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Executive Director Update
from Briana Bacon
Tis the season of changing seasons! Fall is upon us, the Nevada County colors are peeping through, the pumpkins are ripe and ready for carving, and the soil is starting to cool. It is also the time for gratitude and intention. The last newsletter was filled with progress! We were ramped up and ready for action and in this edition, you will read about all the great work that happened over the warm months. It was a summer of activity, filled with agricultural community education, project implementation and building a strong foundational team. It was also an exceptional season of building partnerships and creating collaborative opportunities that set our county up for success, looking towards the future of sustainability.
“Sustainability” is more than a buzz word these days, it is a verb, an active agreement to work together, as only our small, but mighty county can. It is an agreement to look towards the future of how we will handle the inevitable changes. Our ranchers, farmers, and land stewards know that our seasons have shifted in their predictability, and that it is essential to work together to find solutions that support agriculture, enhance our natural resources, and keep our community safe from wildfire, drought, and food insecurity. As a strong advocate for agriculture, I have been asked to be deeply involved in this future planning, as a core partner to the new Nevada County Resilience Project, as a speaker at the Nevada County Sustainability Summit, and as a lead on the future of agriculture with our approved Sustainable Agricultural Landscape Conservation Plan, “Growing our Future.” It has been an honor to sit on several of these committees and to have the opportunity to educate about the importance of conservation of working lands as a strategy for our rural future.
When you read the incredible work that our team has been creating, you will notice, none of this could happen without the support of our partnerships and our mutual understanding that our natural resources are the key to our shared sustainability. This newsletter is just a small window into the buzz of activity that fuels our passionate office in making real change across our community. We believe in education: educating ourselves, educating the community and educating the next generation about the importance of understanding what agricultural resources we have, how we conserve them, and what we need to do enhance them.
As the light fades, and the days get shorter, I hope you take the time to downshift with the seasons. Plant your fall garden, work on your burn piles, spend a bit of time noticing which creatures are starting to hibernate. Invest in those mud boots and spend a little play time in the wild. Before we know it, winter will be upon us.
Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season!
With gratitude,
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Briana Bacon
Executive Director
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Program Director Update
from Nathan Alcorn
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Lower Deer Creek–Penn Valley Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project
NCRCD has been contracted by Nevada County OES to support landowner right-of-entry (ROE) acquisition and community engagement for the Lower Deer Creek–Penn Valley Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project. To date, 262 parcels representing approximately 610 acres have agreed to participate in the project.
Community outreach, coordination, and ongoing communication remain key strategies for securing additional ROEs and increasing the continuity of the proposed shaded fuel break. Continued landowner participation is essential to establishing a more connected treatment area and maximizing the project's effectiveness in reducing hazardous fuels and improving community wildfire resilience.
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NEUNCORXFIRE Prescribed Fire Project (CAL FIRE Funded)
Post-prescribed fire monitoring and evaluation of success metrics have been completed for the approximately 30-acre rangeland burn conducted near North San Juan in late June. Based on the monitoring results and project objectives, efforts are underway to seed the treated rangeland to improve the continuity and distribution of forbs and other desirable vegetation. These efforts are intended to support improved rangeland conditions, promote appropriate fire spread under future prescribed burning conditions, and maintain consistency with the objectives and parameters established in the burn plan.
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Nevada County RCD Fuels Reduction & Fire Prevention Support Project
NCRCD has continued working with Mason, Bruce & Girard and CAL FIRE to finalize the Forest Management Plan for the CAL FIRE Immigrant Gap Demonstration Forest. Post-planting monitoring is also ongoing for the approximately 8,000 seedlings planted by Endeavor on a designated treatment unit in late June. Monitoring efforts will help evaluate seedling establishment and inform future forest health and restoration activities.
