SAN FRANCISCO—(February 23, 2024)—The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, working with the National Park Service, California State Parks and Marin Water as the One Tam partnership, was recently awarded $4.26 million in grant funding from the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) to support forest conservation programs in Marin County. The One Tam partner agencies manage and support over 60,000 acres of native forest and woodland habitat in Marin.
"This grant will go a long way toward making Marin's forests healthier," said Danny Franco, Senior Project Manager at the Parks Conservancy. "In 2023, the One Tam partners released the Marin Regional Forest Health Strategy, a plan that brings together community engagement, environmental justice, anticipated climate change impacts and best available science to offer insight in how to protect and improve forest health and resilience in Marin County over the next decade. Support from the Wildlife Conservation Board Forest Conservation Program will help One Tam put the Marin Regional Forest Health Strategy into action, and the resources provided by WCB will enable the Parks Conservancy to work with our One Tam partners to implement significant stewardship actions in key areas throughout the county.”
Over the next four years, the WCB grant will support forest conservation treatments in priority forest and woodland areas in Marin. Projects supported by the grant include:
Reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire and habitat loss on Marin Water lands by removing highly flammable foliage, dry woody biomass, and other hazardous fuels.
Managing vegetation to increase forest health and support biodiversity throughout the county.
Returning beneficial fire to State Parks lands and Muir Woods National Monument.
“We have a huge opportunity to be able to increase and protect the long-term health and vitality of forests in Marin County,” Franco said. Learn more about the 10-year Forest Health Strategy at www.onetam.org/forest-health
About One Tam: One Tam is a partnership of the National Park Service, California State Parks, Marin Water, Marin County Parks, and the nonprofit Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy to ensure the long-term health of Mt. Tamalpais. Our partnership leverages the skills and resources of each partner and inspires community members to support the long-term stewardship of the mountain. www.onetam.org
About the One Tam Partners:
California State Parks: The California State Parks are dedicated to providing for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state's biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. www.parks.ca.gov
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy: The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy is the nonprofit partner of the National Park Service overseeing the Golden Gate National Recreation Area—82,000 acres of national parkland spanning the San Francisco Bay Area, including Muir Woods, Ocean Beach, Crissy Field, and Alcatraz Island. The Parks Conservancy is a membership organization created to preserve the Golden Gate National Parks, enhance the experiences of park visitors, and build a community dedicated to conserving the parks for the future. With our local and federal partners, the Parks Conservancy is committed to the work of supporting Bay Area national parks as places where we can further racial and social justice for our community and climate resilience for these protected lands. www.parksconservancy.org
Marin Water: Marin Water is a public utility providing water to more than 191,000 people in a 147-square-mile area of southern and central Marin County. In operation since 1912, Marin Water is the oldest municipal water district in California. The District’s mission is to manage the lands, water and facilities in its trust to provide reliable high-quality water and adapt and sustain these precious resources for the future. www.marinwater.org
National Park Service: Golden Gate National Recreation Area is one of the most visited parks in the National Park Service, hosting more than 17 million visitors in 2022. A diverse park with abundant recreational opportunities, as well as natural, cultural, and scenic resources, it encompasses more than 82,000 acres across three counties, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo. The park also administers two other NPS areas, Fort Point National Historic Site, a Civil War era fortress built on the northernmost point of land in San Francisco, and Muir Woods National Monument, which comprises an impressive stand of old growth coastal redwoods in Marin County. www.nps.gov/goga
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