2025 Year in Review: A Year of Vision, Growth, and Impact
As 2025 comes to a close, we’re grateful for the momentum, partnerships, and community support that made this one of the most impactful years in CLERC’s history. From major forest health milestones to meaningful progress at the Carnegie Library, this year showed what’s possible when vision meets action.
Part 2: Unearthing 130,000 Years Beneath Clear Lake
A Discovery Beneath the Mud
Fifty years ago, a team of researchers from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and Lake County set out into Clear Lake with a mission that turned into an unexpected discovery. USGS deployed a core drilling rig into Clear Lake and drilled out 8 different cores. Most of the cores were interrupted or unsuccessful but 2 cores, Core 4 and Core 7 were complete.They were searching for evidence of ancient earthquakes, hoping that a long sediment core might reveal signs of past seismic activity. While they did not find what they were looking for they found something far more extraordinary.
$5.9M in CAL FIRE Grants Boost Forest Resilience Across North Bay Counties
Big news for forest health and wildfire resilience in Northern California: with CLERC’s help, Conservation Works, a nonprofit dedicated to environmental protection in the North Coast region, has been awarded more than $5.9 million in funding from CAL FIRE’s Wildfire Resilience Program. This significant investment will support the expansion of the North Bay Forest Improvement Program (NBFIP) across Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, and Napa counties.
Congressman Mike Thompson Meets with CLERC Team at Critical Fuel Break Project
Recently, Congressman Mike Thompson visited one of CLERC’s fuel break projects, a site that played a vital role in stopping the spread of a recent wildfire. His visit underscored the importance of proactive land management and wildfire mitigation efforts in protecting communities across Lake County.
CLERC's Carbonizer Project: Turning Woody Biomass into Biochar for Sustainable Solutions
Wood management is a significant challenge for agencies and organizations working on wildfire resilience. With so many trees to manage across vast landscapes, the increasing threat of invasive pests has only worsened the situation, leading to an exponential rise in tree mortality. To address wildfire risks while promoting carbon sequestration, CLERC launched the Middletown Carbonizer Project in collaboration with multiple partners. This initiative utilizes the Tigercat Carbonizer, an advanced piece of machinery designed to convert excess biomass into biochar efficiently.
CLERC Kicks Off Major Reforestation Effort in Mendocino National Forest
Despite snowy conditions on March 14, 2025, CLERC staff made the journey to the USFS Placerville Nursery to pick up thousands of seedlings destined for replanting in the Mendocino National Forest. This year, 21,000 seedlings will take root, marking the beginning of an ambitious reforestation initiative that will see more than 200,000 additional trees planted in the coming years.
In Memoriam: Brent Kallander
It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Brent Kallander, CLERC's dedicated Forester, who tragically died of natural causes on January 22, 2025, while working in the Mendocino National Forest.
Integrating Climate Change into Reforestation Strategy for the Mendocino National Forest
The recent devastating wildfires in the Mendocino National Forest (MNF) have presented a formidable challenge for management efforts and highlighted the urgent need for a comprehensive reforestation strategy.
Love is in the air
As spring approaches, birds across our region begin their crucial nesting season. With increased vegetation management during this time, it's essential to be mindful of nesting birds…
2024 Year in Review: Celebrating a Decade of Growth and Impact at CLERC
The CLERC Team in front of its new office building on Park St in Lakeport
Part 1: Unlocking the Past: How Sediment Cores from Clear Lake Tell the Story of Climate Change and More
At the Clear Lake Environmental Research Center (CLERC), we are committed to studying and preserving the natural history of Clear Lake, California—one of the oldest natural lakes in North America. One of the most exciting tools scientists use to understand the environmental history of the region is sediment core analysis.
What Does Success Look Like in the Face of Wildfire?
As we brace for what is likely to be a busy fire season, it’s important to reflect on our achievements in building a fire-resilient landscape and redefine what “success” truly means.
CLERC & USFS: WORKING TOGETHER TO ENHANCE FIRE RESILIENCE
Together, the USFS and CLERC devised a comprehensive plan, known as the North Shore Restoration Project, aimed at rehabilitating over 40,000 acres of land. Such an ambitious undertaking required substantial resources beyond what the USFS could offer.
A Year in Review: 2023
It’s been another whirlwind year for CLERC! As we close out 2023, it’s an excellent time to reflect on the major wins from the last year.
Watching out for Wildlife: Safety Corridors and Sensitive species
In order to ensure that there is no habitat impact, CLERC’s Fire and Forestry staff conduct bird surveys before any restoration work is done.
NOW HIRING: FIRE AND FORESTRY PROJECT COORDINATOR
Do you want to make a difference in a fire-impacted community? Do you have GIS skills and want to put them to use in project development and monitoring?
$7M FOREST HEALTH GRANT SECURED FOR USFS NORTH SHORE RESTORATION PROJECT
CLERC and our partners at the Upper Lake Ranger District of the Mendocino National Forest have been successful in securing a large Forest Health Grant…
2022: MAKING A DIFFERENCE ALL YEAR LONG
Wow! How are we already at the end of 2022? I guess it’s true that time flies when you’re having fun and 2022 has been filled with fun (and lots of hard work) for all of us at CLERC. Let’s take a look back and recap some of the major accomplishments over the last year.
USFS COMPLETES PHASE 1 OF CLERC-FUNDED HAZARD TREE REMOVAL
After being severely impacted by the 2018 River Fire, the US Forest Service began looking for partners to help restore the land within the Mendocino National Forest. CLERC stepped up and worked with the staff
