RESTORE: Video Podcast Series

Joel Pagel, raptor ecologist for Fish and Wildlife Service, talks about his partnership with the Forest Service in saving the Peregrine Falcon species from extinction.

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Millions of miles of roads across our national forests have provided transportation for many types of uses but they were not designed to allow the passage of fish and other animals. Rebuilding culverts and roads to allow for these species is just one of the ways we are restoring our forest lands.

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Highlighting the importance of restoring mountain meadow function to improve conditions for water, wildlife, and people.

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The American pika has become an icon for climate change. These rabbit relatives live almost exclusively in talus slopes at higher elevations. Researchers are attempting to determine their historic range and how rising temperatures will affect their habitats.

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There are over 200 lava tubes on the Lassen National Forest, many of which have only recently been discovered. The Forest Service is attempting to both explore and inventory these caves and their inhabitants, and must balance recreational use with the protection of these unique environments.

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Restoring mountain streams and meadows is critical to maintaining the health and clarity of Lake Tahoe. The Forest Service is bringing them back to their properly functioning condition. This video shows why these ecosystems are so important and how they are being restored.

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Covering millions of square miles, the habitat of the sage grouse stretches through eleven different states. However, the population of these birds is significantly declining. A partnership of private and public entities have come together to help protect this bird and improve the sagebrush steppe habitat.

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The U.S. Forest Service Fire and Aviation Management organization implements the largest fuels and vegetation management program in terms of both workforce and budget. No other part of the agency has more potential to impact our Ecological Restoration efforts.

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Tree-tipping is a special technology used by the US Forest Service in our restoration efforts. By placing large woody debris into streams, the Forest Service provides better habitat for fish and other aquatic species.

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Invasive plants are outcompeting native vegetation on our national forests. Katie VinZant, a biologist on the Angeles National Forest, explains how partnerships are increasingly important in our weed removal efforts.

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Since 1941, the Penny Pines Program has been helping to restore forests by planting trees. Funded mostly by garden clubs, the program has helped to reforest vast areas of our national forests. Long-time employee and Penny Pines coordinator Brenda Kendrix gives an overview of this important conservation work.

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Marijuana growing on our national forests causes significant harm to the land, water and animals. The toxicants and lethal weapons found at these sites are both shocking in terms of amount, and raise concerns regarding the health of the Region's forests. The Forest Service, along with other agencies and volunteers, are working together to restore these impacted lands.

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As part of its fire research, the Forest Service captures video footage of actual wildfires in progress. By employing specially designed heat resistant camera boxes, the agency has been able to document surprising fire behavior.

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Although chaparral covers large areas of California, these ecosystems are frequently overlooked. Research into the benefits and problems facing these areas is being conducted by the Forest Service as part of its ecological restoration work.

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Black-backed woodpeckers thrive in recently burned forests. The Forest Service and the Institute for Bird Populations are learning more about these birds and their habitat. This effort will inform future restoration work on the national forests in California.

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The Forest Service is removing barriers that prevent fish and other aquatic species from moving up and down stream corridors. By replacing culverts and building bridges, hundreds of miles of habitat will eventually be restored.

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During the Chips forest fire on the Plumas National Forest, a baby bobcat was orphaned. While the Forest Service restored the forest, the bobcat then known as Chips, recovered at a wild animal rehabilitation facility. Recently, Chips was returned to the wild.

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Indian Valley, located in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California (Eldorado National Forest), has become degraded over the last century. Now a wide range of partners to include, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, American Rivers, Coca-Cola, and other groups and individuals have come together to help the Forest Service restore the meadow and improve the watershed. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Coca-Cola, are providing most of the funds ($366,400). This project will not only benefit the ecosystem, it will improve the water supply for more than 1.6 million residents of the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Urban Releaf, a small community-based organization in Oakland, California, has been planting trees and employing young people for almost fourteen years. In August 2012, Chief Tom Tidwell and Regional Forester Randy Moore visited with Urban Releaf in Oakland, CA. The Urban and Community Forestry program of the U.S. Forest Service helps this organization with funding and technical expertise.

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Aspen trees are in decline in California and across the West. This video describes the life cycle of this unique tree and shows how the Lassen National Forest is working with partners and volunteers to restore Aspen groves on the Eagle Lake Ranger District.

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Ecological restoration is a top priority for the Forest Service in the Pacific Southwest Region (which includes California and the Pacific Islands). This short animation summarizes why restoration is necessary and how it will be done.

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Calaveras County, CA Supervisor Steve Wilensky discusses the connection between ecosystem restoration, sustainable economies and healthy communities.

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The Pacific Southwest Region of the Forest Service is working with California Conservation Corps to provide training and job opportunities for military veterans. Regional Forester Randy Moore discusses the economic and ecological benefits of the "Veterans Green Corps." This video shows them working to restore a burned over forest near Lake Tahoe.

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This episode revisits the scene of the 1992 Cleveland Fire (the vicinity of the Cleveland Corral Visitor Information Station) located on the Eldorado NF in California, where the Forest Service planted trees in some of the burned areas and not in others. Reforestation is the re–establishment of Forest cover and is one practice used in Ecological Restoration.

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We launch the "Restore" video series with this podcast, which tells a profound and compelling story of the Region's vision of Ecological Restoration through ten of our employees.

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