Forestry and Wildfire

DSA assisted with the review of CalFire’s Green Schoolyard Grants.

Key Initiatives

• Urban and Community Forestry efforts play a significant role in meeting the State's GHG emission reduction targets, climate resilience goals, and goals of climate action plans. The Green Schoolyards grants are designed to assist with planning and/or implementing multi-benefit projects with a focus on extreme heat, environmental, economic, and social benefits to urban public school campuses and eligible childcare facilities with an emphasis on in-need education facilities.
• The purpose of the Green Schoolyards grants is to green schoolyards to protect the health, well-being, and educational opportunities of children most vulnerable to increasing temperatures and extreme heat across California. Provide government funding to K-12 public school campuses and nonprofit childcare facilities. The projects are to be centered around improving the environmental conditions and experiences for school children with the highest levels of co-benefits. Projects invest in nature-based climate solutions that deliver multiple benefits and focus on trees in child-accessible spaces

Implementation Grant: All aspects of planning and implementation of the grant projects

• $500,000 to $30,000,000 per applicant
• $2,500,000 max. per the school campus included in the project
• 25% matching requirements

Planning Grant: All planning aspects of the grant project to result in a shovel-ready project. No implementation of any kind.

•  $75,000 to $3,000,000 per applicant
• $200,000 max. per the school campus included in the project
• 25% matching requirements

The Department of General Services (DGS), as required by PCC 12400-12404, provides state agencies with information and assistance regarding environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP), the procurement of goods and services that have a reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing goods or services that serve the same purpose.

Statistic

• As of March 2025, DGS offers 12 statewide commodity contracts with one or more sustainable forestry certifications.

Key Initiatives

• DGS recommends goods and services that meet ecolabels, that are made with post-consumer recycled content, and/or that take-back products at end of life for waste diversion.
• EPP collaborates with the Contracts Management Unit in requiring wood and paper based commodities to meet sustainable forestry certifications, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) - Chain of Custody (CoC) Certification or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) - CoC.
• EPP also promotes the availability of goods made with post-consumer recycled content that meet the State Agency Buy Recycled Campaign requirements. Choosing goods made with post-consumer recycled content reduces the state's demand for virgin wood and/or wood pulp, promoting circular economy principles.
• FSC and SFI certifications are available for commodities such as printing & writing paper, envelopes, paper based disposable food supplies, janitorial paper, lumber, wood flooring, and furniture.

In 2018 the Brown administration signed into law Executive Order B-52-18 to improve forest management and restoration, provide regulatory relief, reduce barriers for prescribed fire, boosting education and outreach to landowners and supporting wood products innovation.

Statistic

• The May Lee State Office Complex used mass timber to comply with the Executive Order in its design and implementation.