The Vegetation Management Grant Program provides resources and grant funding for vegetation management in high-risk areas throughout Sonoma County. This program was the County’s effort to fund immediate vegetation management in areas of imminent threat from wildfire or recovering from the impacts of a recent wildfire.

Since the creation of this program in 2021, the Vegetation Management Grant Program has worked to support 46 different projects across the county. This funding has supported the work of local fire districts, local Firewise and Community Wildfire Protection Plan projects, Resource Conservation Districts, nonprofit organizations, Tribes, and technical advisors.

The Board of Supervisors authorized two years of funding for this grant program, and are now discussing future paths towards strengthening wildfire resilience, ecological health of our County landscapes, and the safety of our communities. 

Past Grant Funding Cycles

For the 2021 wildfire season, the Board of Supervisors approved $3.65 million in grant funding for 19 vegetation management projects throughout Sonoma County. In addition, another seven projects in the Russian River area were conditionally approved for future funding pending the completion of outstanding project design and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) work. Read the press release and view the 2021-22 projects here >>

In 2022, the Board made an additional $3.8 million available for a second round of projects. The bulk of the approved funds, or $3.3 million, will be applied to 18 grant projects designed to prevent wildfire throughout the county. These projects include treating 2,000 acres of land with shaded fuel-breaks and increasing grazing and creating calming zones, all of which are intended to slow or prevent the spread of wildfire in the community. The remaining $500,000 was earmarked for a new technical advisory program to assist communities and resource managers in project design, environmental compliance, and technical components of high priority treatment areas. The County and Ag + Open Space are working with partners to implement this program in early 2023. Read the press release about the 2022-23 projects here >>

Questions? Email Kim.Batchelder@sonoma-county.org.