Stanislaus National Forest Awarded $57.6M in Wildfire Crisis Strategy Landscape FY24 Funding

SONORA, Calif. (January 11, 2024) – In an incredible show of faith and recognition for work already accomplished, the Stanislaus National Forest recently received its annual budget for work on the Stanislaus Wildfire Crisis Strategy Landscape of $57.6 million.

“This funding level is a clear indicator that we are on the right path with our work and should continue at full speed,” said Stanislaus National Forest Supervisor, Jason Kuiken. “Not only is that apparent as people drive up Highway 108 and see with their own eyes the work, but it’s an acknowledgement all the way from Washington, D.C. that this work should continue.”

Part of the Forest Services’ Wildfire Crisis Strategy, the Stanislaus National Forest is currently into year three of a ten-year, 305,000 acres project to reduce fuel loads on the forest through a variety of methods to include mechanical thinning and the application of prescribed fire.

“We are extremely proud of all of the work done by staff on the forest, but it must be noted that additionally, we could not have accomplished anywhere near the pace and scale of these accomplishments were in not for our partnership with Tuolumne County and the Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions Collaborative (YSS),” said Kuiken.

Noting YSS member group Tuolumne River Trust was responsible for project management and inspection on fuels reduction contracts award by Tuolumne County, Kuiken was keen to point out their efforts were critical in increasing Forest Service capacity.

“We are excited to be able to continue to make progress on the work we began several years ago. The partnership between the Stanislaus National Forest and the Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions collaborative is truly a model with few comparisons anywhere else in the country. Like so many people who live, work, and recreate in and around the Stanislaus National Forest, I am grateful that our nearby forest and watershed health will be protected for years to come.”

Comprised of outdoor enthusiast, conservations organization and industry partners, the Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions has been critical in the success of the Wildfire Crisis Landscape.

“After decades of adversarial “wrangling” over forest management policy, 25 local industry, environmental, and recreational groups decided it was time to focus on what we could agree on,” said Mike Albrecht, president, Associated California Loggers.

“When we sat down together, we found out we agreed on a lot, and so Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions (YSS) was born. YSS agreed to salvage logs the Rim Fire, get it reforested, develop a fuel break network to protect our local communities, and restore meadows, streams, and wetlands to better health,” Albrecht said. “This agreement has gotten us national attention and subsequent funding to undertake large “landscape level” forest management projects. This would not have been accomplished without the close 3-way partnership between Tuolumne County, YSS, and the U.S. Forest Service. Kudos to everyone that has worked so hard to make this happen!

To learn more about the Stanislaus Landscape project, please visit the Forest’s dedicated Stanislaus Landscape website at  https://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/STFLandscape.

Questions or concerns should be directed to Stanislaus National Forest Public Affairs Officer, Benjamin Cossel, benjamin.cossel@usda.gov, 209.288.6261.