NFWF Announces Release of Los Padres National Forest - Wildfires Restoration Grant Program Request for Proposals

Washington D.C., (December 8, 2016) — The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced the release of the Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Los Padres National Forest – Wildfires Restoration Grant Program. The Zaca Fire, the Piru Fire and the Jesusita Fire were major wildfire events affecting the Los Padres National Forest. Combined, these three fires burned over 280,000 acres of National Forest lands and left a significant impact on the landscapes, watersheds, and ecosystems of the region. The Los Padres National Forest has partnered with NFWF to restore the watersheds and ecosystems affected by these three fires.

This represents the second annual announcement of funding available through the Wildfires Restoration Grant Program. The Wildfires Restoration Grant Program is a five-year program to invest $11 million in the Los Padres National Forest. In the first year of the program, NFWF awarded $1.4 million to eleven restoration projects. Details about the prior awards can be found here.

Through the Wildfires Restoration Grant Program, NFWF is investing in projects that provide sustainable and lasting ecological benefits and promote ecological resilience to future wildfire events. Investments will improve the Forest’s capacity to identify and address resource management issues stemming from these fires and repair fire-damaged critical infrastructure such as trails, roads, and fuel breaks to support the goals of ecological restoration.

Examples of current restoration priorities include:

  • Improve forest and watershed health through management practices such invasive species eradication and revegetation
  • Employ restoration strategies that strengthen ecosystem and wildlife populations’ resilience to future fires and changing environmental conditions
  • Target restoration and protection in areas critical to maintaining species such as steelhead, California condor, and bigcone Douglas-fir
  • Develop tools and information to support effective planning of resource management actions and guide future restoration actions
  • Repair or enhance infrastructure, including trails and fuel breaks, impacted by the fires
  • Create opportunities for public engagement and education

Pre-proposals are due January 6, 2017 by 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The full RFP can be found here. Funding decisions are based on the ability of the applicant to implement strategies that achieve the program priorities and result in measurable conservation outcomes.

Major funding for Los Padres National Forest - Wildfires Restoration Grant Program is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service.

Additional information about the Fund can be found here.

About NFWF

Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal, corporate and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 4,500 organizations and committed more than $3.5 billion to conservation projects. Learn more at www.nfwf.org.