Wildfires have burned millions of acres across California. In response, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with partners to find innovative ways to accelerate projects that reduce the risk of large-scale, high-severity wildfires which devastate communities, infrastructure and wildlife through the California Forest Conservation Plan.

What We Do

Our Projects and Initiatives

The California Forest Conservation Plan

To support our partners' efforts to increase the pace and scale of forest fuels reduction projects across the state, the Fish and Wildlife Service is developing the California Forest Conservation Plan. This Plan will accelerate forest fuels reduction project compliance required under the Endangered Species Act, balance project activities with the needs of wildlife, and apply consistent wildlife conservation measures across public and private lands.

trees blackened by wildfire stand like toothpicks on a dirt ridge.
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Tahoe National Forest after the 2022 Mosquito Fire, which at the time, was the largest fire in California history. USFWS photo

The California Forest Conservation Plan is a General Conservation Plan accompanied by an Environmental Impact Statement for forest fuels reduction activities. The wildfire crisis in California is outpacing efforts to protect communities, critical infrastructure and natural resources and the Plan will help approvals move more quickly. We are committed to working with public and private partners to create healthier, more resilient forests across California.

Who can participate in the Plan?

Public and private land managers will be able to participate in the plan to help streamline approvals and permitting for projects that reduce wildfire risk, create resilient forests and protect communities. 

a map of california that shows three subplans currently under development for forest fuels reduction work. One subplan consists of counties north of the central valley. One subplan consists of butte, sierra, plumas, nevada and yuba counties. One subplan consists of counties south of nevada county along the sierras to fresno.
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Map of California Forest Conservation Plan Subplan Areas. Map by USFWS
How large is the Plan?

The Plan will be rolled out across the state using a phased approach. This first Plan Area will cover 3,149,329 acres of public and private forested lands in Plumas, Butte, Sierra, Yuba and Nevada counties. The Plan Area encompasses the entirety of Plumas and Tahoe National Forests. The Plan Area covers the impacts of forest fuels reduction activities on 11 covered species. 

When will I be able to sign on to the Plan?

We aim to publish a draft California Forest Conservation Plan with this first Plan Area in the Federal Register in 2025. We will announce when the Plan is final and ready for implementation. Participation in the Plan will be voluntary. 

Public Participation

A virtual briefing on the Plan was held on October 29, 2024. The virtual briefing provided an overview of the Plan, described how it will work, and outlined who can participate and when. The presentation was recorded and can be accessed via the link below (it will take you to the Service's YouTube channel). You can also download the transcript of the presentation, as well as the PowerPoint slides.