Resources

Central Sierra Land Stewards' Resource Guide 

The Natural & Working Lands Hub is a collaborative of Calaveras RCD, Tuolumne RCD,  Amador RCD and Alpine Watershed Group. 

We are working with our regional partners to improve services supporting the agricultural and working lands community across the Central Sierra.

We’re gathering input from local farmers, ranchers, and working land managers to shape workshops, field days, and technical assistance in our region.

Fill out the Central Sierra Agriculture and Working Lands Survey to make your voice heard throughout the region! sierralands.org

 

The image is a logo for the "Natural & Working Lands Hub," featuring mountains, forests, and fields, with names of four counties.
Forest Health Resources 
  • California Native Plant Society (CNPS) Fire Recovery Guide: This guide offers science backed guidance for those working towards recovery of their land post fire. It will help you identify actions to benefit your land and its biodiversity while helping avoid actions that may be detrimental.
  • California Prescribed Burn Association: California’s hub for Prescribed Burn Associations and community based learning.
  • UC ANR Fire Network, Wildfire Recovery Page: Provides resources for homeowners, forest landowners, farmers, and ranchers to assist them in recovering their land post catastrophic wildfire.
  • Forest Management Handbook for Small-Parcel Landowners in the Sierra Nevada and Southern Cascade Range: Resource created by the US Forest service written to guide forest landowners assess the condition of their property to make informed decisions rooted in the best available science. PDF
  • CalFire California Forest Improvement Program (CFIP): This program offers landowners with financial assistance to encourage private and public investment in, and improved management of, California forest lands and resources. 
Firewise and Defensible Space Resources 
  • Firewise USA: Hosted by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Firewise USA is a nation-wide recognition program that provides a collaborative framework to help neighbors in a geographic area get organized, find direction, and take action to increase the ignition resistance of their homes and community and to reduce wildfire risks at the local level. For more information about your local Firewise Community or learn how to establish your own visit the NFPA website.
  • CAL FIRE, Defensible Space: Defensible Space is the buffer zone created between your property and the surrounding area. This space is key to slowing or stopping wildfire spread and protecting you home from embers, flames or heat. Learn more on CAL FIRE’s website
  • Home Landscaping for Fire Safety: Link
  • Calaveras Foothills Fire Safe Council: The Mission of the Calaveras Foothills Fire Safe Council is to maintain the quality of life for residents (human as well as local animal and vegetation species) as we coexist within each Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Zone in the Council's sphere of influence that encompasses Calaveras County and portions of Western Alpine County to achieve effective fire protection through education, guidance, and planning. Learn more at:
  • 2020 Calaveras County Community Wildfire Protection Plan: Created and hosted by the Calaveras Foothills Fire Safe Council.
Working Lands Resources 

Financial Assistance

Regenerative Agriculture and Ranching

  • CSU Chico, Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Resilient Systems: advances regenerative agriculture by generating and sharing science-based knowledge, supporting producers and land managers, educating the next generation of agricultural leaders, and fostering partnerships that strengthen the resilience of California’s working lands and rural communities.
  • American Farmland Trust, Retrospective Soil Health Economic Case Study Toolkit: With this Toolkit you will be able to analyze the field operations of “soil health successful” row crop or tree nut producers to estimate the changes in costs and benefits with adoption of one or more of these soil health practices: conservation crop rotation, cover crops, composting, no-till or reduced tillage, and/or nutrient management.

Cover Cropping and Hedgerows

  • Community Alliance with Family Famers, “Hedgerows and Farmscaping for California  Agriculture” .PDF
  • SmartMix: Get a custom cover crop blend designed specifically for your soil, climate, and goals. The SmartMix calculator analyzes your field conditions and creates an optimized mix—backed by science, tailored to your farm

Livestock Incorporation & Grazing Management

Carbon Farming

  • The Carbon Cycle Institute works to advance carbon cycle solutions: working models of alternative practices, technologies and economic value chains that can produce food, fiber, and flora in ways that improve the environment and are climate- and carbon-beneficial.

Wildlife & Pollinator Habitat Health Resources

  • Wild Farm Alliance was established by a national group of wildlands proponents and ecological farming advocates who share a concern for the land and its wild and human inhabitants. Thye work to bring wild connectivity across farming landscapes
  • Calflora: Calflora’s California eVegGuide can help you explore plants native to your own backyard. To find specific native plants that grow in your region, click the link below.
  • California Native Plant Society (CNPS): The Central Sierra Chapter is one of 35 chapters of the CNPS, a statewide nonprofit organization bringing together science, education, conservation, and gardening to power the native plant movement. The Central Sierra Chapter serves Calaveras, Mariposa, Tuolumne, and Amador counties. Their website is full of valuable resources for supporting native habitat in our region.
  • The Xerces Society: This organization is dedicated to the protection of wildlife through supporting invertebrates. They offer information and resources affecting monarchs and other pollinators. https://www.xerces.org/
  • The Xerces Society also provides free seedling kits through their Pollinator Habitat Kit Program
  • Monarch Joint Venture: MJV is a national conservation nonprofit that implements science-based conservation actions for monarch butterflies and other pollinators through four main pillars: habitat, science, education, and partnership.
  • UC Master Gardeners of Calaveras County: Our county’s Master Gardeners host various classes and events, as well as provide resources on gardening, pest management and site-specific planting. Visit their Demonstration Garden in San Andreas every Thursday and second Saturday.  
Watershed Resources 
  • Water-Wise Landscaping: .PDF
  • California DWR Water-Efficient Landscaping: Region specific resources on landscaping your yard to be the most water efficient
  • Sierra Nevada Alliance: Workings towards protecting and restoring Sierra Nevada watersheds. This page provides resources on the state of these watersheds and ways to protect them.
  • Yosemite Rivers Alliance (YRA): Formally known as Tuolumne River Trust, YRA works together to protest and restore the Tuolumne, Merced and Stanislaus rivers. YRA has lots of volunteering opportunities to help aid in their work.
  • Amador Calaveras Consensus Group: An informal, community-based group working towards creating fire-safe communities, healthy forests and watersheds.
CCRCD Partners and other RCDs