Sherwood Corridor Roadside Fuel Reduction, Phase II
Summary
SCH Number
2023070537
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Sherwood Corridor Roadside Fuel Reduction, Phase II
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
7/25/2023
Document Description
The purpose of this project is to improve ingress and egress safety, reduce wildfire risk, and aid in fire suppression activities through fuel reduction treatments. This project aims to reduce roadside fuels along 17.2 miles of Sherwood Road, a well-used public road. The project area contains mixed conifer/hardwood woodlands, open grasslands and areas with a dense understory of woody shrubs and small trees. Vegetation will be thinned and pruned within the road right-of-way (between 30 and 50 feet from the centerline) with the option to extend thinning to 100 feet from the centerline given heavy fuel loads and landowner approval totaling up to 367 acres. Work will primarily be completed using manual treatment methods (no off-road heavy equipment or ground disturbance proposed) with the potential to masticate ladder fuels in select areas. An excavator with a masticator head (swing-boom mechanics) would be parked on the existing roadway and reach into the right-of-way to treat above-ground vegetation. Hand crews will employ chainsaws, pole saws, weed whackers, and hand tools to remove small trees, brush, and surface/ground fuels. Live trees (less than 10” in diameter) will be removed to improve tree spacing. Larger trees will be pruned to provide for a minimum vertical clearance of 14 feet. Dead/dying or hazard trees of any size that pose a safety hazard to the roadway, people, or other infrastructure will be removed. Slash and debris created by this project will either be chipped or lop-and-scattered, and logs will be bucked and left on site. Chippers and masticators will not leave the roadway. Any material to be chipped will be transported by hand to the parked equipment. This project includes long-term maintenance of fuel loading and hazard tree removal as necessary.
Contact Information
Name
Julie Rhoads
Agency Name
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)
Job Title
Forester I
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Counties
Mendocino
Regions
Countywide, Northern California
Total Acres
367
Other Information
T18N; R14W; Sections 2, 11 - 13
T19N; R14W; Sec 6 - 8, 16, 17, 21, 22, 26, 27, and 35
T20N; R14W; Sections 7, 18, 19, 30, and 31
T20N; R15W; Sec 13, 24, and 25; MDB&M
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4 §15304 Minor Alterations to Land
Reasons for Exemption
The project meets the requirements of a CEQA Article 19 Class 4 Categorical exemption “Minor Alterations to Land” (Section 15304, Public Resources Code) as the proposed fuel management activities entail understory brush removal, 10 “DBH or less tree removal, thinning, pruning, chipping, from an existing roadway, and dead/tree removal to improve access for fire engines and reduce volume of flammable vegetation. As such, CAL FIRE has concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, energy, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use planning, mineral resources, noise, population and housing, public services, recreation, transportation/traffic, utilities, and service systems, or to wildfire. No exceptions apply (Section 15300.2) which would preclude the use of a Notice of Exemption for this project. Documentation of the environmental review completed by the Department is kept on file at CAL FIRE Mendocino Unit, 802 N. Main Street. Attn. VMP Coordinator.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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