Groups in rural Soquel, Aptos Prepare for Wildfire
by McKenzie Gannon | Santa Cruz Local photo credit: North Rodeo Gulch FireWise
As a 30-year Santa Cruz County resident, Susan Tatsui-D’Arcy was alarmed by the destruction of the CZU Lightning Complex Fire in 2020. Tatsui-D’Arcy lives on North Rodeo Gulch Road in the Soquel Hills, and she couldn’t help but picture a similar wildfire ripping through forested areas from Highway 9 to Aptos that have not had a large blaze in years.
Registration Opens April 1st for No-Cost Chipping Program to Help Residents with Wildfire Preparedness
The Resource Conservation District (RCD) of Santa Cruz County is excited to announce our Spring 2022 No-Cost Community Chipping Program. The program is available to Santa Cruz County residents who live in areas, defined as the Wildland Urban Interface, that have the potential for wildfire to impact their properties. Pre-registration begins on April 1, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
An informational Zoom meeting about how to participate in the the program will be held on Tuesday, March 29 at 6:00 PM. Click HERE for more information or to register.
This program is funded through grants from the California Fire Safe Council, US Forest Service and CalFire.
The Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County Receives $23,484 in COVID-19 Relief Funding for Essential Services Conserving Natural Resources
(Capitola, CA) The Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County (RCD) announced it has received $23,484 in funding, which it plans to use for core operations to deliver watershed restoration, agricultural stewardship, and forest health programs. The funding is made available from a $100 million allocation provided by the State Legislature and Governor Gavin Newsom in the 2021-2022 State Budget.
San Vicente Creek: Restoring a Stronghold
By: Kevin Sweeney | Sempervirens Fund
Mill Creek had been blocked since early in the last century by a 12-foot-tall, 25-foot-wide dam a quarter mile upstream from its confluence with the main aquatic thoroughfare, San Vicente Creek. In September 2021, that dam was removed, giving Mill Creek another half mile of free flow. But this project was not undertaken because of the territory above the dam—the real goal is to restore waters below it.
Funds for Chipping: Act Now!
By: TPG Online Daily
The Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County is offering neighborhoods with eight or more participating households a reimbursements of chipping costs related to the creation of defensible space for wildfire preparedness.
Grant funds available to Santa Cruz County property owners for erosion and drainage improvements
The Resource Conservation District (RCD) is now accepting applications from residents in the Santa Cruz Mountains in need of technical and/or financial assistance to address erosion and drainage issues on private properties and roads. With a focus on reducing sediment runoff to local waterways the RCD is providing one-on-one support to road associations, County Service Areas (CSA), and individual homeowners to identify erosion and drainage problems, recommend solutions, develop plans, secure permits if needed, and provide cost-share for the construction of improvements.
