Company Announces New Pilot Projects Focused
on Forest Resilience
SANTA
ROSA, Calif., June 3, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Today (June 3),
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) joined with federal,
state, local, and tribal government officials and other partners at
Pepperwood Preserve to celebrate the fulfillment of its Land
Conservation Commitment, achieving permanent protection of
approximately 140,000 acres of PG&E-owned watershed lands.
These lands are now conserved for Californians, protecting habitat
for fish, wildlife and plants; open space and cultural resources;
outdoor recreation by the general public; and sustainable forestry
and agricultural uses.
PG&E completed its unprecedented Land Conservation
Commitment (or LCC) over about 20 years, developing unique
conservation agreements and partnerships with private conservation
groups, Native American tribal organizations and the California
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). PG&E and its LCC partners will
protect the lands in perpetuity for the benefit, education and
enjoyment of the public.
Further demonstrating its commitment to the planet, PG&E is
also helping to build more resilient forests to reduce wildfire
risk through new pilot projects underway in a handful of
communities. The event was held at Pepperwood Preserve in
Santa Rosa, the site of PG&E's
first 100% renewable remote electric grid, an innovation in
wildfire mitigation.
"We're grateful for the partnerships formed over the past two
decades to protect these lands for the benefit and enjoyment of
Californians and its visitors. We're extremely proud knowing that
these beautiful outdoor spaces will continue to thrive and survive
for future generations," said Carla
Peterman, Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and
Chief Sustainability Officer for PG&E Corporation.
Land Conservation Commitment
Arising from its 2003 bankruptcy settlement, PG&E's LCC
permanently protects approximately 140,000 acres of forests,
wetlands and meadows across the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges by
granting conservation easements to local land trusts and donating
land not needed for PG&E operations. Some 40,000 acres were
transferred to local organizations while PG&E retains ownership
of 100,000 acres. (See a map of locations and list of
transactions.)
Additionally, PG&E's commitment included $30 million of dedicated funding for youth
investment and $70 million for land
conservation.
Among the land conservation transfers:
- A 62-acre parcel located on the shores of Lake Valley Reservoir
in Placer County, known as the Sky
Mountain Outdoor Education Center, to the San Joaquin Office of
Education to serve as a camp for underserved youth. Wildlife
Heritage Foundation maintains the conservation easement.
- Nearly 15,000 acres of land in Shasta, Nevada and Placer counties to CAL
FIRE for forest research, restoration and public recreation.
The land is managed in partnership with the Shasta Land Trust, Bear
Yuba Land Trust and Placer Land Trust — which hold conservation
easements on the properties ensuring that the scenic, open space,
forest, wildlife habitat, recreation, and historic and cultural
values are protected for the benefit of all Californians.
- 879 acres of property to the Potter Valley Tribe in
Mendocino County (and a
conservation easement over the lands to Mendocino Land Trust) along
the Eel River, including forested land and much of Trout Creek
Watershed, allowing the tribe to own ancestral land for traditional
land management and to provide outdoor activities for youth and
educate others about the history and culture of Native American
people.
Potter Valley Tribal Chair Salvador
Rosales explained why receiving the transfer of land within
the tribe's ancestral range is so significant.
"It's the freedom to exercise our tribal and cultural
traditions, including hunting and gathering, without looking over
our shoulders," said Rosales. "The excitement is being able to take
our younger generation, our children, and have them more or less
identify their new land and say that it's ours."
Rosales said plans for the property include expanding cultural
educational programs for youth, including camping and vocational
training.
Partnering for Resilient Forests
A critical part of protecting California's land and communities is making
forests more resilient to wildfires and other climate impacts.
"Climate change is not slowing down, and neither can we. We must
look toward the future and focus on improving the health of our
forests to decrease wildfire risk and make our communities safer,"
said Peterman.
PG&E has launched local pilot projects with various partners
to reduce wildfire risk by better managing forest fuels while
supporting community needs.
Among the pilot projects underway:
- In Tuolumne County, working
with American Forest Foundation and
the county to restore forest health on private lands through
targeted forest treatments.
- In Butte County, partnering
with the Butte County Fire Safe
Council, California Department of Water Resources and CAL FIRE to treat PG&E-owned and adjacent
land in high-fire risk locations.
- In Sonoma County, working with
the Northern Sonoma County Fire
Foundation to support fuel reduction around roadside rights-of-way
to improve safety on a key evacuation route.
All of the projects will benefit customers, the state and forest
ecosystems.
Pepperwood Preserve Remote Grid Innovation
One way to build forest resilience is through technology and
innovation. Pepperwood Preserve, which hosted the LCC event, is
home to PG&E's first fully renewable remote grid, deployed last
year in November, and part of PG&E's growing fleet of
standalone power systems aimed at reducing wildfire risk.
As described in PG&E's Wildfire Mitigation Plan, remote
grids provide utility service using standalone local energy
resources, replacing long distribution lines in remote and high
fire-risk areas with an innovative and safer option.
Pepperwood Preserve, set in the idyllic Mayacamas Mountains
within the traditional homeland of the Wappo people, is a
living laboratory for crafting climate and wildfire solutions
grounded in conservation science. The 3,200-acre property is an
important refuge for more than 900 species of native plants and
wildlife and was directly impacted by both the Tubbs and Kincade
Fires.
Pepperwood is a hub for climate
monitoring, applied research, science education, and wildfire
resilience demonstration projects, such as the now
extensive ALERTWildfire camera network. The site's remote
grid powers Pepperwood's
Bechtel House, which houses
overnight visitors.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E
Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric
utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square
miles in Northern and Central
California. For more information, visit pge.com and
pge.com/news.
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SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company