JNA Consulting supported the Mule Deer Foundation in the development of environmental compliance documentation for the Sly Park Fuels Reduction Project, located within the Eldorado National Forest , Placerville Ranger District. This project is part of a broader all-lands strategy aimed at enhancing landscape-level forest resilience and protecting Wildland-Urban Intermix communities through the creation of strategically placed fuel breaks.
The project encompasses approximately 3,000 acres across 19 treatment units characterized by dense stands of mixed conifer, shrubs, and surface fuels—conditions that pose a high wildfire risk. Proposed treatments aim to reduce understory ladder fuels and surface fuels to support future prescribed fire use, improve firefighter safety, and reduce wildfire intensity and spread.
JNA Consulting served as the terrestrial resources lead and prepared a suite of biological and reports to support a National Environmental Policy Act Decision Memo to be developed by the Forest Service. Key deliverables included:
- Biological Assessments for federally listed species under the Endangered Species Act
- Biological Evaluations for U.S. Forest Service Sensitive Species
- Riparian Conservation Objectives Evaluation
- Management Indicator Species Report
- Invasive Species Risk Assessment
- Migratory Landbird Impact Assessment
The project integrates mechanical thinning, mastication, and hand treatments to reduce tree density and alter fuel structure while retaining ecological values such as hardwoods and native understory vegetation. These efforts contribute to the long-term goal of developing fire-adapted communities and healthy, resilient forest ecosystems.