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Donner Summit Firewise Community Roadside Fuels Reduction Project
The Donner Summit project encompasses approximately 40 acres, representing roughly 11 linear miles of roadside fuels reduction extending from Cisco Grove to Kingvale. The project targets hazardous roadside vegetation within mountain communities to improve wildfire resilience and support safer emergency access and evacuation. NCRCD has secured more than 130 signed Right-of-Entry (ROE) forms, reflecting substantial participation from local property owners.
The project will establish and maintain shaded fuel breaks along critical roadways serving the Eagle Lakes, Cisco Grove, Big Bend, Rainbow, Troy, Pla Vada, and Kingvale Firewise Communities. An RFP has been released to solicit qualified vendors for the approximately 40-acre project, which encompasses 11 linear miles of roadside fuels reduction.
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PG&E CCC Project
NCRCD has partnered with Nevada County Office of Emergency Services (OES) to coordinate the deployment of a California Conservation Corps (CCC) crew for fuels reduction work along the Dark Horse Shaded Fuel Break. To date, the crew has treated approximately 13.27 acres. Arrangements have been made to continue treatment activities into the winter months, extending the project's implementation period and supporting continued progress toward its fuels management objectives.
This partnership was developed through a grassroots, collaborative effort and has created a valuable opportunity for NCRCD, OES, PG&E, and the CCC to work together in support of community wildfire resilience. The project has brought multiple partners together to identify local needs and implement practical vegetation management activities that directly benefit the community.
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Grass Valley Collaborative Fuels Reduction Project
The Grass Valley Collaborative Project includes approximately 20 acres of fuels reduction treatments, combining hazardous tree removal, high-complexity tree removal, and mechanical mastication. Additional treatments include targeted fuels reduction in partnership with the City of Grass Valley and a minimum of 5 acres at Wildflower Ridge Preserve, supported by augmented project funding.
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Grass Valley Special Project
The Grass Valley Special Project is currently in development, with property access, landowner coordination, and treatment planning underway. NCRCD has secured Right-of-Entry agreements with Mountain F Enterprises and Rise Gold Mine Corporation to coordinate potential hazardous fuels reduction along Brunswick Road. Treatment opportunities are being evaluated based on wildfire risk, vegetation conditions, and proximity to critical infrastructure.
NCRCD is also distributing Right-of-Entry forms within the Burma Road Firewise Community to facilitate residential hazardous fuels reduction and expand community participation.
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Conservation Programs Update
from Charlie McIntosh
Conservation Programs Manager
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Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Projects
If you have been following along with our Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Projects, you will be happy to hear that the hedgerows are doing well with > 80% survival recorded at both sites by our Conservation Program Manager and Point Blue Partner Biologist. NCRCD will continue maintenance on the hedgerows at Sierra Harvest's Food Love Farm and our local ranch partner through the end of the year.
The pond restoration project at the Nevada Joint Union High School District (NJUHSD) - Ranch has brought new life into the ranch ponds and kept the field green all summer, which was only possible through the tireless efforts of the staff on-site. This fall we are working collaboratively with the local native plant experts from the Feral Land Project to complete a pond revegetation planting project that will be installed by students in December.
These habitat enhancement projects are generously supported by funding from the California Conservation Board and Point Blue Conservation Science’s ROOTS program.
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Oak Savanah Restoration Project
NCRCD staff have been watering all summer and the big news this fall is that students will be returning to the Oak Savanah Restoration project site in early December for a third round of planting to establish more native plants and re-plant a few that didn't survive.
This restoration project is generously supported by funding from the California Conservation Board and Point Blue Conservation Science’s ROOTS program, with special thanks to the staff and leaders of STRAW (Students and Teachers Restoring A Watershed).
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NCRCD Advisory Visit Program
The AVP focuses on identifying resource concerns on the land, providing technical assistance to support land stewardship, and connecting growers / producers / landowners with local, state, and federal resources to implement conservation practices. The AVP is supported by NCRCD's partnerships with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)
and Sierra Harvest’s Beginning Farmer Rancher Development Program (BFRDP).
