Wildfire Hazard Reduction and Resource Management Plan Progress

Background

In 2010, the East Bay Regional Park District’s Board of Directors approved the Wildfire Hazard Reduction and Resource Management Plan (“Plan”) and the accompanying CEQA document which covers hill and shoreline parklands from Richmond to Castro Valley within the Measure CC funded area. The approved Plan is an integral component of the Park District’s Safe and Healthy Forests initiative for wildfire protection.

In response to drought- and climate-change-related tree dieback in the regional parks, as well as to address the need to meet California's 30x30 initiative and implement climate-resilient land management strategies, the East Bay Regional Park District has prepared 2023 CEQA documentation under the California Vegetation Treatment Program PEIR (CalVTP PEIR) for fuels management and ecological restoration projects in the East Bay Hills. District VTP project names are made up of a location identifier followed by the treatment type: WUI fuel reduction, fuel break, or ecological restoration.

Purpose

The purpose of this work is to establish a zone of natural habitat that is resistant to wildfires. Hazardous wildland vegetation, including dense, overgrown brush and trees will be reduced in the wildland-urban interface near homes. Healthy native oak and bay trees will be preserved where feasible.The work is prescribed by FEMA and fully permitted by State and Federal environmental regulatory agencies. The Park District’s Fire Department is managing the implementation of this project while the Stewardship Department is coordinating project bio-monitoring, resource protection, and regulatory compliance.