Forestry and Fire Workforce Development and Education Program
Mariposa Institute invites you to deepen your relationship with land stewardship, forestry, fire safety, and climate resilience. Come learn and practice land management skills, interface with industry experts, and develop skills that can serve you in a career in forestry and fire resilience
What you'll gain
Gain insight
into forestry, fire, land stewardship methods and career paths
Connect
with industry experts and hear perspectives from BIPOC leaders
Receive
hands-on training in forest health, fire resilience, and climate resilience
Stipend/Cost Information
Mendocino County Youth Project's Transitional-Aged Youth Program Participants
Will receive a $500 stipend for participation, or a monthly stipend of $100 per weekend attended.
Community Youth (aged 18-24)
Will pay $90-120 sliding scale to participate in the entire program to participate. As an offering of reparations, or BIPOC youth, the scale slides to $0 regardless of income eligibility.
Workshop and Workday Schedule
Each Saturday of the program, there is an educational workshop on forestry, fire, or land management, and the following Sunday is an experiential learning workday for participants to put into action what they have just learned.
JANUARY 13th
Introduction to Forestry as a Career Path
Join Matthew Gilbert, Registered Professional Forester, and learn about career opportunities in forestry
JANUARY 14th
Waterways Workday
Learn how to care for delicate riparian ecosystems, including reducing sedimentation and more
FEBRUARY 17th
Prescribed Grazing and Fire
Bronte Velez and Jordie Rosales, land stewards at the School of Inclement Weather, will teach about the effect of the intentional use of livestock on the land
FEBRUARY 18th
Livestock Workday
Join Shai Schnall and learn how to work with goats and sheep, how to set up electric fencing for fire fuels management, and how to move the animals
APRIL 13th
Non-Agency Fire Suppression Work
Join Sterling Minter from Avalon Fire Services and Biswell Forestry in learning what community members can do to prevent ire
APRIL 14th
Burn Unit Planning Day and Native Plant Identification
Learn how best to plan for intentional burning, including topography, mapping, and developing holding lines or using natural barriers to confine fire to the unit. The workday leader, Jay Scherf, will also be leading a discussion about the native plants that thrive in fire-adapted landscapes
MAY 18th
Tending the Land with Fire
Learn about the impact of prescribed fire with Thea Maria Carlson, Land Steward at Monan's Rill and Wildfire Resilience Specialist at Santa Rosa Junior College
MAY 19th
Prescribed Burn Unit Preparation
Join Jay Scherf to refine your burn unit planning and preparation skills and learn how to perform a hoselay and use tools to ready the unit for fire
Register here
Please complete the form to register for this program. Payment for Community Youth is due first day of program, and stipends for MCYP youth are disbursed each Sunday of the program.