The Sierra Fund is now doing business as: Indigenous Futures Society!

Trail Building and Fuels Treatment Nearing Completion for Nisenan Property in Nevada City

March 28, 2024

California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP, the Tribally guided nonprofit that supports the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe) and The Sierra Fund are nearing completion of trail building, interpretive sign placement, fencing, invasive removal, and fuel reduction efforts on CHIRP’s 32-acre property along Deer Creek, the Nisenan Cultural Reclamation Corridor in Nevada City. Please help us spread the word to stay off the trail on this stretch until it’s announced by CHIRP that the trail section is open to the public – due to safety.

As many of you know, trail building on the CHIRP property began this winter with Bear Yuba Land Trust (trail designer and easement holder), contractors, and community volunteers, The trail will connect to the beloved local Deer Creek Tribute Trail system, adding approximately 4,600 feet to the existing trail network, allowing users to use the trail without using Champion Mine Road, a well-trafficked gravel road.

Work to reduce wildfire risk along the property is also nearing completion with all 32-acres of the property being thinned last summer/fall with Mooretown Rancheria’s Forestry Department. TSF and CHIRP have been busy this winter burning piles of the blackberry, other invasive species, and material from small diameter trees that were removed in fuel load reduction work. The goal is to burn the piles this winter, but some piles may need to be burned next winter.

The good news is that pile burning next winter won’t delay the opening of the trail. There are also plans to cut and chip by hand the highly invasive tree Ailanthus (tree of heaven) infestation along Champion Mine Road this fall.

While the community is getting excited to see the construction progress, the trail is not done and is not open to the public. Conditions are still hazardous as the trail and private property work are in process. Please help us spread the word to stay off the trail until the tribe announces construction is officially finished and trail access is invited by the tribe through their property. Stay tuned in this newsletter for future announcements.

Trail Building and Fuels Treatment Nearing Completion for Nisenan Property in Nevada City

California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP, the Tribally guided nonprofit that supports the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe) and The Sierra Fund are nearing completion of trail building, interpretive sign placement, fencing, invasive removal, and fuel reduction efforts on CHIRP’s 32-acre property along Deer Creek, the Nisenan Cultural Reclamation Corridor in Nevada City. Please help us spread the word to stay off the trail on this stretch until it’s announced by CHIRP that the trail section is open to the public – due to safety.

As many of you know, trail building on the CHIRP property began this winter with Bear Yuba Land Trust (trail designer and easement holder), contractors, and community volunteers, The trail will connect to the beloved local Deer Creek Tribute Trail system, adding approximately 4,600 feet to the existing trail network, allowing users to use the trail without using Champion Mine Road, a well-trafficked gravel road.

Work to reduce wildfire risk along the property is also nearing completion with all 32-acres of the property being thinned last summer/fall with Mooretown Rancheria’s Forestry Department. TSF and CHIRP have been busy this winter burning piles of the blackberry, other invasive species, and material from small diameter trees that were removed in fuel load reduction work. The goal is to burn the piles this winter, but some piles may need to be burned next winter.

The good news is that pile burning next winter won’t delay the opening of the trail. There are also plans to cut and chip by hand the highly invasive tree Ailanthus (tree of heaven) infestation along Champion Mine Road this fall.

While the community is getting excited to see the construction progress, the trail is not done and is not open to the public. Conditions are still hazardous as the trail and private property work are in process. Please help us spread the word to stay off the trail until the tribe announces construction is officially finished and trail access is invited by the tribe through their property. Stay tuned in this newsletter for future announcements.