NCRCD staff have been working through the backlog of AVP requests, completing more than 50 site-visits throughout the county since spring, hosting workshops on irrigation management and conservation planning, and working with new and existing NRCS clients. Based on the immense popularity of the program, and feedback from participants, NCRCD is planning a community education workshop series, which we hope to be offering throughout 2027 that will cover topics identified as high priority from the 2026 Local Working Group Survey.
| | The AVP is supported by NCRCD's partnerships with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) and Sierra Harvest’s Beginning Farmer Rancher Development Program (BFRDP). | | |
Rx Fire, Rx Grazing, and Biochar at the School Ranch
The Nevada County Office of Emergency Services is providing funding to the
Nevada County RCD and Nevada Joint Union High School District’s Career and Technical Education to establish an on-going community education and demonstration project at the District Ranch showcasing the impacts of three regenerative land management practices; prescribed fire, prescribed grazing, and biochar.
While NCRCD staff plan for the fall/winter burn season that will bring prescribed fire and on-site biochar production demonstrations to the NJUHSD Ranch, goats are being moved around the ranch targeting invasive species and providing a new livestock unit for students enrolled in the livestock industry class being held at the NJUHSD Ranch this fall semester.
In October, NCRCD staff worked with NJUHSD students and staff to host an inaugural iNaturalist BioBlitz event at the ranch which engaged students in native / invasive species identification. The District Ranch was officially established as a recorded Place and Project on the iNaturalist app, which means that any observations made in the District Ranch boundaries will be added to a collection of species identified on-site.
Upcoming NCRCD fall workshops that are in line with the project goals include:
Biochar Burn Day – a collaboration with NCRCD and the Biochar Coalition demonstrating their Ring of Fire Kilns.
Rx Fire Burn Day – NCRCD's Prescribed Fire Education Manager will be leading a ranch burn demonstrating broadcast and pile burning.
Soil Health Field Day – a collaboration with NCRCD's Conservation Program Manager and Ben Baldi, UCCE Small Farms Advisor for Nevada/Placer Counties, demonstrating soil sampling and in-field soil health assessment methods.
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2026 Local Working Group Survey Results
In August 2026, Nevada County Resource Conservation District (NCRCD) held the 2026 Local Working Group Survey to collect vital input from residents of Nevada County who own or manage cropland, rangeland, and/or forestland to better understand how our community values the importance of different resource concerns.
These results were presented to the community in a public meeting, to the Nevada County Agricultural Commission, and shared by our local USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Grass Valley Field Office to the NRCS Area and State offices. After the national and state NRCS priorities, the Local Working Group Survey is the primary input we have at the local level on how NRCS projects are selected in our county and provides valuable guidance that shape our local programs.
Check out the LWG Survey results presentation here:
Local Working Group Survey Update - Nevada County Resource Conservation District
The Nevada County Resource Conservation District hosts the Local Working Group Survey every year and encourages your participation. The more responses we can gather, and the more detail provided in those responses, the better data we have for NRCS to rank and select projects for funding in Nevada County. This survey can directly result in better federal financial assistance programs for farmers, ranchers, and forest managers in our community.
| | Stay up-to-date on upcoming ag events and workshops in Placer and Nevada Counties, learn about current funding opportunities and resources for farmers and ranchers, get routine management tips, and more! This bi-monthly newsletter is a collaborative publication between UC Cooperative Extension, Placer County Resource Conservation District, and Nevada County Resource Conservation District. | | |
Prescribed Fire Program Update
from Haley Coopergard
Prescribed Fire Education Manager
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It's been a busy season of planning and collaborations! With the new funding from the Watershed Research and Training Center via a subaward from the California Department of Conservation, NCRCD has been assisting the Nevada County Prescribed Burn Association with building organizational capacity, getting equipment, tabling events, providing site assessments, and more! We are excited to announce the NCPBA's new website, Underburn, where PBA members can host their burns, get help from the PBA, and borrow equipment for their burns when hosting! They have already led one event as a PBA, assisting a landowner with a multi-pile burn!
