Santa Clara Tribal Forest Protection Act Project
Santa Clara Pueblo
2024:
- Awarded $325,000 in year 2 of 3 years of funding through the Tribal Forest Protection Act.
- The Tribe worked with American Forests to finalize the Tribal Nursery Business Plan.
- Substantial work progressed on the new Tribal Tree Nursery. Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps crews have helped with some of the labor to erect the greenhouses and to build the foundation for the cold storage.
- The Tribe worked with the Forest Stewards Guild to identify cutting copse for riparian for riparian restoration plant material supply chains. A very productive willow site was found.
- The Tribe classified three program manager positions and is working on outreach and recruitment with local colleges.
2023:
- Funding for workforce development in watershed and forest restoration on NFS and Tribal lands.
- Provides $713k now with options of additional funding in the following 2 years for a total of $1.3M.
- The funding sets the stage for a successful long-term training program providing skilled labor for forest and watershed restoration treatments on both NFS and Tribal lands.
- Project leverages partnerships between 2-3-2, Santa Clara Pueblo and Forest Service to increase crew and professional workforce capacity for the Santa Clara Pueblo.
- In the first year, a multi-year strategy for capacity building to support outyear CFLRP forest and watershed restoration efforts will be created and will include the request for technical expertise to support the development of a Tribal nursery program.
- Capacity has been a challenge for Santa Clara Pueblo; this funding source may help provide planning and expertise to support restoration efforts.
- Timing in receiving FS funding has been a challenge as the contract wasn’t awarded until 9/28/23, however we were able to pivot and use the money to support All Lands Conservation Corps work in October, 2024.
