Welcome and Happy Thanksgiving from your friends on Cobb Mountain
Welcome to SSCRA’s inaugural newsletter where we spotlight important resources, events, and programs serving our community’s capacity to be safer and stronger together. In this and coming issues, we will spotlight our ongoing work to cultivate the many ways local residents make the difference in our ongoing fire safety, healthy watersheds, and community resilience.
Be sure to visit our website at sscra.org for even more information and ways to get involved!
John A. Carlisi: A Legacy of Community Development in Cobb
John A. Carlisi, a passionate advocate for community development, passed away on November 6th at the age of 80. Since moving to Cobb, California, John dedicated himself to empowering local communities. As a key member of the Seigler Springs Community Redevelopment Association (SSCRA), he played a pivotal role in driving community resilience initiatives, from disaster recovery to wildfire preparedness and watershed restoration. His visionary leadership and unwavering support were instrumental in securing funding for SSCRA projects like the Cobb Community Wildfire Protection Plan and the Bright Village affordable housing project.
A champion of community-led initiatives, John particularly nurtured SSCRA’s ability to bridge the gap between policy and practical implementation, involving ordinary citizens in policy-making and practical implementation.
Lake County District 5 Supervisor and Cobb resident Jessica Pyska offered that “John was our champion, and he especially loved supporting those with a vision and a plan for elevating our community.”
Always ready with a warm smile and a witty remark, John’s generosity extended beyond policy, evident in his contributions to the Cobb School Garden and his passion for local cuisine, often shared at the Loch Lomond Italian Village.
Following a career in banking and affordable housing, working in prominent institutions such as Fannie Mae Multifamily and the Fannie Mae Foundation, John continued to be active nationally as CEO of the Neighborhood Development Collaborative and was a key player in bringing locally controlled broadband to Lake County. He was a supporter of local organizations, including the Cobb Area Council, where he supported economic development efforts, such as the first fundraiser that kicked off the Blackberry Cobbler Festival.
His encouragement and guidance were invaluable to community members. Cobb Area Council Chair Cathy McCarthy said, “Through the years, at times coach and cheerleader, his warm encouragement bolstered us to be the best we can be to better serve in our posts.“
John’s legacy is one of community empowerment and resilience. He is survived by his wife, Polly Nyberg, and is remembered fondly by his family and friends. A celebration of his life will be held in 2025. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to SSCRA, the Cobb Elementary School Garden, or the SPCA.
New Wildfire Protection Plan Coming to the Cobb Mountain Area
SSCRA has received a grant from the US Forest Service to create an official Cobb Mountain Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), a community-centered document that will qualify detailed wildfire mitigation projects in the Cobb area for significant Federal funding assistance. Working closely with members of the Cobb Area Council Forest Stewardship Committee and additional local volunteers, SSCRA will facilitate maximum community involvement in creating the CWPP over the next two years. Actively collaborating with the community will entail a deep dive to include all the factors related to wildfire safety in the Cobb Area, including long-term care for our beloved local forests, building a local business sector to do the needed work, taking a hard look at invasive species, addressing climate change, and obtaining available tools and resources to protect our community in the time ahead, when wildfire is predicted to only increase in our region.
The 2015 Valley Fire was a defining moment for the Cobb Mountain community, and a harbinger of a new era for rural forest communities like us across the West. Among other effects, the fire galvanized a fresh spirit of collaboration in our community, because we recognized that any effective approach to long term safety would require us to work together in new and creative ways.
The most recent California Climate Change Assessment (2018) forecasts that wildfires will increase by over 70% in coming decades. We know very well that our local landscape remains highly vulnerable – nearly the entire Cobb Mountain Area has been categorized as a “Very High Wildfire Hazard” area. Even though the past several years have not resulted in a major fire, we can plainly see how the continuing accumulation of dense brush and the proliferation of invasive species like Scotch broom, combined with warmer and dryer projected conditions are flashing warning signals for our community.
The Cobb Mountain Area Community Wildfire Protection Plan will present a comprehensive evaluation of the local landscape and identify what projects are needed to increase our safety in the short, medium, and long term. This will include:
- creation and maintenance of strategic fire breaks
- reduction of hazardous levels of dense brush
- longer term promotion of healthy forest conditions including
regular controlled burning to keep forest densities lower and promote mature, fire-resistant stands - monitoring for invasive pests and timely removing of diseased trees
- promoting diverse fire-resistant mix of species
- promoting healthy creeks and watersheds
- longer term promotion of healthy forest conditions including
The new CWPP will also look at HOW we will be able to implement the plan including
- State and Federal grant funds – having an approved CWPP will immediately qualify our areas to apply for up to $10 million under the Federal Community Wildfire Defense Grant program
- Create a local business sector that can do the work needed. The CWPP will help local Cobb Area businesses create business plans and apply for funding to build our local capacity to do this work and build the local economy at the same time
- Build partnerships with our sovereign Tribal Nations to manage the local landscape using Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) combined with best forestry practices. We are very fortunate to have a highly experienced and active group of Tribal partners in Lake County.
How to stay informed and involved
SSCRA will report project progress regularly at the monthly Cobb Area Council (CAC) meetings. We will also work closely with the CAC Forest Stewardship Committee to build a volunteer team that will work directly on promoting and helping to conduct a detailed survey of the Cobb Area forest. If you are interested in being part of the volunteer survey team please write to info@sscra.org and we will be in touch with you directly.
Holiday appeal – Giving Tuesday
We are happy to report that SSCRA is growing!
Soon, we will announce new team members and ways for you to participate in the Cobb Mountain Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). As the end of 2024 is almost here, we invite you to support SSCRA’s good work by donating towards our goal of $1,500 this Holiday Season. SSCRA is the only local non-profit organization focused on building the resiliency around the Cobb Area through boots-on-the-ground projects and hyper-local action.
When you support SSCRA’s work, you are directly supporting:
- The health of Cobb Mountain’s forests through fuel reduction, controlled burning, invasive species removal, and proactive planning for the future with the Cobb Forest Stewards program.
- The health of Cobb area’s watersheds by restoring riparian habitats on creekside lands through our Cobb Watershed Education and Restoration Program.
- Bringing Indigenous land management practices back to the land through our partnerships with the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians, the Middletown Rancheria, and the public nonprofit Tribal Eco-Restoration Alliance.
Any size donation, from $10 to $100, makes a difference in our ability to carry out this important work to benefit the Cobb area and our surrounding communities in Lake County. Please consider supporting the Seigler Springs Community Redevelopment Association by offering your contribution through our secure Donate button.