HomeMy WebLinkAboutLetter from Forest Landowners of CA - closing of Magalia NurseryDEC/14/2009/MON 10:35 AM Fire Safe Council FAX No.530 272 3232
#Forest Landowners
OF CALIFORNIA
November 21, 2009
Mr. Del Walters, Director
California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection
PO Box 944246
Sacramento, CA 94244-2460
RE: Magalia Nursery
Dear Director Walters:
P. 002
PO Box 2198
Grass Valley, CA 95945-2198
877.326.3778
Joanne Drummond, Executive Director
forestlandowne rs@hotmall.com
www.forestiandowners.org
HOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OROVILLE, CALIFORNIA
Forest Landowners of California is wiring to express our dismay at the proposed closing of the Magalia Nursery
due to the $3 Million unallocated cut to the Resource Management Budget by the Governor_
The reforestation needs in California following several years of devastating wildfires would appear to support the
expansion of the Cal Fire Nursery system — not the closure of the lone remaining bare root nursery. An assurance
by Chief Deputy Crawford Tuttle to the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection that the current inventory of two
year old seedling stock is available to the public does not allay our concerns. We are concerned about the ability
to maintain the one year old seedlings and the souring of seeds for 2011 sales.
Potential climate change and population growth will result in potentially more damaging wildfires in the firhse.
This has been recognized by the Governor who has approved adding a fourth firefighter to call Cal Fire engines
despite any formal study showing this expense is warranted.
Certainly all cuts must be considered in order to meet the fiscal reality, however resource management has taken
significant cuts in the past five years and this should be considered when fin ther cuts are proposed. The nursery
system provides a crucial role in any reforestation efforts both on private and public lands in our state.
We ask that the subject of the firti re of the Cal Fire Nursery program be discussed further at the future Board of
Forestry and Fire Protection meeting to allow proper time for input from experts be considered prior to a final
decision being made. The consequences of this action are resounding and need due consideration.
Sincerely,
Drummond
ve Director
Cc: Chairman Dixon, Secretary Chrisrnan, Governor Schwarzenegger, Senator Feinstein, Representative
Lundgren, Assemblyman Logan, Butte County Board of Supervisors