American American Forests Works to plants species like How the Fire giant sequoia and Funding Fix Save California's Forests Jeffrey pine that have evolved with fire. Will Help California’s forests are among the most carbon-rich forests in These have: Address the world, supply more than 65 percent of the state’s drinking ACROSS CALIFORNIA: water and contain some of America’s most treasured land- : scapes, including Yosemite National Park. 139 wildlands projects American Forests helped Widely spaced branches Yet, these forests are facing unprecedented threats from a lead the Fire Funding Fix More than and open crown changing climate, increased and prolonged drought, and more Coalition which advocated severe activity. The combined effects of these changes 7.8 million trees planted for the comprehensive and extreme events are severely stressing the region’s iconic funding forests and diminishing the natural benefits that California More than solution and passed in the forests provide people every day. Since just 2010, more than 147 $2.6 million invested fiscal year 2018 omnibus million trees have died in California. appropriations bill. This fix, To meet these challenges, American Forests is building partner- now being implemented in IN CALIFORNIA FIRE-BURNED AREAS ONLY: Fire-resistant ships and using science to develop climate-informed restoration fiscal year 2020, changes needles with strategies to improve health across the state. This includes how the U.S. Forest Service 96 wildlands projects high moisture collaborative efforts to is able to fund and fight content scale up forest restora- wildfires, ensuring stable tion, testing out new 5.9 million trees planted funding and removing the adaptation strategies, and need to transfer funds from implementing climate- other programs to use in 46,000 acres replanted High branches so fire smart projects. wildfire suppression. This that were burned at high severity, where can’t climb into the the fire killed all or most of the adult trees is great news as it not only In 2019, American crown of the tree (seed sources) and where the forest might addresses the rising costs of Forests hired its first not recover on its own. fighting wildfires, but allows California State Director, projects that help reduce Brittany Dyer, to lead these efforts in areas affected by the risk of wildfires to go efforts. For the last five forward without the risk of years, Brittany has worked 60 different fires those funds being needed with the Madera County to fight fires. Board of Supervisors in the Thick, inflammable bark Sierra Nevada to address the Each blue dot represents an American Forests' climate-smart that insulates the forest health crisis in the Southern restoration project. tree from heat Sierra. She also serves on the State of California’s Task Force, acting as the co-chair of the After a fire, giant sequoia Tree Mortality Working Group, and will seeds establish in bare continue this important state-level leader- soil and abundant light ship role at American Forests. and grow quickly American Forests’ will lean on its long-standing history of collaborative conservation throughout the state of California to implement these efforts. Starting in 1991, American Forests has partnered with numerous organizations, including local, state and federal government agencies as well as local nonprofits, to support our projects.

Brittany Dyer writes from North Fork, Calif. and is American Forests' California state director.

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