Sierra Sequoia Conservation Action Outreach Project
Start Date: 02/29/2024
Finish Date: 03/01/2025
Partner: Sierra Nevada Alliance
Funder: U.S. Forest Service
Purpose: Coalitions & Collaboratives, Inc. (COCO) and Y/S RC&DC will promote a range of work related to wildfire mitigation and risk reduction activities. This project will leverage partnerships to increase the pace and scale of wildfire resilience projects locally and regionally.
Current Activity: The contract is signed and we are currently awaiting the counter signature.
Update 4/24/24: We have selected a Sierra Nevada Alliance Fellow, and they will start work in May 2024!
Update as of 07/15/2024: SNA Fellow, Colleen Laird has been fully onboarded and integrated into ongoing Y/S RC&DC projects and workflows. Colleen continues to focus on developing a project priority database for our region. She is actively engaging with partners, fostering connections within our network. Colleen orchestrated an in-person meet-and-greet in Mariposa on June 12th to address concerns and brainstorm ideas for the county foothill area, promoting relationship-building efforts. Colleen has been shadowing the Y/S RC&DC team, gaining insights into reporting, invoicing, and grants. Additionally, Colleen participated in a grant administration workshop hosted by Sierra Nevada Conservancy.
Looking ahead, Colleen has begun planning workshops scheduled for 2024. Raini and Colleen have collaborated closely, reaching out to partners such as Sierra Nevada Conservancy and CARCD to explore the feasibility of sharing intake assessment forms aimed at surveying regional needs. Raini holds weekly strategy meetings with Colleen to coordinate project initiatives, oversee ongoing management tasks, and lay the groundwork for upcoming workshops throughout the remainder of the year.
Update 10/29/24:
Our SNA fellow Colleen is making significant strides in developing our region's project hub and database while actively engaging with partners to strengthen connections within our network. She has been shadowing the Y/S RC&DC team to enhance her project management skills, gaining valuable insights into reporting, invoicing, and grants. Currently, Colleen is in the middle of a three-part webinar series. She continues advancing by reviewing feedback, outlining future programming, coordinating speakers, and managing logistical needs for each webinar. The first webinar on October 17 (Prescribed Grazing) was a great success, with 32 out of 54 registered individuals logging on and good audience engagement during the Q&A. Audience members who left feedback rated this webinar with 9.2/10. The next session in this series is on November 12 (Prescribed and Cultural Burning), featuring various presenters and panelists from academia, community organizations, local businesses, federal agencies, and Tribal Nations.
Progress on the project priority database has also been substantial, with its official renaming to the "Sierra-Sequoia Stewardship Project Hub and Database" to reflect the updated direction and integration of spatial data on ArcGIS. Colleen has also pursued getting an official LOS from Mariposa County to apply for additional funding through the Sierra Institute to continue working on the Project Hub and Database into the new year. Colleen and Raini hold weekly meetings to advance this project and conduct targeted outreach for feedback on specific criteria components. Additionally, Colleen has been collaborating closely with Raini to explore the feasibility of sharing intake assessment forms with partners like SNC and CARCD to survey regional needs while coordinating project initiatives and overseeing ongoing management tasks during their weekly strategy meetings. Colleen meets her responsibilities with the Sierra Nevada Alliance by fulfilling reporting requirements and attending monthly meetings.
