Carbon (CO2) can be stored long-term (decades to centuries or more) in soils in a process called ‘Soil Carbon Sequestration.’ TCF supports carbon farming, which involves implementing on-farm practices that are known to improve the rate at which plants transfer CO2 from the atmosphere and convert it to plant material where it is stored, or sequestered, as soil organic matter. Carbon farming is successful when carbon gains resulting from enhanced land management and/or conservation practices exceed carbon losses.

Agriculture can significantly contribute to carbon balancing. An increase in soil organic matter on a farm or ranch through Carbon Farming allows for improved water holding capacity, water quality and erosion control, fertility and production, pest and invasives control as well as improved soil tilth.

TCF and the Resource Conservation District of Tehama County (RCDTC) work together to provide education and engagement opportunities for our community, including public hikes, student field days, Outdoor Galore activity kits, and the Wild & Scenic® Film Festival, On-Tour – Red Bluff.  The two organizations collaborate with local and state agencies as well as nonprofits to help meet community needs. These efforts enable us to build meaningful relationships with our community and expand awareness and knowledge of, as well as appreciation for, Tehama County's natural resources. 

California's forests are struggling and require active stewardship. Many species and landscapes in California have evolved with low to moderate intensity fire. This resulted in fewer healthier trees per acre and less vegetation on the forest floor. However, wildfire and cultural fire suppression policies within the last century have negatively impacted forestlands, which are now overstocked to ignite and propel extreme fire behavior.

TCF is dedicated to restoring healthy forest stands and supporting fire-adapted communities. Strategic forest management activities – including thinning, mastication, biomass treatments, prescribed fire, and more – will promote watershed health, improve habitat conditions, and safeguard biodiversity. TCF supports the maintanance of 100 feet of defensible space around structures as wells as addressing roadside vegetation particularly to those within the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) zone to help protect communities and emergency personnel during wildfire.

More Tools in the Toolbox

With $20,000 in funding from the California Fire Foundation, TCF was able to purchase 2 additional Compressed Air Foam (CAF) Wildland Fire Suppression Tanks to total 4. As a large-scale fire extinguisher, the units will enhance current safety protocols to help keep conservation technicians and project sites safe. Site work focuses on the removal of hazardous vegetation to help protect landowners and their property from wildfire while reducing the chance of spread to neighbors and the greater community. The units accompany chippers, masticators, chainsaws, and weed eaters in an effort to:

• create 100 feet of defensible space around homes within WUI zones
• address roadside vegetation to improve ingress and egress in the event of wildfire
• forest thinning
• prescribed burns
• pile burns

New Compressed Air Foam (CAF) unit secured to the truck bed.

Staff practice handling the CAF unit in advance of project work.

As a precaution, the CAF unit is on all vegetation treatment worksites such as this intentional pile burn.

TCF supports watershed restoration projects to improve habitat, water quality and quantity, biodiversity, forest health, and more. Examples of projects that the TCF supports include in-stream, riparian, upland, and meadow restoration, forest management, and erosion control.