For the second year in a row, the NCRCD went to the Central Sierra PBA Summit, collaborating with other county's PBAs to determine how we can assist and learn from each other. Plumas, Placer, El Dorado/Amador, Mariposa/Madera, and Tuolumne PBAs leaders were all in attendance.
Another event with several Sierra foothill RCDs was hosted in Sutter Creek to continue and extend our shared resource collaboration to better assist landowners of the Sierra Nevada in Agriculture, Rangeland, and Forestland practices.
NCRCD partnered with Placer RCD on prescribed burn research plots, targeting barbed goat grass, a highly invasive grass species that has taken over much of the landowner's ranch. We hope to improve both the wildlife habitat as well as the forage for livestock with this burn. This is the second year these 15x50ft plots have been burned, and we are excited to see the outcome. NCRCD took on an assisting role for this burn, helping with air quality permits and recording hourly weather observations. Thank you, Placer RCD, for this educational burn across county lines! Part of this collaboration was funded by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's Wildfire Prevention Grants Program and through the California Department of Conservation and the subsequent subaward from the Watershed Research and Training Center. This burn was completed under an LE-7 permit with approval from the local CAL FIRE battalion chief.
If you haven't seen it already, NCRCD has recently created a Prescribed Fire Field Guide for Nevada County! Here is a link for you to read it today: Prescribed Fire - Nevada County Resource Conservation District
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PGE-Educational Donation
Earlier this year we began a project with Nevada County OES Defensible Space inspectors to assist properties identified as being in distress or non-compliant with local vegetation management standards regarding wildfire defensible space and egress. With this donation and NCOES, and the contractor Home Hardening Solutions Inc., we’ve been able to assist these properties, free of charge, for the property owners. We have completed a total of 7 properties.
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NCRCD Programs
from Amanda Rodgers
Operations Director
Farm Day at the Nevada County Fairgrounds was another wonderful celebration under the shade trees at the Nevada County Fairgrounds. Teachers, students, and exhibitors spent the day sharing, learning, and having fun together.
Planning is already underway for Truckee Farm Day. Because the Tahoe Truckee School District will allow animals on school grounds this year, we hope to expand the event and welcome another strong group of agricultural educators to the Truckee program in 2027. We are finalizing the dates and will share them as soon as they are confirmed.
We are also refining the Farm Day at the Fairgrounds program. Feedback from teachers and exhibitors have inspired several small changes next year that we believe will make a big difference.
It was wonderful to see so many smiling faces at the Nevada County Fair this year. Together with our partners—NRCS, Sierra Harvest, Nevada County Farm Bureau, and the Nevada County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office—we distributed hundreds of decks of conservation trivia playing cards, educational posters, and other engaging materials. If you missed picking up a deck, stop by our office during business hours while supplies last.
We have received several Micro-Grant applications that are now undergoing the approval process. Next, we will contact schools to schedule site visits, learn more about gardening needs, and explore how the RCD can support more school garden programs across the county.
We also have exciting news for the agricultural community! Beginning in January, we will air a new radio show on KNCO Newtalk 830 AM, The Nevada County Ag Hour with Amanda Rodgers Thursday mornings at 10AM. Drawing on more than 25 years of commercial and noncommercial radio broadcasting experience, I look forward to giving Nevada County’s agricultural community a weekly voice on local radio.
Things are moving and growing at the RCD, and we’re glad you’re along for the ride.
All the best,
| | Farm Day 2026 was a Success! | | |
Hundreds of Nevada County 2nd and 3rd graders attended Farm Day 2026 at the Nevada County Fairgrounds this year.
Another wonderful day of Ag - Edutainment was had this year thanks to volunteers from our community coming together to present the many facets of the Agricultural Industry to Nevada County's next generation of farmers, ranchers and conservationists.
