TRUCKEE, Calif. — On Tuesday, the Nevada County Board of Supervisors adopted “California’s Joint Strategy for Sustainable Outdoor Recreation and Wildfire Resilience,” a nonbinding resolution intended to protect access to outdoor recreation while confronting the increasing threat of wildfires across the state.

“The state of California has had legislation go to the governor’s office to establish an Office of Outdoor Recreation, and it has been turned down every time,” said John Wentworth, CEO and Founder of Mammoth Lakes Trails and Public Access Foundation. “So, we pulled together state and federal partners to draft a proposal that offers a shared vision for outdoor recreation in California — one that aligns with state policy and climate resilience objectives.”

The strategy, published by the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force in March 2023, presents a unified vision that links outdoor recreation with forest health and long-term climate resilience. It identifies four primary goals and 99 specific actions aimed at addressing the state’s escalating wildfire crisis.

The four goals include: integrating forest health with sustainable recreation to ensure all people can experience nature; advancing inclusion and access to all Californians by offering a wider range of recreational opportunities; promoting public health and well-being through outdoor activities that support communities before, during and after disasters; and supporting economies that enhance sustainable outdoor recreation.

Two key actions under the third goal — Actions 3.13 and 3.14 — focus specifically on the connection between forest health and sustainable recreation. Action 3.13 calls for an update to the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, or SCORP, to better support underserved communities and recreation-dependent rural communities. Action 3.14 calls for the U.S. Forest Service, in coordination with state agencies, to develop a joint strategy to improve access to sustainable recreation under the Shared Stewardship Agreement.

According to a staff memo, the resolution comes with no direct fiscal impact. Instead, it enhances the County’s eligibility for future grants focused on wildfire prevention and outdoor infrastructure.

“I see the potential for a powerful advocacy group to emerge from this resolution,” said Heidi Hall, Supervisor for District 1. “It could become something great for our state.”