Forest Restoration

Beyond the six-acre "compound" where the BBCRC is based, we are stewards of another 44 acres of adjacent forest and wetlands areas. The property is very diverse with a six-acre riparian (wetland) zone and areas of larger mixed-conifer trees. However, over half the land had been converted into a Ponderosa Pine tree plantation in the early 1970s and then poorly-managed (see our Land History page for more info on the history of the forests in this area). Over time, we are working to transform these areas so that they are restored to a more biodiverse forest that better supports a variety of plant and animal life, is more aesthetically appealing, and is more wildfire resilient. And on the compound itself, once the site of an expansive auto wrecking yard, we are also replanting native species and managing for wildfire resilience.

Back in 2013 a local filmmaker made a short documentary film about the initial phases of our forest restoration efforts.

Our restoration work began in 2009 and has been largely volunteer-based, benefitting from attendees at BBCRC work parties and other events. We have also been the recipients of a series of grants and financial assistance programs and collaboration with local non-profits and Tribal entities.

The main restoration strategies we have been using include fuels reduction (brush removal/reduction and pruning of lower branches on trees), thinning of stands to more appropriate tree densities for our region, species diversification (planting native species of less common or rare trees, shrubs and other plants) and riparian restoration/enhancement.

Among the native species we have re-introduced to our property are Baker Cypresses - the northernmost species of cypress, known to exist in only a few places, mainly in remote areas of Siskiyou County. We have also focused on planting California Black Oak, Quaking Aspen, Sugar Pine, Pacific Yew, and other riparian species.

In 2013-15 we had funding from the Environmental Quality Incentives Program of the Natural Resource Conservation Service/US Dept. of Agriculture (EQIP/NRCS). This allowed us to carry out initial brush clearance, thinning, and fuels reduction using a combination of paid professional assistance and volunteers. NRCS also supported the preparation of a Cooperative Forestry Management Plan (CFMP) which was completed in 2016 with the assistance of Registered Professional Forester Mike Hupp. This was followed by a grant, under the California Forestry Improvement Program (CFIP) of CalFire, for tree pruning and thinning and further fuels reduction. In 2021 we collaborated with the Siskiyou Prescribed Burn Association/Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District, the Karuk Tribe, Quartz Valley Indian Reservation, Weed Fire Department, and other local conservation groups and individuals to conduct a 16-acre prescribed burn. This successful effort was the first prescribed burn ever conducted on private property within the City of Weed.

Prescribed burn at BBCRC on April 21, 2021. Over 75 people were on site for the one-day 16-acre burn. In 2024-25, we renewed our efforts, conducting a six-acre riparian restoration project with funding from NRCS and planning out additional prescribed burning and fuels reduction.

Wetland area at 800 Black Butte Road.

Update, September, 2025: The above efforts have combined to put us well on our way towards having a healthier and more fire-resilient forest at Black Butte. Still, there will be no day when we are finished with this initiative - being good stewards of land on our region requires ongoing active management. We are looking at conducting additional prescribed burns, updating our 2016 Forest Management Plan and exploring future partnerships with the Siskiyou Land Trust and other local organizations in the coming years. We are also in the process of documenting our efforts in a more detailed briefing paper, to be available in the future.