Commission authorizes staff to draft letter supporting Big Chico Creek fuel‑break grant

The Parks and Recreation Commission on Aug. 25 authorized staff to draft and submit a letter of support for a Sierra Nevada Conservancy Wildfire and Forest Resilience grant application led by the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve. The vote was 4‑0.

Eli Goodsell, executive director of the Chico State Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve, outlined a proposal to extend an existing fuel‑reduction and vegetation‑management effort through the Park Fire footprint. “I manage the 8,000 acres above Upper Bidwell Park,” Goodsell said, describing an area that runs from Forest Ranch over toward Cohasset and includes 4½ miles of Big Chico Creek.

The proposed project would establish or extend a fuel break along Mustybuck Ridge and down to the North Rim Trail, tying into existing treatments and spring burns the city and partners conduct around Horseshoe Lake. Goodsell said the Park Fire swept through portions of the reserve and removed decades of accumulated fuels, creating an opportunity to establish lower‑cost, maintainable fuel breaks and to scale prescribed and cultural burns in coordination with partners.

Goodsell said the project was developed with several partners, including the Mechoopda Tribe (referred to in the packet), the Butte County Fire Safe Council, the Butte County Resource Conservation District, the City of Chico, Cal Fire and Chico Fire. He said the application was in a pre‑application phase and that Sierra Nevada Conservancy staff had visited the site and appeared optimistic.

Commissioners asked technical questions about how much of the project area burned, why re‑treatment was needed in some locations and what methods would be used. Goodsell said portions of the proposed fuel‑break area did burn, but regrowth of bay laurel, manzanita and other shrubs has been rapid; he estimated that earlier work on some slopes cost about $8,000 per acre and that the proposed approach could reduce that cost to roughly $2,000 per acre for creating and maintaining a fuel break. He also said the project would test a mix of approaches — prescribed fire, goats and selective herbicide use — and would include ongoing maintenance in coordination with Chico Fire and Cal Fire.

Commissioner Nichols moved and Commissioner Nava seconded a motion to authorize staff to draft and submit a letter of support for the portion of the application within Bidwell Park; the motion passed 4‑0, with Commissioner Shear and Chair Willis voting yes as well.

Goodsell also described earlier post‑fire sediment work in the reserve, saying crews captured nearly 70,000 cubic feet of sediment after winter storms and that the experience highlighted the need for faster permitting and funding for post‑fire recovery work.

The requested letter of support applies to the portion of the project inside Bidwell Park; Goodsell said the ecological reserve would lead the overall grant application and gather partner letters from private landowners and other agencies as the application proceeds. Staff will draft the letter and return it to the commission or city staff for final signoff as appropriate.