Amador County Tree Mortality Update November 2017

Tree Mortality Mitigation Efforts Amador County California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA) grant projects Pacific Gas and Electric mitigation of trees affecting powerlines Amador County Water Agency CDAA projects CalTrans mitigation of trees affecting state highways State Parks Department Amador County Resource Conservation District SRA grants Amador Community Foundation senior assistance grants U.S. Forest Service Bureau of Land Management

County Completed Projects Project 1 - Joyce Road: 70 trees on four parcels – completed May 2017. Project 2 - Belden Mine/Black Prince Road: 134 trees on 11 parcels – completed August 2017. Project 3 - Defender Grade/Rams Horn Grade: 113 trees on 25 private parcels and 60 additional trees on BLM parcels – completed November 2017. Over 1200 trees to be removed based on county-wide survey.

County Projects Planned or In Progress Project 4: Volcano-Shake Ridge: 225 trees on 43 parcels. Contract awarded, work to begin mid-November. Project 5: Pioneer-Buckhorn Ridge-Silver Drive: 331 trees on 84 parcels. Contract awarded, work to begin mid-November Projects 6a and 6b: Pine Grove-Sutter Creek-Fiddletown-Shenandoah: more than 600 trees on over 100 parcels. Bid package under preparation. Project 7: BLM Parcels Countywide: 99 trees on six parcels. ITB released, bids due December 6. Bear Valley Road: to be determined in collaboration with U.S. Forest Service.

Some Facts and Observations Total number of trees removed to date: 377. Total cost for projects 1 and 2 (accounting not completed for project 3 yet): $190,323 including inventory, administration and contracting. Average cost per tree to fall and remove for projects 1 and 2: $928. Larger projects may realize economies of scale but may be logistically more difficult. County Share of Cost for two projects: $47,581. County administrative staff costs not included or reimbursed.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company PG&E removals: 2015: 1,730 trees 2016: 10,130 trees 2017: 7,086 trees Planned removals in 2017: 1,191 Debris sites treated to date: 486/7025 trees Additional debris sites slated for treatment: 44/345 trees Trees are going to Ampine in Martell or cogeneration plants in Standard or Chinese Camp

Other Agencies Amador County Water Agency: 111 trees marked for removal An additional 139 trees to be marked All removals will be combined into one project California State Parks (Grinding Rock) 31 trees removed, no further removals planned California Department of Transportation 3500 trees removed An unspecified number of additional removals are planned

CAL FIRE SRA Grant to Amador County Resource Conservation District Provides reimbursement of up to $3000 per property owner for cutting and removal of up to five trees threatening structures. Applicants are qualified by location on timberland east of Highway 49. There are no income requirements. To date a total of 254 trees have been removed. There are currently 15 approved applicants and some are in the process of selecting contractors to remove trees.

Amador Community Foundation Senior Assistance Provides grants of $500-1000 to fixed income seniors for tree removal. To date the program has provided assistance to seven people for removing 10 trees. There are currently seven additional landowners approved for funding. Applications available at amadortreemortality.com.

U.S. Forest Service The Forest Service has implemented removal of dead and dying trees in campgrounds, along Salt Springs Road, near flume and transmission lines and around administrative sites. Additional projects are planned, including a large salvage sale in the Power Fire area. This sale will be coordinated with the county’s efforts to remove hazard trees along Bear River Road. The manner of disposal or utilization of trees has not been determined but could include sale to mills, chipping and/or burning. There is no information available on the number of dead and dying trees removed to date.

Bureau of Land Management Over 160 trees qualifying for mitigation were found on parcels managed by BLM. At Belden Mine Road, BLM granted permission to mitigate trees with minimal delay. Subsequently the county was required to retain an archeologist to provide information on cultural resources on the remaining parcels. Mitigation of BLM trees on project 3 occurred in November. All BLM trees in project areas 4, 5 and 6 have been deferred to a separate project (7). BLM is not removing dead trees on its own initiative.

Other Efforts Sierra Pacific Industries has removed over 87,000 dead and dying trees in its salvage operations on its 100,000 acre Martell District. An unknown but substantial number of trees have been removed by private property owners at their own expense.

In Summary,. Amador County, PG&E and CalTrans are In Summary, Amador County, PG&E and CalTrans are the “big three” in the county. County will collaborate with the Forest Service on a future project. Services to residents are providing some benefits to offset costs of mitigation. Questions? Dr. Richard Harris, Tree Mortality Coordinator (707) 685-5508 amadortreemortality@gmail.com