Finding Common Ground with YSS
Mike Albrecht, abridged version
THE YOSEMITE-STANISLAUS SOLUTIONS (YSS) collaborative group is a highly diverse coalition of interests who share a common goal: restoring and maintaining healthy forests and watersheds, fire- safe communities, and sustainable local economies
using a science based approach.
Though originally founded to find common ground, tackling difficult resource management issues became its primary concern after a field trip in 2010.
For YSS, that field trip was pivotal in bringing the group together. Positive change happens when people get involved and focus on a desired outcome. YSS envisioned a healthy forest.
Though comprised of diverse stakeholders, the group realized that if they didn’t learn to work together that natural resources and the quality of life provided would be at risk.
Disagreement and stalemate were soon replaced with enthusiasm. Funding was secured from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy for a wide variety of projects, including: forest thinning, meadow restoration, as well as road and culvert repair.
When the Rim Fire hit, the group was catalyzed into action. It was obvious that salvage logging, followed by reforestation needed to happen quickly. Despite the controversy surrounding the logging, YSS supported the U.S. Forest Service in moving the recovery process forward.
Recent Press & News
- Local Forest Health Project Receives $6.9-Million In Funding April 11, 2024
- Tribe and Others Receive Funding March 13, 2024
- The Smokey Wire : National Forest News and Views TSW Exclusive: A Tale of Two SERALs- Making Landscape Scale Resilience Happen With the Stanislaus Forest and YSS February 29, 2024
- Planting Trees to Replenish Forest in the Rim Scar February 29, 2024
- Stanislaus National Forest Awarded $57.6M in Wildfire Crisis Strategy Landscape FY24 Funding January 17, 2024
- 20-year study confirms prescribed burning, forest thinning reduce risks of catastrophic wildfire January 11, 2024
- Fuels Storyboard Shows Investment in Wildfire Resiliency December 7, 2023
- New project more than doubles size of fire reduction work in Stanislaus National Forest November 30, 2023
- A decade later, lessons from Rim Fire August 19, 2023
- $3.7 Million Approved For Forestry Efforts In Tuolumne County August 16, 2023