Project Links
Re-establish Tree Seedlings in Severely Burned Giant Sequoia Groves and Adjacent Fisher Habitat in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks » Re-establish Tree Seedlings in Severely Burned Giant Sequoia Groves and Adjacent Fisher Habitat in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks » Document List
The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public feedback on a proposal to replant giant sequoia and other mixed conifer seedlings in up to six giant sequoia groves and in an endangered fisher mixed conifer habitat corridor severely impacted by recent wildfires. Although other groves and mixed conifer forests in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks were impacted to some extent by recent wildfire, these seven areas burned at such high and unprecedented severity and resulted in such extensive sequoia and mixed conifer mortality that the natural species composition of these forest ecosystems are unlikely to recover—and will instead remain vulnerable to fire initiated long-term conversion from forest to shrub dominated communities.
Under the proposal, the NPS is considering action in areas where data shows insufficient natural regeneration for forests to successfully re-establish and as further determined necessary by site-specific minimum requirement analyses for actions proposed in wilderness. Should action be taken in any of the areas being considered, the establishment of seedlings in severely burned areas would mimic natural processes—pointing these groves and critical habitat toward forest recovery—as they would have done naturally had they not experienced severe fire effects during recent fires.
NPS is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and is completing supporting analyses in accordance with the Wilderness Act and other resource protection laws to facilitate decision-making and to ensure proposed agency action conforms with all resource protection laws. Consultation with the tribes and state and federal agencies will also be completed prior to making a final decision.
Additional information about the proposed action can be accessed via the "Document List" link on the left-hand side of this page.
UPDATE: The NPS hosted a virtual public meeting on the proposed action on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, from 5:00 to 6:30 pm. A recording of the meeting is available for viewing on the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks website: https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=34DA99B1-8901-4866-9A13-17BC1D7C66E3. Please copy and paste the above URL into your browser for the correct link location (for some reason, just clicking the link sends you to the wrong location). The presentation begins at 2 minutes and 9 seconds.
Public comments on the proposed action will be accepted through midnight March 18, 2023. Please click "Document List" or "Open for Comment" on the left-hand side of this screen to comment on the project documents. The NPS anticipates the EA will be available to the public for their review in Summer 2023.
Environmental Planning and Compliance Manager
559-565-3102
Under the proposal, the NPS is considering action in areas where data shows insufficient natural regeneration for forests to successfully re-establish and as further determined necessary by site-specific minimum requirement analyses for actions proposed in wilderness. Should action be taken in any of the areas being considered, the establishment of seedlings in severely burned areas would mimic natural processes—pointing these groves and critical habitat toward forest recovery—as they would have done naturally had they not experienced severe fire effects during recent fires.
NPS is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA) in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and is completing supporting analyses in accordance with the Wilderness Act and other resource protection laws to facilitate decision-making and to ensure proposed agency action conforms with all resource protection laws. Consultation with the tribes and state and federal agencies will also be completed prior to making a final decision.
Additional information about the proposed action can be accessed via the "Document List" link on the left-hand side of this page.
UPDATE: The NPS hosted a virtual public meeting on the proposed action on Tuesday, March 7, 2023, from 5:00 to 6:30 pm. A recording of the meeting is available for viewing on the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks website: https://www.nps.gov/media/video/view.htm?id=34DA99B1-8901-4866-9A13-17BC1D7C66E3. Please copy and paste the above URL into your browser for the correct link location (for some reason, just clicking the link sends you to the wrong location). The presentation begins at 2 minutes and 9 seconds.
Public comments on the proposed action will be accepted through midnight March 18, 2023. Please click "Document List" or "Open for Comment" on the left-hand side of this screen to comment on the project documents. The NPS anticipates the EA will be available to the public for their review in Summer 2023.
Contact Information
Elly BoerkeEnvironmental Planning and Compliance Manager
559-565-3102