Kings Canyon National Park receives funding for new program

The National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, CAL FIRE and University of California, Berkeley, are joining forces in support of a new resilient landscapes program.

The project has been funded with $89,000 for the 2015 fiscal year and has the opportunity to receive additional money in the future.

The collaborative effort will support the Grant Grove Peninsula's ecosystem, situated along the west side of the southern Sierra Nevada. It lies above the ponderosa pine forest within a mixture of National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, state and private land ownership.

The dense pine forest is experiencing substantial tree mortality after four years of drought and pine beetle infestation, according to a park news release.

In an effort to increase the resiliency of the Grant Grove Peninsula, the project funds will fill critical gaps in unfunded prescribed fire and mechanical thinning treatments. It's expected to protect water quality and allow for greater water flow or reduce competition for existing moisture.

"This is a wonderful opportunity for the park to work on an interagency project with Sequoia National Forest, CAL FIRE, and University of California, Berkeley as we build a fire resilient landscape to enhance giant sequoia habitat, protect watershed, and enhance defensible space around our gateway and in-holding communities," said Woody Smeck, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Superintendent.

Work will begin this year with mechanical fuel reduction projects in Wilsonia and park operation areas, which is expected to enhance the defensible space for the community and facilities in the Grant Grove Peninsula.