WASHINGTON, D.C.—American Forests has been awarded $10.6 million from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to restore critical watersheds that were heavily impacted by the 2021 Caldor Fire in California’s Sierra Nevada. The Reforestation and Restoration of Caldor-Fire Affected Watersheds project will restore thousands of acres in the Caldor Fire-affected South Fork American and Cosumnes River watersheds; this effort will be led by American Forests, American Rivers, and the Colfax Todd’s Valley Consolidated Tribe, in collaboration with the Eldorado National Forest and in coordination with regional partners. This project will advance a comprehensive suite of forest and watershed recovery treatments including reforestation, seed and cone collection, meadow and watershed restoration, native plant revegetation, and Tribal-led cultural site protection within the Caldor Fire footprint.

“This grant is the game-changer that American Forests and its partners have been waiting for,” said Brian Kittler, American Forests’ Chief Program Officer, Resilient Forests. “We are so appreciative to NFWF for funding a comprehensive, 360-degree approach to restoring the forests and watersheds that were torched by the Caldor Fire.”