Posts Tagged: forests

Opinion

California can cut wildfire risk by investing in resilient forests

A path into a Northern California redwood forest. (Photo: C. Levers, via Shutterstock)

OPINION: As a 34-year employee of Cal Fire, I am deeply familiar with the consequences of state policy that for too long emphasized putting out all wildfires, rather than emphasizing the natural restorative role fire plays in California’s landscapes. With Gov. Newsom’s new $1 billion wildfire budget, we have an opportunity to prioritize wildfire resilience rather than just wildfire suppression.

Opinion

Fight climate change, preserve nature in one stroke

The forest and fog of Humboldt County. (Photo: Ethan Daniels, via Shutterstock)

OPINION: This week, Governor Newsom announced a first-in-the-nation pledge to protect 30% of the state’s land and water by 2030. This historic executive order will require significant conservation action from our leaders. Thankfully, numerous Members of Congress are currently working to pass legislation to protect critical public lands and waters across the state which would help California meet our new “30×30” target.

Opinion

‘Teal Deal:’ Add blue to the Green New Deal

Big Sur at sunset. (Photo: S. Borisov, via Shutterstock)

OPINION: As policymakers prepare to vote in June on the new state budget while facing a massive budget deficit, we want to highlight a source of solutions largely absent from the discussion which can help spur an equitable economic recovery for all Californians.

News

Wildfires: The latest chapter of Trump vs. California

Smoke from the Camp Fire, as seen on Nov. 8 from Black Butte Lake. (Photo: Caminor, via Shutterstock)

Sunrise, Nov. 8: Firefighters were dispatched to a small brush fire near Camp Creek Road in Butte County. Within 10 minutes, whipped by high winds, dry conditions and much fuel, the brush fire had exploded. By the end of the day, the fire had a name, the Camp Fire, and the town of Paradise was under an evacuation order.

Opinion

The fallacy of forest ‘offsets’

Banana trees in the forest at Agua Azul waterfall, Chiapas, Mexico. (Photo: Elisa Loco)

OPINION: When it comes to reducing California’s climate emissions, should we allow companies to pollute our local communities, while paying our neighbors in Mexico to clean up the carbon? Should we gamble our climate policies on saving trees in other countries that can easily be destroyed by forest fires, just so that we can indulge in our own emissions instead of reducing them responsibly?

Opinion

First things first: Protect the mountain watersheds

The Mokulumne River. Photo: Mountain Counties Water Resources Association)

OPINION: Mountain watersheds can survive without the Delta, but the Delta cannot survive without the watersheds. In focusing on conditions in the statutory Delta, the California Legislature left out any consideration of the mountain watersheds and the ecosystems that provide the water to the Delta.

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