BearCorps

California’s forest communities face enormous and growing fire and climate threats, which also threaten watershed and soil health and community coherence among other things.  In farm communities, climate change is impacting water supply, crop yields, cattle health, and community coherence.  At the same time, California must reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon.  Forest and farm communities, with education, research, planning, and implementation can be key actors in carbon sequestration, which can also increase crop and grassland yields and improve forest health.

BearCorps, responds to these needs by providing placements for 20 members to promote regenerative agriculture and forest/fire resilience.  Members will work in conjunction and coordination with agricultural community entities including Cooperative Extension, Resource Conservation Districts, and NGOs, to expand the use of regenerative techniques.  In forest communities, members will work in conjunction with local, state, and federal agencies, forest and industry groups, and NGOs to expand the use of techniques to reduce fire risk and improve watershed and soil health (and increase carbon uptake with broader benefits).  In each case, the work will translate to increased resilience and land treated with aggregate impacts for California agricultural and forest lands.  Members’ activities will focus on farming and forest communities throughout California and will help address the needs of those communities, and promote state goals for healthy soils, improved watersheds, and wildfire impact.