Restoring forest health and reducing catastrophic wildfire risk in the North Yuba River watershed
The Sleighville Project is a major forest restoration effort in the North Yuba River watershed of the Tahoe National Forest. Led by the National Forest Foundation in partnership with the Tahoe National Forest and the North Yuba Forest Partnership, the project uses commercial thinning and fuels reduction to restore forest structure, reduce wildfire risk, and improve watershed and soil conditions.
Landscape-Scale Restoration for a Lasting Forest and Community Resilience
Historic logging during the Gold Rush and subsequent plantation-style reforestation left the forest uniform and overstocked. Decades of fire suppression further increased density, creating hazardous ladder fuels and leaving the forest vulnerable to drought, disease, and high-severity wildfire. Today, these forests are dense, homogenous, and highly susceptible to extreme wildfire behavior.
To address this, the National Forest Foundation is implementing a flexible and versatile commercial thinning strategy. Treatments use both ground-based and aerial equipment such as cable and helicopter logging, allowing crews to match the method to each unit’s terrain, forest composition, and ecological objectives.
The Sleighville Project will reduce hazardous fuels, improve the health of retained trees, and foster structural and species diversity. By restoring more natural forest conditions, the project lowers wildfire severity risk, supports wildlife habitat, and protects essential access routes for rural communities.
This work is made possible through strong partnerships and substantial investment. The Sleighville Project is supported by federal funding, a Hazardous Fuels Transportation Assistance grant, investments from Blue Forest, and CAL FIRE’s Forest Health Program as part of California Climate Investments—a statewide initiative that uses Cap-and-Invest dollars to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve public health, and strengthen communities, particularly in disadvantaged areas. Together, these investments are accelerating the pace and scale of restoration across the 275,000-acre North Yuba landscape.
Key Actions to Date (as of December 2025)
- Completed detailed project planning and design, ensuring treatments are carefully tailored to local forest conditions
- Hired three local logging contractors to carry out all 3,542 acres of restoration work and remove hazardous fuels
- Secured agreements with regional sawmills and biomass facilities to process wood removed during thinning, keeping materials local and reinvesting revenue back into the landscape
- Obtained $5 million in funding from CAL FIRE’s Forest Health Program, supporting large-scale restoration through California Climate Investments
- Used advanced technology—including GPS tracking, LiDAR, and real-time communication tools—to ensure safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible operation
- Completed 950 acres of thinning and removed 9.9 million board feet of saw timber in 2025, rapidly accelerating restoration in one of the Sierra Nevada’s most important watersheds
Behind every project is a story about the people that love and rely on their National Forest for clean water, strong economies, and safe communities.
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