Pacific Southwest Region
1323 Club Drive
Vallejo, CA 94592
707.562.8737
TTY: 707.562.9240
FAX: 707.562.9130
Pacific Southwest Region
1323 Club Drive
Vallejo, CA 94592
707.562.8737
TTY: 707.562.9240
FAX: 707.562.9130
Archived information is provided as a courtesy for use by individuals interested in researching the backgrounds of specific projects, or those wanting to learn more about the Region's history. Please note a document's date to determine its current relevance and contact us for further information.
January 5, 2009
The use of motor vehicles, particularly off–highway vehicles, is one of the fastest growing forms of outdoor recreation on National Forest land in California. This use—and its effects—has largely gone unmanaged until now. Motor–vehicle recreation needs to be balanced with the many different uses of our National Forests, as well as ensure the protection of the land, wildlife and other recreational visitors. Read more
January 13, 2009
Three members from Congressman Wally Herger's staff, members of the Concerned Citizens for Responsible Fire Management, County Supervisors from Butte, Shasta, Trinity and Siskiyou counties and Forest Service personnel attended a roundtable discussion on fire in Northern California on January 7, 2009, in Redding, Calif. Read more
January 14, 2009
In October 2008, the Regional Leadership Team identified five strategic priorities that will guide the Region through FY 2009 and beyond. These priorities reflect who we are as a Region and where we intend to go in the future. Read more
January 20, 2009
The Pacific Southwest Region State & Private Forestry (S&PF) staff made a presentation to nine members of the United States China Exchange Council on January 20. The members are from the Department of Forestry in Yunan, one of the biggest provinces with the largest forests and natural resources in China. Read more
January 23, 2009
Could it be true, NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) made easy? The Washington Office Ecosystem Management Coordination (EMC) Publishing Arts group and the Sequoia National Forest recently launched a pilot project called ePubPlus, which could streamline the way NEPA and other documents are published and enhance public participation through the use of innovative Web-based software. Read more
February 9, 2009
Many times when we envision pictures of a National Forest, what comes to mind are the vast open spaces, and beautiful lush mountain meadows. If you are lucky, you see yourself fishing in a stream with a deer or two browsing, and birds flying overhead. Well, here is how the Forest Service and community partners helped to make that picture a reality! Read more
February 18, 2009
Two United States (US) Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams arrived in Australia on Sunday, February 15, 2009, and were greeted by the U.S. Consulate General, Michael Thurston, at the Melbourne International Airport. Both teams have been requested by the Australian government to assist, supplement and support Victoria State agencies in their bushfire recovery effort. Read more
February 26, 2009
From hosting the interim American Ambassador to Australia and assisting wildlife to assessing suppression and post fire concerns, the two United States Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams have had a very busy time in Australia since arriving on Feb. 15. Read more
March 2, 2009
Two United States (US) Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams continue to assist, supplement and support Victoria State agencies in Australia in their bushfire post–fire assessment efforts. Read more
March 4, 2009
KVMR, a radio station out of Nevada City, recently donated $2,150 to the Forest Service for reforestation of the American River Complex Fires which burned over 20,000 acres in June/July 2008 in the Tahoe National Forest. Read more
March 4, 2009
The biodiversity Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) group members on Erv Gasser's US Interagency BAER team are currently on assignment in Australia assisting with the Victoria bushfires. The biodiversity group specializes in flora issues and has been assessing the burned area of the Killmore East — Murrindindi Complex North fire since Wednesday, February 25, 2009. Read more
March 4, 2009
Two United States (U.S.) Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams continue to assist, supplement and support Victoria State agencies in Australia in their bushfire post–fire rehabilitation assessment efforts. Both BAER teams were deployed to different Victoria State (VIC) bushfires to conduct rapid assessments and included specialists from Australia state agencies. Read more
March 5, 2009
"I am proud that the Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region will be playing an important role in creating private sector jobs for Californians on their national forests," said Regional Forester Randy Moore. "With the construction industry being one of the hardest hit, these projects will be right on point. In addition we have the opportunity to provide jobs to counties with high unemployment up to as much as a year." Read more
March 6, 2009
The deadline for submitting applications for the Pacific Southwest California Recreation Resource Advisory Committee (RRAC) has been extended to April 6, 2009. The U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) are seeking applications for the following three positions on the 11 member RRAC: Winter motorized recreation such as snowmobiling; hunting and fishing; and motorized outfitting and guiding or local environmental groups. Read more
March 9, 2009
