The Lassen National Forest announced today that the highly collaborative Diamond Mountain Watershed Restoration and Wildland Urban Interface Project has been approved and will proceed into the implementation stage.
Acting Lassen National Forest Supervisor, Ted McArthur, hailed the efforts from Eagle Lake Ranger District employees who worked closely with the Lassen County Fire Safe Council and Sierra Nevada Conservancy. “This project is a testament to what we can accomplish at the community level,” said McArthur. “We look forward to beginning the work in this area and working with our valuable partners in seeking new opportunities for similar projects.”
“The project’s primary goals include completing large-scale landscape restoration work designed to create more resilient forests by reducing fuels and fire behavior, improving forest health and watershed function, and increasing safety for fire suppression activities on both private and public lands around Susanville and Janesville,” said Chuck Lewis, Eagle Lake Ranger District fuels specialist.
“Lassen County Fire Safe Council is delighted that the USFS Diamond Mountain Watershed Restoration Project Environmental Assessment has been completed and the decision notice has been signed”, said Lloyd Keefer, LCFSC chair. This represents a key milestone in the Diamond Mountain Initiative’s quest to restore the forest and an important watershed in the greater Susanville community. DMI represents a broad coalition of agencies and landowners that began their efforts over three years ago. “That a major project can be developed by the USFS and be rolled out uncontested demonstrates the strength of collaboration at the community level”, said Tom Esgate, LCFSC Director. “All the DMI participants take great pride in helping to make this happen and now it’s back to work, helping to find the money to bring the project to fruition.”
“Sierra Nevada Conservancy is pleased to have helped set the stage to accomplish more forest restoration in the Diamond Mountains” said SNC Executive Officer, Jim Branham. “We certainly appreciate the groups and individuals working locally to move this effort forward.”
The Diamond Mountain Initiative is a joint public/private partnership that includes the US Forest Service, US Bureau of Land Management, CAL FIRE, Susanville Indian Rancheria, Lassen County, Lassen County Fire Safe Council, Inc., Honey Lake Valley Resource Conservation District, Susan River Fire Protection District, HL Power and private landowners. The National Forest Foundation has also provided LCFSC with capacity funding to support DMI.
Specifics on the project can be found here.
