Emergency Forest Restoration Program

Image: A pine seedling pushes up through the bare soil.

The EFRP (Emergency Forest Restoration Program) is a federal program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It can pay you for reforestation, site prep like brush removal, burned tree removal, erosion control, fixing your forest roads, protection for young seedlings (like tree tubes), and wildlife habitat improvements.

The EFRP is right for you if you answer "yes" to these 5 questions ...

1.) Did you have forest trees growing on your land before the Camp Fire?

2.) Did you lose some of your forest trees in the Camp Fire?

3.) Do you need post-fire forest restoration work that will cost more than $1,000 but less than $500,000?

4.) Can you pay 25% of the cost of the work? (In some cases, doing your own work can count toward your 25% share - ask.)

5.) Can you find a way to pay the total cost up-front, and wait for the USDA to reimburse you for its 75% share? (For many landowners, this could mean taking out a loan. Government-backed "conservation loans" are sometimes available for those who can't get conventional loans.)

If you can say yes to all 5 of these questions, then the EFRP is for you. Here are some ways to begin the application process:

Download the application below, print it out, and fill out the highlighted sections only. Then bring it and your property tax bill if possible to the Farm Service Agency (FSA). The FSA is in the USDA building at 150 Chuck Yeager Way in Oroville. If you need help filling out the application (it's a little technical), call Araceli Mazariego: (530) 693-3165.

Download this EFRP Application

OR.....

Simply drop by the USDA building and ask for an application. It's smart to call or email first and make an appointment, but it's also OK to just drop in! The person to see there is Araceli Mazariego: (530) 693-3165, or email araceli.mazariego@usda.gov For fastest results, it's best to bring your property tax bill or a grant deed (a copy is fine).

Read More Fun Facts About The EFRP

If you answered no to any of the questions above, we may still have other programs to help you get free seedlings and more. Please take our reforestation and prescribed fire survey, so we can get in touch with you when we have other options to help you and your land.

Thank you for caring about your land. We're sorry for your loss, but we hope we can help you renew your forest. Have a beautiful day.

Website Accessibility Policy

Butte County Resource Conservation District is fully committed to providing accessible facilities, elements and channels of communication to all members of the public. As part of this commitment, Butte County Resource Conservation District has a policy of providing an accessible website compatible with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) and commercial screen reading software. All features of the website are coded to allow individuals with vision and other impairments to understand and use the website to the same degree as someone without disabilities. We welcome feedback and can often resolve issues in a timely manner if they arise.

If you need any special assistance or accommodations:

Call us at (530) 693-3173

Ongoing Compliance Information

Compliance Officer

Butte County Resource Conservation District has designated a compliance officer for website disability-related accommodations. The compliance officer has received training in website accessibility and updates the site in accordance with those best practices. Contact our accessibility officer to report an issue.

Compliance Procedures and Reports

In addition to testing with users with a wide range of disabilities and coding our website to WCAG standards, Butte County Resource Conservation District regularly scans its website to ensure ongoing compliance, and makes timely changes to any inaccessible changes, if any are found.

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Please note that this site may link out to third-party websites, such as state or federal agencies, that do not have accessible content. This site may also include documents provided by third parties included in our agenda packets, for example. While we cannot control the accessibility of content provided by third parties, we are happy to assist any member of the public with reading and accessing content on our site.

See an opportunity for us to improve? Please contact our accessibility officer or call us at (530) 693-3173.

Report a Website Accessibility Issue

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