Dangermond Preserve Fire Resilience Projects
Photo credit: The Nature Conservancy
Dangermond Preserve Fire Resilience Projects
The Nature Conservancy stewards the 24,000-acre Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve (JLDP) at Point Conception. JLDP is of biological and cultural significance regionally and globally. The JLDP team recognizes that wildfire is a critical component of the ecosystem, but that climate change exacerbates the risk of landscape scale fire at fire return intervals that would threaten ecosystem health, historic resources, cultural sites and its remarkable biodiversity. The JLDP team has identified the suite of Fire Resilience Projects described below to reduce the risk of a catastrophic fire at the Preserve.
Prescribed herbivory, prescribed fire, and weed abatement around Jalama Ranch and Cojo Ranch HQs:
To protect the Jalama Ranch headquarter residences and historic structures, the preserve would work together with Santa Barbara County Fire Department to plan and implement a mix of prescribed herbivory and prescribed fire to reduce dead fallen limbs, brush, and dry weedy plants, aiming in future years to incorporate goat and/or sheep herbivory to maintain the steeply sloped areas around the headquarters. The JLDP team plans to actively manage areas around the Jalama and Cojo HQ facilities to remove dry weedy species and promote native grassland communities through prescribed burning and focused herbivory in areas with already established patches of native grasslands. The JLDP team has begun to explore the potential to implement indigenous burning practices in these efforts.
Ranch road mowing and Jalama County Road roadside mowing and weed abatement:
The preserve includes about 240 miles of dirt and two track roads that require regular maintenance and mowing. Regular mowing during the growing season reduces fire risk from vehicles in the backcountry. The county mows the sides of Jalama Road, but additional mowing and weed abatement is needed in many locations to reduce fire risk caused by road travel by cars, trucks, RVs, and trailers. Traffic on Jalama Road has significantly increased over the last 2-5 years, increasing the risk of fire ignition like the fire started along there in 2019 from a chain dragging from a camper trailer.
Firefighting equipment:
After consultation with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, the JLDP team plans to increase its firefighting capacity by purchasing supplies and equipment and increasing water storage capacity at the headquarters facilities.
Improve water infrastructure throughout the preserve and fence riparian areas:
To successfully implement the preserve’s conservation-based cattle grazing operation, JLDP plans to improve pasture fencing and water infrastructure to provide additional livestock water sources outside of riparian areas and to be able to more effectively rotate cattle throughout the preserve to reduce fine fuels. Without proper water infrastructure and fencing, cattle rely on creeks for water and cannot be readily moved throughout the preserve as sufficiently as needed to meet fire management and restoration goals. In addition, the preserve plans to fence priority riparian areas along Jalama Creek and its tributaries to improve freshwater habitat for wildlife, including southern steelhead, which will have a beneficial effect on riparian health and improve the function of these riparian corridors as natural fuel breaks.
Status: In Progress (The RWMP project team is coordinating with the Preserve to identify opportunities for future funding, and develop more specific projects for the area.)
Cost: Medium
Partners: The Nature Conservancy’s Dangermond Preserve, Santa Barbara County Fire Department
Permitting: These projects may require a PSA (Project Specific Analysis) under the California VTP's CEQA programmatic document. Potential Grading permits, as well as Air Pollution Control District (APCD) permits would need to be coordinated [for prescribed burns/chipping]. Work completed in the coastal zone may require a Coastal Development Permit.
Funding Sources:
Additional Notes: These projects will require coordination with multiple entities, such as County Parks, County Fire, and VAFB in specific areas.
Spatial Analysis:
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