Help California National Forests Recover

What happens after a forest fire like the HUGE Rim Fire burning near Yosemite?

Vance Russell, the National Forest Foundation’s Director of Programs for California has sent out an email to everyone who, I guess, supports the National Forest Foundation, and I thought now might be a good time to share it with you:

As I write this morning there are 22 fires burning in California that have scorched nearly 343,000 acres of National Forest lands – a size that could encompass the city of Los Angeles. While I was in South Lake Tahoe last weekend, the visibility barely allowed views of the lake, let alone the famous mountains surrounding it. While I felt sorry for travelers who had come there with high hopes only to be disappointed, smoke-impeded views are among the least important concerns for those who treasure California’s public lands.

Throughout the West we have seen increases in both the number and size of fires destroying forests and property due to changes in climate including high temperatures, drought, and decreasing spring snowpack. Unfortunately, drought conditions are expected to persist in Southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico, which means more fires are likely in our future as well. While wildfires damage all lands without regard for political boundaries, our National Forests are particularly hard hit each season.

 
Through the National Forest Foundation’s Wildfire Recovery Fund, concerned citizens can support post-fire restoration across the West, including California. Recovery efforts are vital to ensure that water flowing from burned forests is clean and free of ash, mud, and other contaminants. The loss of ground cover, such as grasses and shrubs, dramatically increases the possibility of flash floods and degrades water quality in streams and reservoirs. While this work focuses on short term solutions to protect water and other resources, our programs of work across the state are lasting and meaningful.
 
With hundreds of thousands of acres of California’s National Forests affected by fire each year, we need to do the hard work and create new solutions to solve this problem. But, even more importantly, we need to ensure these amazing places are healthy by focusing on short-term actions that can help lessen fire’s negative effects so that future generations enjoy their many benefits.
 
Please join in the urgent work to help restore damaged forests and prevent future damage. You can help today by participating in our Wildlife Recovery Fund. Alternatively, you can contact me at any time for more information or to learn how to become directly involved in this critical work.

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