About Us
SIERRA RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT
REGION: SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
LOCATION: EASTERN FRESNO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
ADDRESS: 36281 Lodge Road, Tollhouse, CA 93667
PHONE: (559) 855-3901 Terry Sandridge (President)
FAX: (559) 855-7765
(Call First)
EMAIL: Toby Horst – Director/Webmaster, easyrider@netptc.net
WEBSITE: www.sierrarcd.com
DISTRICT SIZE: 1,960,248 acres
The Sierra Resource Conservation District (SRCD) encompasses approximately 3063 square miles (1,960,248 acres) . The area is over 50% of the total acreage of Fresno County (3,817,025). The SRCD is bounded on the north by the Fresno-Madera County line; on the east by the Fresno-Mono and Fresno-Inyo County lines; on the south by the Fresno-Tulare Co line with a small portion of the North east corner of Tulare Co and the Sequoia National Park Boundary; and on the west by Blackstone Avenue, Herndon Avenue, Fowler Avenue, and Jensen Avenue as they intersect with each other, and also includes the campus of California State University Fresno (CSUF). There are three Indian Rancherias within the district.
YEAR FIRST DISTRICT FORMED: 1956
HISTORY OF THE SIERRA RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT
The original Sierra Resource Conservation District (SRCD) was established in March of 1957 as a legally constituted unit under the State of California. Since that time a number of land areas were added to the original area before consolidating with Navelencia Resource Conservation District On June 23, 2008.
The Navelencia Resource Conservation District (NRCD) was consolidated with SRCD by a LAFCO resolution passed by the Fresno County Board of Supervisors on June 23, 2008. The NRCD was formed in October 1956 and later had a number of sections added to the original area before consolidation with Sierra RCD. The Resultant Resource Conservation District retained the Sierra RCD name with a new Board of Directors and Officers.
These RCD’s were created to develop and further ongoing programs to conserve natural resources. The Sierra RCD is an autonomous self-governing body. There is no taxing authority, by agreement, at the time of establishment. It is truly a "grass-roots" organization dedicated to serving both the private and public interest.
The Board of Directors (currently seven members) is appointed by the County Supervisors of Districts 4 & 5, from private landowners and other conservation conscious citizens from within the boundaries of the District. Each Director serves for 4 year terms. All board members serve without pay. Additional non-voting Associate Directors are also appointed, and serve the District without pay.
MISSION
The mission and function of the SIERRA RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT is to take available technical, financial and educational resources whatever their source and focus or coordinate them at the local level to meet the present and future natural resource needs of the local land user.
To accomplish this, SRCD maintains working relationships with Federal, State and County Agencies and Departments, non-profit organizations, educational institutions which have natural resource duties and responsibilities under law, and with public and private landowners to save the basic resources, soil, water, and air of the state from unreasonable and economically preventable waste and destruction.
Because of the status of the Resource Conservation District under state and federal laws, the District can call upon numerous state and federal agencies for technical expertise, funding and cost-sharing, in addition to County resources. Private lands and the protection and conservation of critical natural resources on private lands are greatly affected by the policies and practices of the State and Federal agencies. Most effective conservation practices will involve both the public and private land ownerships.The SRCD can and does act as a liaison between the private landowner and a multitude of land use programs to meet natural resource objectives.
WATERSHED PROJECTS:
The district spans multiple vegetation types and extremes of elevation the conservation activities run the full gamut. Historically the district has worked with conservation agency partners like the Natural Resources Conservation Service to provide technical assistance, cost-share programs to encourage use of conservation practices on agricultural and rangeland, and educational activities. A number of conservation plans have been developed and implemented on private lands.
The district has been active in vegetation management projects, including prescribed burns to reduce fuel loads and fire risk. Additionally, the district has taken a leadership role In the development of voluntary Oak Woodland Guidelines for Fresno County and Rangeland Water Quality Guidelines. Directors review zoning petitions and provides information to the Fresno County Public Works and Development Departmenta1 reviews and responds to NEPA documents from the US Forest Service regarding that agency's activities in the upper watershed areas, and reviews and responds to NEPA documents from the Bureau of Reclamation.
With the population moving to the foothills, roads and home construction is increasing. The popularity of horses and family livestock with families new to the area, combined with the zoning practice of "parceling" is contributing to an increase in soil erosion, a lack of residual dry matter exposing fragile soils, and compromising wildlife habitats and animal populations.
IMPORTANT AGRICULTURE:
Fresno County is the largest agricultural production county in California and the nation producing over 3.5 billion dollars annually. Within the district, primary crops are: Oranges. Strawberries, Fruit Orchards, Nut Orchards, Vineyards, Olives, Asian Market Crops, Truck Garden Crops, Cattle &, Rangeland, Dairies,Timber, Honey.
OTHER ECONOMIC FACTORS:
The district has a high recreational use. Sierra Heritage Scenic Byway, Sierra Summit Ski Area, High Country Packing, camping, water sports, boating, horseback riding, and bicycling are a few of the activities enjoyed within the district.
DISTRICT OVERVIEW:
Approximately 15% of the district is in the valley floor with heavy urbanization, production agriculture and minor amounts of public lands. The terrain is predominately flat. As you go east, the terrain changes to rolling foothills which covers 20% of the district and the land is predominately eastside range intermixed with urban residential to the 4000 foot elevation. Continuing east the remaining 65% of the district extends to the 14,000' elevation and is in timber lands intermixed with rural residential.
The rapid rise in elevation increasing dramatically from the 2000' to 5000' elevation, creates steep valleys, rapid runoffs, and associated soil movements. Rapid water runoff from the upper watershed portions of the district has under certain conditions caused downstream flooding on both the San Joaquin and Kings River. Vegetation types run full spectrum from sensitive citrus fruit and nut orchards, specialty crops on the valley floor, open eastside rangeland, extensive oak woodlands and brush in the foothills to the heavily forested mountains and alpine areas above timberline. It can be sunny in the valley floor on the west side of the district and snowing on the east side of the district.
The forested lands have abundant wildlife. Summer range for some wildlife species like deer is on public lands, but the winter range is on predominately private lands in the foothill zone. The district is experiencing dramatic growth, and conversion of land from agricultural uses to housing is a growing planning problem. Water is supplied by wells and groundwater supplies are an area of concern. Vegetative fuel overloads in the wildland-urban interface create an annual risk of catastrophic fire.
CRITICAL RESOURCE CONCERNS:
The Sierra Resource Conservation District has identified the following long range concerns (more details in the Long Range Plan):
SOIL EROSION
WATERSHED/WETLANDS
WATER RESOURCE QUALITY AND SUSTAINABILITY
AGRICULTURE and RANGELAND
VEGETATIVE MANAGEMENT
WILDLIFE HABITAT
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
AIR QUALITY
CRITICAL PARTNERSHIP NEEDS:
Over the years the district has been active in conservation partnerships for a variety of field projects with a number of agencies including the Natural Resources Conservation Service, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the US Forest Service, the Department of Fish and Game, and UC Cooperative Extension.
The district is very interested in expanding conservation partnerships with organizations and agencies for watershed planning. Additionally the district would like to expand activities to do more management of fuels, erosion, and more landowner stewardship training. There is a growing need for a soil erosion study as well as a land use mapping project to chart changes on the district.
The district supports youth workshops, the Envirothon, and adult stewardship training programs. The district has sponsored Fresno County Resource Conservation District Day, a "Living Among the Oaks" landowner workshop and a Rangeland Water Quality workshop series.
CRITICAL OPERATIONAL NEEDS:
The district has a very small budget and relies on volunteer efforts to generate grants and projects. Operational funding is needed.