Sherwood Ranch Roadside Fuel Reduction
Summary
SCH Number
2024050430
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Sherwood Ranch Roadside Fuel Reduction
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
5/9/2024
Document Description
The purpose of this project is to significantly reduce ladder fuels along the Sherwood-Fort Bragg Road through the Sherwood Rancheria and the Sherwood Ranch communities. These communities are located in a remote and rural area, with difficult terrain and limited options for evacuation routes during an emergency. This effort will benefit residents of the area as well as emergency response and firefighting resources during an emergency. This project aims to reduce roadside fuels along Sherwood Ranch Road, Sherwood Valley Rancheria Road, Sherwood-Fort Bragg Road, Sherwood Road, and Ridge Ranch Road. In total, the project will cover 12.52 miles. Roadside fuel reduction will occur between 50 and 100 feet from the road centerline on either side of the road. Landowners will be given the option to extend vegetation treatment work past the right-of-way, up to 100 feet from the centerline. The maximum treatment acreage, given landowner approval, amounts to 304 acres. The wildland surrounding these communities is comprised of dense timberlands, oak woodlands, and open grasslands. Fuel reduction activities involve the use of hand crews, chainsaws (tree falling, bucking, and brushing), pole saws, chippers, heavy equipment with masticator attachments, and pile burning. Live trees (10 inches in diameter or less) may be removed when appropriate to improve spacing or forest health. Slash and debris created by this project will either be chipped/masticated, lop-and-scattered, or piled for burning. Logs will be bucked and left on site. Chippers and masticators will enter the project area to implement treatments. Larger trees will be pruned to provide for a vertical clearance of up to 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. This project includes long term fuel reduction and hazard tree removal as needed.
Contact Information
Name
Julie Rhoads
Agency Name
CAL FIRE
Job Title
VMP Forester I
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Counties
Mendocino
Regions
Northern California
Cross Streets
Sherwood-Fort Bragg Road through the Sherwood Rancheria and the Sherwood Ranch communities.
Total Acres
304
Township
19,20N
Range
14,15W
Base
MDB&M
Other Location Info
50-100 roadside along portions of Sherwood Ranch Road, Sherwood Valley Rancheria Road, Sherwood-Fort Bragg Road, Sherwood Road, and Ridge Ranch Road.
Other Information
T19N; R14W; Sec 6
T19N; R15W; Secs 1, 2
T20N; R15W; Secs 15, 16, 20-22, 27, 28, 34, 35; 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.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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