The French Meadows Forest Restoration Project is an innovative landscape-scale fuels reduction and forest health effort encompassing approximately 22,000 acres of National Forest System lands and 6,000 acres of private lands. The Project is located within the Dolly Creek–Middle Fork American River watershed and is bound by Red Star Ridge to the northwest, Mildred Ridge to the east, and the Tahoe National Forest boundary to the south. It surrounds French Meadows Reservoir, roughly 20 miles northeast of Foresthill, California.
The Project was implemented through a collaboration of landowners and stakeholders concerned with the health of the Middle Fork American River headwaters. Partners included Placer County, Tahoe National Forest, Placer County Water Agency, and regional organizations such as The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, American River Conservancy, and UC Merced’s Sierra Nevada Research Institute. The partnership worked closely with the Forest Service to improve ecological and watershed conditions throughout the project area.
The primary objectives of the Project were to enhance forest resilience, reduce the risk of high-severity wildfires, and protect habitat, water quality, power infrastructure, and other critical resources serving county residents and downstream communities.
JNA Consulting served as the terrestrial resources lead, conducting extensive biological surveys and preparing technical documentation to support development of a National Environmental Policy Act Decision Memo. JNA Consulting was also instrumental in preparing design criteria to avoid, minimize, and reduce potential effects to special-status botanical and wildlife species. Key surveys and deliverables included:
- California spotted owl surveys
- American goshawk surveys
- Biological assessments for federally listed species under the Endangered Species Act
- Biological evaluations for Forest Service Sensitive Species
- Riparian Conservation Objectives Evaluation
- Management Indicator Species Report
- Invasive Species Risk Assessment
- Migratory Landbird Impact Assessment
- Biological resources and cumulative impacts sections of the Environmental Assessment
JNA Consulting worked closely with Mason Bruce Girard that served as the Registered Forester on the Project and completed all necessary GIS to support implementation of surveys and development of biological reports.