To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Regional Parks
Staff Name and Phone Number: Hattie Brown 707-565-2041
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): First and Fifth Districts
Title:
Title
Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District LandSmart Grazing Agreement to Support Expanded Grazing in Parks
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Adopt a Resolution authorizing Regional Parks to sign a funding agreement with the Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District authorizing Sonoma County Regional Parks to receive funding in the amount of $78,000 to expand seasonal grazing and thereby reduce wildfire risk.
B) Authorize the Regional Parks director to execute all documents necessary to carry out and administer the grant.
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Executive Summary:
The Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District (District) established the LandSmart Grazing Program for Community Resilience (Program) to support the utilization of targeted livestock grazing, infrastructure construction, and education to reduce fire fuel loads and make communities safer. The District staff have identified projects in Ragle Ranch Regional Park and North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park to fund via the Program.
Discussion:
Sonoma County Regional Parks (Regional Parks) operates a robust grazing program that includes both (1) highly mobile, targeted grazing; and (2) diffuse seasonal-to-continuous grazing operations. Targeted grazing is the practice of strategically concentrating grazing animals in different plant communities to achieve vegetation management goals. Using portable technologies like solar charged electric fencing, animals like goats and/or sheep graze within small, predetermined boundaries. In contrast, seasonal-to-continuous grazing typically utilizes cattle across broader acreage and requires more permanent infrastructure such as fencing and water. Both are effective means to reduce fire risks and to improve biodiversity.
This grant represents an ongoing partnership between Regional Parks and the District to expand both models of grazing on public land to reduce fire fuel loads and improve community safety. Funding is provided from the State of California Coastal Conservancy Wildfire Resilience Program to the District and then to Regional Parks.
This agreement will support work at two locations: (1) At North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park, where funding will support permanent fencing improvements to allow the existing cattle grazing operation to expand by 40 acres and (2) At Ragle Ranch Regional Park, where funding will support contracted, targeted grazing by sheep and/or goats in up to 30 acres for 1-2 seasons. Both projects have been long desired by both Regional Parks and park neighbors.
Implementation will fall under the Minor Alteration to Land CEQA exemption pursuant to 14 Cal. Code Regs § 15304.
Strategic Plan:
This project will increase vegetation management at North Sonoma Mountain and Ragle Ranch Regional Parks by expanding SCRP’s grazing program.
This item directly supports the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective.
Pillar: Climate Action and Resiliency
Goal: Goal 1: Continue to invest in wildfire preparedness and resiliency strategies
Objective: Objective 3: Leverage grant funding to support sustainable vegetation management program.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
None
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY24-25 Adopted |
FY25-26 Projected |
FY26-27 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$0 |
$78,000 |
$0 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
Total Expenditures |
$0 |
$78,000 |
$0 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
State/Federal |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
Fees/Other |
$0 |
$78,000 |
$0 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
General Fund Contingencies |
$0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
Total Sources |
$0 |
$78,000 |
$0 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Grant funds will be spent over the next two fiscal years on project expenses. Currently, the Department has appropriations to cover expenses for expected contract work performed under this agreement at the end of FY24-25. The Department will budget the entirety of funds in FY25/26 through the annual budget process and will budget any remaining funds in FY26/27 if the work is not completed.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
No staffing impacts.
Attachments:
Funding Agreement
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None