How Treatments Are Prioritized and Permitted
Planning
To support strategic planning of SLO MPRP forest health projects, partner landowners and fuel treatment locations were identified by the LLPRT system (Landscape Level Prioritized Resilience Treatments, or "LEOPARD" for short).
LEOPARD considers geospatial datasets, site-specific factors, and professional expertise to assign treatment unit location and prioritization, including but not limited to:
The flyover below shows completed and planned resilience treatments in the Monterey pine forests around Cambria, San Simeon, and Old San Simeon Village — planned and carried out by SLO MPRP using the insights from LEOPARD.
In the event of wildfire in the region, prevailing winds from the northwest are most likely to drive embers and flames down the coast to the south and east; the area is also known for east winds during certain times of the year. Treatments located in the pine forests along the northern and eastern flanks of Cambria and San Simeon are strategically located to mitigate risk in these wildfire scenarios — reducing the risk of a high-severity, fast-moving crown fire, improving suppression response and evacuation potential, and ultimately improving post-fire outcomes for the native Monterey pine forest.
The LEOPARD system is in continual development by SLO MPRP collaborator ARC Forestry, based on their experience planning large-scale forest health and wildfire risk reduction projects across Coastal California.
Permitting
Following the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires in Southern California, Governor Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency in California to confront the ongoing risk of catastrophic wildfire across the state. Included under this proclamation was the temporary suspension of regulations and requirements intended to support "Fast-Tracking Critical Fuels Reduction Projects."
FSCSLO and project partners identified and submitted critical Monterey pine restoration projects under the Governor's Suspension, successfully implementing nearly 200 acres of treatments across Covell and Hearst Ranch, several other linked private landowners, and Greenspace–Strawberry Canyon properties in 2025. FSCSLO submitted additional Governor's Suspension requests to streamline treatments in Cambria across additional Monterey pine forestlands and to target the spread of non-native and invasive plant species in 2026. More information on these efforts will be provided as available.
Request to Suspend State Statutes and Regulations →The North Coastal San Luis Obispo County Regional Ecological Strategy for Improving Landscapes (SLO-RESIL) CalVTP project provides California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) coverage across approximately 90,000 acres of US-LTRCD's jurisdictional boundary within the Coastal Zone — encompassing the region surrounding Cambria and San Simeon. Ecologically-restorative forest health treatments focus on promoting the health and vigor of various ecological communities, including Monterey pine, and reducing the risk of wildfire to communities.
Planned treatments that will utilize CEQA coverage under SLO-RESIL include US-LTRCD's impending Forest Health Grant project, expected to commence in 2026. SLO-RESIL is a collaboration between US-LTRCD, CAL FIRE, San Luis Obispo Community Fire Safe Council (FSCSLO), Ascent Environmental, and ARC Forestry.
A collaboration of public and private partners promoting climate and wildfire resilience on the North Coast of San Luis Obispo County.