Round Mountain Landscape Resilience Project
Improving forest health and resilience to wildfire, drought, and bark beetles on Round Mountain, about three miles north of Nevada City on the ridge above the South Yuba River. Phase 1 implementation is underway, funded by a $1,123,000 Sierra Nevada Conservancy grant awarded in March 2026.
At a glance
- Project area
- 1,194 acres
- Land types
- Federal and private lands
- Planning & compliance
- Completed 2025 (SNC Prop 68)
- Status
- Phase 1 funded — implementation beginning 2026
- Phase 1 grant
- $1,123,000 (Sierra Nevada Conservancy)
Map
Partners
Milestones
- Cultural & biological surveys completed in 2022.
- Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) Prop 68-funded planning & environmental compliance completed in 2025.
- $1,123,000 Sierra Nevada Conservancy grant awarded for Phase 1 implementation (March 2026).
- Phase 1 will treat 195 acres (152 BLM, 43 private/BYLT) via hand thinning, mastication, biomass harvest, and prescribed burning. Implementation beginning fall 2026.
Phase 1 Implementation Funded
In March 2026, the Sierra Nevada Conservancy awarded YWI a $1,123,000 grant to begin Phase 1 of the Round Mountain Landscape Resilience Project—establishing a 400-foot-wide shaded fuel break system along the ridgetop south of the South Yuba River canyon.
Phase 1 will treat 195 acres (152 on BLM land, 43 on private land under a Bear Yuba Land Trust conservation easement) through hand thinning with roadside chipping, mechanical mastication, hand cut-and-pile, biomass harvest, and broadcast prescribed burning. On-the-ground work is expected to begin in fall 2026.
Read the announcement →Goat Grazing Maintenance
Starting October 2025, 200+ goats managed by First Rain Farm & Land Stewardship Services—in partnership with YWI and the BLM—will maintain the shaded fuel break at the Round Mountain Recreation Area to reduce wildfire risk using low‑impact methods.
Regular seasonal passes, on‑site herding, fencing, water, safety logistics, and ongoing monitoring will keep fuels low and preserve the effectiveness of this historic community fuel break.
Goats for Good details →Photo Gallery
For more background and updates, visit the original project page.