Significant progress has been made on this new Board objective, as staff and partners promoted sustainable recreation through six Board initiatives, with Quarter Two progress achieved in each initiative.

1. Develop Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan

• Released Request for Proposals for the Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan and established review panel; RFP closes  7.14.22.
• Successfully secured $200,000 in grant funding from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy to contract for the Master Plan development.

2.  Promote health and safety at river crossings, lakes, trailheads, and other high-use or high-risk destinations.

• Awarded $361,795 in ARPA-funded Outdoor Visitor Safety Fund grants for six projects that promote health and safety and access through improved infrastructure at impacted recreation destinations.
• Awarded $53,605 in ARPA-funded Outdoor Visitor Safety Fund grants for three ambassador programs addressing emergency health and safety issues in summer 2022 at impacted recreation destinations.

3. Enhance recreation access, health and safety, economic development, and resource conservation.

• The 30-day public comment period was completed for the Pines to Mines Trail on February 25th by the Tahoe National Forest and the first quarterly report to the County by the Truckee Trails Foundation was completed on March 31st. The Pines to Mines Environmental Assessment is currently on schedule to be completed in the spring of 2023.
• Second meeting with BLM and Nevada County to move forward with parking access development for Edwards Crossing.

4. Support capacity and sustainability of Western Nevada County organized recreation.

• Contracted recreation administrator continues to build capacity and support sustainability for Western County organized recreation by working with partner districts to make them viable and sustainable. Held first joint meeting with all three park districts with outcome including working group to discuss resource support and MOU for Jointly Funded Administrative Support, and drafting of MOU inclusions.

5. Identify funding mechanisms and act on advocacy priorities to sustain recreation. 

• Secured $200,000 from Sierra Nevada Conservancy for the Nevada County Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan. 
• Both Congressionally directed funding requests totaling nearly $3 million dollars to support two recreation related priorities: Independence Trail and bike and pedestrian access on Combie Road, were recommended by our congressional representatives to be elevated in the funding process. 

6. Staff recreation collaborative(s) to promote countywide coordination. 

• Held first all-county Recreation Collaborative Meeting April 22, 2022.
• In addition, staff continue to convene the South Yuba River Safety Cohort, with monthly meetings, and staff Convene, Champion, Catalyze (CCC) in Eastern Nevada County. 

1. To create at Nevada County Recreation and Resilience Master plan, staff will identify and enter into contract for development of Master Plan this quarter.

2. To Promote health and safety at river crossings, lakes, trailheads, and other high-use or high-risk destinations, staff will

• Identify three priority locations for second round of emergency call box installation.
• Develop public safety video priorities.
• Support implementation of Outdoor Visitor Safety Fund grants, and prepare to release a second round in September or October.    
• Help promote the annual Yuba River Cleanup.
• Help amplify timely messaging related to river visitation and safety.
•  Continue distributing free Yuba River bandannas with safety messaging to river visitors

3. To enhance recreation access, health and safety, economic development, and resource conservation, priority next steps include:

• Continue to support implementation of Outdoor Visitor Safety Fund grants that address improvements at trailheads or staging and gathering areas such as signage, toilets, parking improvements, land management to reduce fire danger or impacts of visitation, waste management solutions, urgent/emergency maintenance of outdoor recreation sites. 
• Receive signed decision by the Tahoe National Forest Supervisor pertaining to the Environmental Assessment in the Spring/Summer of 2023. This will be followed by a focus on acquiring donation and grant funding to build the new 18-mile trail connection in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
• Work with BLM on Edwards Satellite Parking lot development.
• Develop related content on the newly release Go Nevada County website addressing sustainable recreation.

 4. To support capacity and sustainability of Western Nevada County organized recreation, priorities include:

• Finalize contract for enhanced recreation administration support.
• With newly formed park working group, explore/draft MOU for Jointly Funded Administrative Support for park districts.
• Address the succession of non-governmental service providers.
• Increase awareness and access to existing programs.

5. Priority next steps to identifying funding mechanisms and act on advocacy priorities to sustain recreation include:

• We will continue to identify recreation related funding opportunities and share with partners, and apply as appropriate.  
• Continue advocating for permanent toilets at Purdon Crossing. 
• Identify priority recreation opportunities that align with CERF or other climate and economic development funding opportunities.

6. Staff will convene and support recreation collaborative(s) to promote countywide coordination, with priorities including:

• Convening recreation summit in October 2022.
• Convening stakeholders on Master Plan and opportunity for collaboration.
• Continuing to convene South Yuba River Safety Cohort and the Convene, Champion, Catalyze collaborative.