Not only did students learn about animals, fruits, & vegetables, but they also had an opportunity to learn about how important water is to all facets of agriculture, how trees become lumber and paper products, spinning fibers from animal wool makes clothes, and how bats help farmers with their crops. They also learned about the importance of insects and pollination, saving seeds, worms, and soil and so much more!
This incredible day is not possible without the help and support of our NCRCD partners and volunteers!
A big tip of the hat to the Nevada County Ag In The Classroom partners including NCRCD, Nevada County Farm Bureau, Placer Nevada Cattlewomen, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, Nevada County Agricultural Commissioner, California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, Sierra Foothills Research and Extension Center, and Sierra Harvest. We are very grateful that so many members of our community generously donated their valuable time.
And a special shout-out to our FFA team from Nevada Union and Bear River for serving as hosts, guides and mentors to the hundreds of children and their teachers - thank you!
We will see you next year at FARM DAY 2027!
| | Conservationist of the Year Award 2026 | | Since 1944, the Nevada County Resource Conservation District (NCRCD) has partnered with private landowners, government agencies and other organizations to conserve and restore Nevada County’s natural resources. Its annual “Conservationist of the Year” event recognizes a local landowner or group for outstanding land stewardship, including forest and rangeland improvements. This year Cindi Anderson won this prestigious award for her continued commitment to logging community and the historic preservation of logging history in Nevada County. Congratulations Cindi! | | All three episodes of our Working Lands documentary series are now available for viewing on our YouTube channel, along with some of our Rx Fire Workshop videos. Enjoy and share! | | |
Hello! My name is Taylor Browning.
I am currently a senior at Nevada Union High School, and I have been interning at the NCRCD since December 2025. I have always had a passion for environmental science and agriculture, so when I heard about this internship, I was really excited.
Throughout this past year, I have had the opportunity to work with Charlie McIntosh on a conservation project out at the NJUHSD Ranch, which has included monitoring water quality of the ponds, monitoring the species present, helping create interpretive signs, as well as creating a wildlife guide for species that are either found or could be found out at the ranch.
Along with being interested in environmental science, I am also very involved in the FFA. I currently serve as the Nevada Union FFA Chapter President, and I also had the opportunity to serve as a 2026 National Delegate for California FFA this past October. As a delegate, I was able to help create recommendations for the National FFA Board on items that matter to members. Some of the topics that were included in our recommendations included production agriculture and finding more ways for students to be involved in the entire process. It was my first time attending the National FFA Convention, and it was an incredible and memorable experience!
| | Additional Resources at NCRCD... | | |
FREE Manure Program
The Free Manure Program provides a practical, sustainable solution for farmers, gardeners, and landowners seeking natural fertilizers—while giving livestock owners an easy way to share excess fresh or composted manure. By linking local providers with those who can put these materials to good use, the program strengthens soil health, recycles valuable organic matter, and promotes environmentally responsible practices, often at little or no cost. It’s a benefit to both the community and the landscape.
To register as a manure provider or find available manure in your area click here.
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Min Till Drill Rental Program
The Min‑Till Drill is a compact, 6‑foot‑wide seeding tool available for rent on a first‑come, first‑served basis. Its smaller size makes it ideal for areas that larger drills can’t access, including orchards, vineyards, and wooded terrain.
Engineered for minimal soil disturbance, the drill prepares the seedbed, places seed, and firms it into the soil in a single pass—saving time, lowering costs, and promoting healthier land stewardship. It supports the suppression of invasive weeds such as star thistle, reduces erosion, conserves water, and can establish pasture within a single season. For optimal results, use it in spring for irrigated pasture and in fall for dry‑land pasture.
A few important considerations apply before renting this equipment. To learn more about the rental process click here.
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Tool Lending Prorgam
We have a few specialty tools that you can borrow including a seed spreader, a weed wrench, and a pond rake. These items are available for pick-up at our office on a first-come, first-served basis. Typical borrow time is one week. Send us a message, give us a call or drop by the office during business hours to find out which tools are available. (530) 798-5529.
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NCRCD's Valued Partners
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