Members of Carolyn Napper's US Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team are currently on assignment in Australia assisting with the Victoria bushfires. At the Bunyip State Park, the team was led to feeding stations in a thick stand of tea tree where they observed nearly a dozen of the rare Helmeted Honeyeater birds. Read more
March 11, 2009
During the Regional Leadership Meeting at the end of March, Forest Supervisor Stan Sylva was awarded with a beautiful hand–made headstall by Dan Meza, former Tribal Relations Coordinator on the Forest. Since he joined the forest in 2003, Stan has been committed to government–to–government relationships with the five Tribes that have ancestral interests in managing the forest. This has resulted in good ecosystem restoration and forest management. Read more
March 12, 2009
Several members of Erv Gasser's US Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team, currently on assignment in Australia assisting with the Victoria bushfires, were conducting post–fire assessments near a bridge along the Murrindindi River. The group sighted a Koala perched on a Red River Gum tree next to the bridge—curiously watching them. Read more
March 12, 2009
The Leadbeater's Possum, an elusive arboreal marsupial, which nest in old growth tree hollows, has lost most of their habitat to the bushfires in Australia. US BAER team wildlife specialists continue to work with local resource experts to determine the potential direct and indirect fire impacts to Leadbeater's possums and other wildlife species within and downstream of the fire area. Read more
March 12, 2009
Two of the three US BAER teams, 11 Incident Management team members, and the 20–person suppression firefighting crew have completed their 30–day Australian assignment and are set to return to the US on Sunday, March 15. The remaining US BAER team, led by Forest Service employee Terry Hardy, will remain in Australia until approximately April 4. Read more
March 12, 2009
Through the hard work and substantial funding from several groups, 1,825 acres have been donated to the Tahoe National Forest. This process began in 2006 when the The Trust for Public Land and the Truckee Donner Land Trust acquired the parcels from Croman Timber utilizing philanthropic funding for the purchase. Read more
March 12, 2009
First round Forest Service "fuels" projects in California will total approximately $1.5 million. The jobs are estimated to last up to 18 months. Projects will take place on the Shasta Trinity National Forest and Stanislaus National Forest through contracts and agreements and with a Grant through State and Private Forestry. Read more
March 18, 2009
Students enrolled in the William S. Hart Union High School District's “Basics in Forestry and Trail Construction,” course recently participated in a unique service learning opportunity coordinated by the US Forest Service. The Oak Flat Restoration and Planting Project, funded by the US Department of Agriculture, comes in direct response to resource and habitat decimation caused locally by the Day Fire of 2006, the second largest wildfire in California history. Read more
March 25, 2009
A new way to provide public comments became available with the opening of an innovative online Public Comment Portal. The Sequoia National Forest is pilot–testing the portal to gather input on the development of a new Giant Sequoia National Monument (GSNM) Management Plan. Read more
March 27, 2009
Forest Service employees in California, Colorado and Oregon are earning special recognition for their work enhancing and conserving habitat for elk and other wildlife. Each has received a 2009 Elk Country Award presented by the Forest Service and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF). Read more
March 31, 2009
Two Region 5 employees received the 2009 National Women’s History Project (NWHP) award. The awards were presented to Sequoia Forest Supervisor Tina Terrell and Director of State and Private Forestry, Laurie Tippen, at the annual Women’s History Month Celebration in the Regional Office. Gwen Bryant, Federal Women’s Program Coordinator and the Civil Rights staff organized the event and submitted their names to the NWHP. This year’s National Women’s History Month theme was “Women Taking the Lead to Save our Planet” and encourages the recognition of the important work of women in the on-going green movement. Read more
April 2, 2009
"Fighting fire is inherently dangerous work," said Regional Forester Randy Moore. "We feel for the families who lost loved ones, and we're pleased that the responsible individual is being held accountable for fires that resulted in two firefighter deaths and an overall increase in risks our firefighters face." Read more
April 3, 2009
The R5 Civil Rights Staff recognized Jodi Noiron, Forest Supervisor of the Angeles National Forest, by presenting the first Region 5 Civil Rights Star Award for exemplary achievement in diversifying the workforce and for the highest completion rate for mandatory civil rights training in the Region. The forest achieved 100 percent participation for sexual harassment training and 99 percent for Civil Rights training. This ongoing award encourages managers to "catch the vision" of Civil Rights. Exit interviews for the Forest in Fiscal Year '08 consistently contained the highest average ratings within the Region for employee satisfaction.
April 8, 2009
It all started six years ago. A small group of local back country enthusiasts and avalanche experts met to discuss the future of backcountry avalanche forecasting and advisories in and around Lake Tahoe and the Truckee area. Seeing the need for consistent, accurate and timely backcountry avalanche forecasting the group put their heads together, came up with a plan and a name, and the Sierra Avalanche Center was born. Read more