County to see the BLM’s fuels reduction project to protect eagle roosts and other isolated wildlife habitat on top of the mountain. This will help inform planning for the Forest Service half of Mt. Dome and surrounding 39,000 acres. Two grants have been secured for this project, one from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and one from the Bureau of Reclamation.
Through the establishment of the Dorris Community Garden, the City of Dorris will be able to grow produce economically by providing a self-sustaining environment for community members. The Community Garden in Dorris started off as an idea, then slowly progressed into a goal that would not only benefit all diverse groups within the community but also create a welcoming environment for the lower- and middle-class families in Dorris.
Mt. Shasta Road 31 Fuel Break is a 200-foot-wide shaded fuel break on both sides of Road 31 from the Nordic Center Parking lot, east for approximately 6,000 feet with a goal to protect the Mt. Shasta Ski Park, communications tower above the ski park on Mt. Shasta and make safer evacuations in case of wildfire evacuation.
Miller Mt Fuels Reduction is funded by a grant from USFS Klamath National Forest to do 1500 acres of planning and 300 acres of shaded fuel break treatments along Highway 97 from the viewpoint just below Grass Lake to FS Road 21 and west along the road, including work behind the USFS station of FWS property.
Outsen Road Wildfire Fuels Reduction project is ready for final contract signing with Cal Fire to do Defensible Space clearing for 100 feet on 30 homes, brush field mastication and expanding the McKinney Fire dozer lines to 300 feet and adding more ridge top treatment to protect the south end of Yreka west of WalMart.
SUPPORTING EDUCATION AND JOB READINESS
Ambassador Program high school partnership to promote land management and conservation careers. Ore-Cal RC&DC offers scholarships to be Conservation Ambassadors.
Strategic Planning with College of the Siskiyous imbedded in our strategic initiatives, goals and, deliverables to restore Agriculture and Forestry through hands on field work, internships, and apprenticeships.
OTHER PROJECTS
- Grass Lake Wildlife crossing on Hwy 97
- Development of the MacDoel Wayside Rest Area