New! CLICK HERE to view an interactive map of Measure C funded core vegetation management projects.
Marin Wildfire and its member agencies manage vegetation to reduce wildfire hazards to communities and incorporate ecologically sound practices into these projects and programs to protect and enhance native biodiversity. Projects and programs are designed to reduce hazards and achieve measurable fuel reduction as outlined in the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) and provide funding for specific local wildfire mitigation projects within each member’s service area.
Vegetation management projects vary depending on fire risk, proximity to communities and roads, vegetation type, topography, land management agency stewardship goals, potential for sensitive resources to be onsite, and other factors. Member agencies, Marin Wildfire staff, and project partners work together to fine tune projects and determine the best approach.
Typical vegetation management projects consist of some or all of the following activities: removal of dead and down woody material; thinning of nonnative, invasive, fire hazardous vegetation (particularly French broom and other broom species); limbing up of native and nonnative trees; and thinning of fire hazardous native vegetation where necessary. Most vegetation management projects aim to leave an intact native tree canopy and a native understory with increased spacing between surface fuels and tree branches. Most projects include the use of small hand crews using hand tools while some include mechanical equipment, goat grazing, pile burning, broadcast burning, targeted herbicide use or other fuel management techniques as appropriate. Marin Wildfire assists member agencies during environmental compliance for core projects to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal environmental laws and regulations.
The projects featured on the Marin Wildfire website are cross-jurisdictional projects known as "Core Projects" (60% of Marin Wildfire's budget) as well as Defensible Space and Home Hardening projects (20% of Marin Wildfire's budget). The remaining 20% of the budget goes to member agencies for Local Wildfire Prevention Mitigation projects (Local). See member agency websites or Marin Wildfire's annual Work Plans for specific project details for Local projects. In addition to project planning and environmental compliance, Marin Wildfire also helps fund positions and equipment to implement these projects and modeling and data collection to track projects and measure their effectiveness
