Stewardship on the ground, education in the community
We care for the Yuba watershed by pairing landscape-scale forest work with community programs that connect people to the land. Two programs, dozens of partners, hundreds of acres treated.
Two areas of focus
YWI's work is organized around forest health and community education — on-the-ground stewardship paired with public engagement.
Forest Health & Fuels Reduction
Landscape-scale treatments — strategic fuel breaks, hand thinning, pile burning, and prescribed fire — to reduce wildfire risk, protect evacuation routes, and restore resilient forest structure and habitat.
See Projects →
Education & Field Programs
We connect people to place through hands-on learning. Join our annual Fungus Foray, browse back issues of Tree Rings, and look for seasonal walks & talks on fire ecology, native plants, and watershed science.
Events & Publications →Where we work
Our projects span the forests and ridgelines of the Yuba River watershed, from the ‘Inimim Forest on San Juan Ridge to Round Mountain above the South Yuba River. Explore the map to see where each project sits on the landscape.
Interactive map — pan, zoom, and toggle layers to explore project areas across the watershed.
Current landscape work
YWI leads and co-leads several active projects across the Yuba watershed, working with BLM, state agencies, land trusts, and local communities.
‘Inimim Forest Restoration Project
YWI's flagship collaboration with BLM to restore historical forest structure and resilient function on Nevada County's San Juan Ridge. Phase 3 underway (2024–2027).
South Yuba Rim Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project
A multi-phase, landscape-scale fuel reduction effort on the north rim of the South Yuba River canyon — reducing wildfire risk, improving evacuation routes, and building ecological resilience across private and federal lands.
Little Deer Creek Landscape Resilience Project
Forest restoration in the Little Deer Creek watershed just southeast of Nevada City — reducing severe wildfire risk, drought stress, and bark beetle impacts while protecting neighborhoods and critical community resources.
Round Mountain Landscape Resilience Project
Improving forest health and resilience to wildfire, drought, and bark beetles on Round Mountain, three miles north of Nevada City. Phase 1 is funded by a $1.12M Sierra Nevada Conservancy grant, with implementation beginning fall 2026.
Work with us
There are many ways to work with YWI. We hire staff for community education and program work, and we contract with experienced operators and consultants to carry out restoration on the ground. Open positions and Requests for Proposals are listed below.