In partnership with local stakeholders and Taylorsville residents, Sierra Institute and the Taylorsville Firewise Committee announced completion of the Taylorsville Community Defense Zone project. The Sierra Nevada Conservancy and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection funded the project to increase fire resilience and protect the Taylorsville community against the growing threat of wildfires.
The project involved more than 300 acres, including nine private properties. Crews used a combination of hand and mechanical thinning techniques to reduce hazardous fuel loads and build defensible space. Crews removed small trees on 159 acres and 77 acres were mechanically thinned with heavy machinery.
During the past three years, project staff worked with local landowners through regular meetings, workshops and outreach events. Through individual landowner consultations, Sierra Institute and the Taylorsville Firewise Committee tailored the project to meet the community’s needs, values and concerns.
The challenging terrain, characterized by steep slopes and dense forests surrounding Taylorsville, added to the complexity and urgency of the project. The project reduced tree density from approximately 250-360 trees per acre to 90-130 trees per acre in areas accessible to heavy equipment.
Crews used hand-thinning techniques to treat smaller trees in steeper areas. The treatments also reduced ladder fuels and decreased canopy density. The effort played an important role in promoting forest health and improving fire safety, participants said.
The project’s benefits extend beyond the immediate Taylorsville area and complement current and future fuel reduction work on private and public timberlands. Sierra Institute staff are working with contractors and local partners to complete burning the piles produced by hand-thinning.
Community members have already expressed interest in expanding the project to include more private, non-industrial forestlands. Public land managers recognize the importance of extending these treatments on adjacent public land. Sierra Institute staff look forward to expanding this community protection efforts, they said.
For more information about the project or how to get involved in future initiatives, contact Vincent Vitale at [email protected].
Information provided by Sierra Institute
