The San Gabriel Mountains Community Collaborative (SGMCC) aims to represent the general public by integrating diverse perspectives to identify, analyze, prioritize, and advocate for values, resources, investments, management objectives, and implementation practices that sustainably benefit all communities throughout the Angeles National Forest, the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, and surrounding area.

After three years of virtual meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, SGMCC members have been eager to meet again in person and get out into the field. The National Forest Foundation, which has facilitated and coordinated the SGMCC since 2015, hosted a field trip alongside the U.S. Forest Service to the Big Pines Fuel Reduction Project site so SGMCC members could learn about wildfire mitigation projects in the San Gabriel Mountains.

On May 25th, SGMCC members met at the Big Pines Visitor Center near the small town of Wrightwood, CA, adjacent to the Big Pines Fuel Reduction Project. The Forest Service displayed project area maps for members to get a sense of the project area within the Angeles National Forest. After providing a project overview along with the NFF, the Forest Service led the SGMCC members out on a field trip to the project sites.

The first stop was Table Mountain Vista Point, a central project area location that allowed members to see where this fuel reduction project started. The group then traveled to a spot near the Big Pines Highway to see where work was completed a year ago and view areas where work still needed to be completed. This hillside visual illustrated the difference between a healthy forest versus one overgrown with vegetation. As an added bonus, the group serendipitously drove by a prescribed burn, which is another method used to manage overgrowth in the forest.

The goal of this field trip was not only to demonstrate what wildfire mitigation treatments look like, but also to provide the SGMCC members with an opportunity to ask the U.S. Forest Service questions as priorities shift more towards addressing wildfire restoration and mitigation across the country.

A key component in wildfire mitigation is community involvement and education. As such, this was an exciting and beneficial outing for SGMCC members. Many members had never seen fuel reduction work previously, but walked away from the event with firsthand knowledge of Forest Service wildfire resilience goals and how partners support these efforts across the Angeles National Forest.

This experience could not have been possible without the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy’s support of both the San Gabriel Mountains Community Collaborative and the Big Pines Fuel Reduction Project.

Information regarding funding for the San Gabriel Mountains Community Collaborative:

Funding for this project has been funded in full or in part through an Agreement with the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC) pursuant to the State of California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68). The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the RMC, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation of use.

Information regarding funding for the Big Pines Fuel Reduction Projects:

Funding for this project has been funded in full or in part through an Agreement with the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy (RMC) pursuant to the Budget Act of 2020. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the RMC, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation of use.

Cover photo by Sabrina Claros.

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