Cait using an increment borer to take a tree core to examine growth rings and tree age

This summer Sierra Nevada AmeriCorps Partnership Member (SNAP) Cait Bell, a Forestry Health Technician at Butte County Resource Conservation District, is working on the Upper Butte Creek Forest Health Initiative. Working with a forestry crew made up of RCD staff members and Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve (BCCER) technicians, their goal is to conduct tree stand exams throughout the summer of 2022. From the results, they hope to better understand the density, diseases, and potential treatments for this at-risk piece of land. This project is working to return 20,000 acres within the Lassen National Forest to resilience through meadow restoration, aspen improvement, forest thinning, and prescribed fire. 

Overstocked forests in the project area, primarily white fir trees

The project area within Lassen National Forest includes land that was burned at high severity in the 2021 Dixie Fire. This project is important because improving forest health reduces the chances of these catastrophic fires recurring. This type of restoration and improvement also benefits the overall ecological well-being of the forest. 

Cait using a data logger to record tree information including diseases, sizes, species, and overall health

The Butte County RCD is dedicated to serving natural resource conservation in many different forms, and the Upper Butte Creek Forest Health Initiative ties in directly with its mission. By managing these 20,000 acres, the organization is working towards fire resiliency, ecological integrity, and future recreational opportunities within the Lassen National Forest. To learn more about the work Cait and the Butte County RCD team is doing, please visit their website.