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Supervisor Ranalli recommending the Board authorize the Chair's signature on comment letter in support of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy's Draft Strategic Action Plan.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) is a California state agency created by bi-partisan legislation co-authorized by Assembly Members Tim Leslie (R-Tahoe City) and John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) with the understanding that the environmental, economic and social well-being of the Sierra Nevada and its communities are closely linked. The "Laird-Leslie Sierra Nevada Conservancy Act, (AB 2600/Chapter 726,Statutes of 2004) was signed by Governor Schwarzenegger on September 23, 2004.
The SNC supports the Sierra Nevada Region by providing funding for local projects and offering technical assistance and other support for collaborative projects in partnership with local government, nonprofit organizations and Tribal entities. Activities supported by SNC contribute to program objectives that include reducing the risk of natural disasters, including wildfire; protecting and improving water and air quality; assisting the regional economy; and providing increased opportunity for tourism and recreation in the area.
The SNC Region is made up of all or part of 22 California counties, covering over 25 million acres. The 22 counties are organized into six subregions. The County of El Dorado is part of the Central Sierra Subregion that includes the counties of Nevada, Placer, and Yuba. Supervisor Ranalli is the County of El Dorado's appointed representative to the SNC.
In September 2011, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy Governing Board adopted a Strategic Plan which established objectives for the SNC within five areas of focus and laid out the strategies the organization would employ in meeting those objectives. The areas of focus included:
Healthy Forests
Preservation of Ranches and Agricultural Lands
Watershed Protection and Restoration
Promotion of Sustainable Tourism and Recreation
Long-term Effectiveness of the SNC
In June 2014, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy Governing Board directed their staff to refocus and increase efforts related to healthy forests in recognition of the dire conditions and urgent need for action in many of the forests in the Sierra Nevada. Per that direction, SNC staff developed the Sierra Nevada Forest and Community Initiative (SNFCI) Action Plan, which was approved by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy Governing Board in September 2014.
The Draft Strategic Action Plan focuses planning efforts over the next three-and-a-half years and sets priorities for the SNC within the context of its broad mission, statutorily established program areas, SNC Governing Board direction, and a recent reduction in base funding. The Plan will be implemented in ongoing collaboration with multiple partners throughout the Region. Its strategies will be carried out through specific actions identified in accompanying Action Plans, each of which will set forth a realistic set of actions for the SNC to accomplish in support of the priorities established through the planning process and available resources.
The Strategic Action Plan (SAP) has two components, a Strategic Plan and an Action Plan. The Strategic Plan contains descriptions of the four programs the SNC will focus on from January 2016 through June 2019. The Strategic Plan also contains strategies to implement each program and address the statutory goals associated with each program.
The Action Plan component contains specific actions to implement the strategies associated with each of the four programs, based on available resources and existing opportunities and conditions. Over the life of the SAP, there will be three separate Action Plans. The first Action Plan covers the period from January 2016 through June 2017. Each subsequent Action Plan will cover a 12-month period, with the final Action Plan covering July 2018 through June 2019.
The programs that will be the focus of the SNC efforts under this plan are:
Watershed Improvement Program
Grant Program
Abandoned Mine Lands
Regional Recreation and Tourism