Proposed Fuels Reduction Project at Hummel Lake Preserve

The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank is planning for a fuel reduction project at Hummel Lake Preserve. The proposed project is to establish a 70-foot shaded fuel break along the driveway and parking area. The goals of this project are to reduce the potential of wildfire to spread, improve visibility to Center Road for safer ingress and egress, and widen access clearance for all vehicles.

The proposed project comes out of recommendations provided in a Lopez Preserves Forest Assessment completed earlier this year by Rain Shadow Consulting. Shaded fuel breaks are areas of selectively thinned vegetation that can reduce wildfire intensity and spread. Overlapping with the shaded fuel break treatment is the need for routine maintenance in this area of the Preserve to improve access.

Project work would consist of mowing the driveway edges, removing ladder fuels, thinning dense young conifers, and chipping woody debris. Cost share funding for a portion of the project is available through the Department of Natural Resources. Public access to the parking area and trails would temporarily be closed during the work window.

To learn more about the proposed project, please join a site walk at Hummel Lake Preserve on Saturday, October 17 from 10:30am-11:30am.

Questions? Contact Amanda Wedow at amandaw@sjclandbank.org.