OPR Feedstock Aggregation Pilots
South Central Sierra

The Mariposa County Resource Conservation District led the South Central Sierra Woody Feedstock Aggregation Pilot, a multi-county effort spanning Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa, and Tuolumne counties that focused on understanding and addressing barriers to forest fuels reduction, forest restoration, and woody biomass utilization. Developed through the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research Forest Sector Analysis Pilot program, the project produced a series of technical studies examining workforce capacity, governance and institutional models, and opportunities for value-added wood product development in the Central Sierra.

While the Central Sierra Economic Development District (Central Sierra Economic Development District) did not implement this pilot, CSEDD’s current bioeconomy work is closely aligned through collaboration with California Law for Empowering Renewable Energy (CLERE), which was engaged by Mariposa RCD to support this effort. Insights from the pilot now inform CSEDD-supported regional initiatives focused on forestry entrepreneurship, biomass business development, and CEQA streamlining to advance the Sierra region’s emerging bioeconomy.

Reports

Click on a report below to view or download it.

Feedstock Supply Analysis (April 2023, TSS Consultants)

Local Public Entity Solutions for the Forest Biomass Markets in the South Central Sierra (October 2023, CLERE, Inc.)

Feasibility Study: Value-Added Wood Products Campus (June 2024, TSS Consultants)

Organizational Study Executive Summary and Full Report (March 2025, ERG)

Siting and Financial Risk Analysis Report & Slide Presentation (August 2025, Wildephor)

Biomass Utilization Workshop

March 24, 2025

In March 2025, partners convened the Biomass Utilization in the Central Sierra workshop to bring together local governments, forestry and biomass practitioners, economic development organizations, workforce partners, and state agencies to explore practical pathways for expanding biomass utilization in the South Central Sierra. The workshop focused on lessons learned from the Forest Sector Analysis Pilot studies, including workforce capacity constraints, governance and contracting models, and opportunities for value-added wood products and local business development. Participants shared on-the-ground perspectives, discussed implementation challenges, and identified next steps for advancing a resilient forest bioeconomy that supports fuels reduction, forest restoration, and rural jobs. The agenda and meeting notes below document the topics discussed, key insights raised by participants, and areas for continued regional collaboration.