Highlights from the past quarter (July through September):

1. Develop Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan

• Received approval by Board of Supervisors (BOS) to contract with Design Workshop, the consulting firm selected by the Request for Proposal (RFP) Evaluation Panel
• Received BOS approval to accept $200,000 Vibrant Recreation and Tourism grant award from Sierra Nevada Conservancy; funds will be directly applied to consulting fees
• Began creation of branding, website, and outreach materials for community engagement
• Scheduled tours, presentations and pre-planning meetings with cities, park and recreation districts, providers, and stakeholders

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

• Distributed first round payments for the 9 Outdoor Visitor Safety Fund grant recipients; progress reports were received with Staff visiting sites and providing support as needed
• Identified a priority location at Bridgeport for installing an emergency call box in 2023
• Received BOS approval proclaiming support of SYRCL’s 25^th Annual Yuba River Cleanup
• Provided Staffing, logistics, planning and emergency assistance for 2nd Annual Heart of Gold Race, which welcomed over 200 participants from California and neighboring states; funds raised support teen mental wellness programs in Nevada County
• Distributed free “South Yuba River” bandanas through community partners and river ambassadors to communicate safety messaging and responsible recreation

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

• Continued progress by Pines to Mines Trail consultants on fieldwork and research necessary to complete the draft Environmental Analysis (EA), with no major concerns arising; the draft EA is anticipated to be sent to USFS by early November
• Met with BLM to determine next steps for additional parking lot at Edwards Crossing, with funding dedicated by county to support this project

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

• Secured over $1.1M in grant funds from CA State Parks Rural Recreation and Tourism program by county-provided grant writer and technical assistance; funds support a new RV Park and improvements to ballfields and recreational amenities at Western Gateway Park
• Convened quarterly meeting with Board members and staff of Western County park districts to establish consensus for MOU of a jointly funded administrator position
• Identified park improvement needs with Oak Tree Park District; Prop 68 ADA-accessible playground project nearing completion with final repayment of County gap loan assistance to follow thereafter

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

• Advocated for Recreation and Resiliency projects at two-day CA Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force Sierra Regional Meeting; sponsored an outreach booth with OES and field tour of Inimim Forest project in North San Juan by Yuba Watershed Institute
• Met to discuss strategies, projects and funding programs with agency and task force directors of CALRECVision, a cross-jurisdictional collaboration to advance sustainable outdoor recreation in the State of California
• Provided insights for developing strategies and solutions to expand equitable outdoor access at the California's Outdoors for All Initiative workshop with the CA Natural Resources Agency, hosted by Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation
• Continued advocacy of public land stewardship with agency partners BLM, USFS, and CA State Parks of high-use recreation areas where land management, fuels reduction and collaboration would support public safety and access goals

Plans for next quarter (October - December) include: 

1. Work with Design Workshop to ensure successful kickoff of the Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan

• Form County Team and Working Group, comprised of community stakeholders
• Launch story map and community engagement plan that invites maximum public participation through distribution of outreach materials and kick-off survey
• Begin inventory and mapping phase to assess existing conditions, resources, and efficiencies

2. Plan and develop Recreation infrastructure and content projects in high use areas; develop tracking tools and analyze effectiveness

• Identify two more priority locations for emergency call box installation
• Announce grant guidelines and submission dates for second round proposals of the Outdoor Visitor Safety Fund (OVSF) grants
• Continue to support implementation of first round OVSF projects including waste and sanitation solutions, parking access, river corridor mile markers and trail development 
• Develop travel alert management system and 2023 content plan for GoNevadaCounty.com that addresses sustainable recreation and tourism
• Solicit design proposals for 2023 Yuba River bandanas, to time distribution earlier in the calendar year and in coordination with the development of a public safety campaign
• Work with South Yuba River Public Safety Cohort (Cohort) and OES on responsible recreation and public safety campaign development for 2023, to include videos and social content
• Establish key visitation metrics and methods for data collection and tracking; monitor trends with the change in seasonal activities
• Meet regularly with OES for collaborative opportunities tied to Recreation and Resiliency including vegetation management, public land management, evacuation, climate/hazard mitigation and related grant programs

3. Continue to convene partners and provide project implementation support in order to enhance recreation access, health and safety, economic development, and resource conservation

• Complete EA for Pines to Mines Trail with signed decision by the Tahoe National Forest Supervisor in the Spring/Summer of 2023; 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
• Shepherd Edwards Satellite Parking Lot project next steps and apply for BLM funding
• Determine path and partner(s) for permanent toilets at Purdon Crossing 
• Begin planning 2023 distribution of AB1600 mitigation funds with related requirements and communication
  

 4. Develop administrative documents and planning tools that support capacity and sustainability of Western Nevada County organized recreation priorities

• Draft MOU for review by park districts of Jointly Funded Administrative Support in 2023
• Develop 2023 Compliance Calendar and begin formation of resource toolkit for park districts
• Finalize workplan for enhanced recreation administration support; recruit and retain contractor by February 2023

5. Foster and cultivate relationships with grant funders and identify shovel ready projects that sustain recreation

• Convene regional Sustainability Summit with agency directors, thought leaders and recreation partners focused on climate, conservation, and recreation
• Develop master project and grants opportunity database through active research, partner outreach and legislative tracking
• Meet with agency grant program managers to determine best-fit projects for 2023-2024 grant cycle; develop 2023 priority calendar and apply as appropriate  
• Identify priority recreation projects that align with CERF and other nexus opportunities (e.g. climate, natural resource, transportation and economic development)

6. Work with community partners to establish 2023 goals and priorities that promote countywide coordination and identify efficiencies

• Convene second annual meeting of the Recreation Coalition 
• Develop itinerary and activities for new 2023 Western County Recreation Partners Summit
• Develop content management system for recreation resource guide and events, working with Economic Development Office
• Establish 2023 calendar and recreation goals for the Cohort, CCC, working groups and ad-hoc committees in collaboration with members; continue collaboration with DSA