Southern California Mountains Foundation

The Fuels Reduction partnership with Ramona Band of Cahuilla aimed to create defensible space and lower fire risks around new homes and infrastructure on the Ramona Reservation. Flammable materials have been cleared within 50 feet of these areas. Vegetation within 100 feet was thinned to ensure 10-20 feet gaps between trees and shrubs. Trees were trimmed up to at least 10 feet from the ground, and any dead or fallen trees, removed. The Ramona Environmental staff supervised and monitored the work.

This project is in collaboration with the California Conservation Corps and funded through Nature Based Solutions.

The Urban Conservation Corps in collaboration with the Big Bear trails program recently conducted major trail improvements on a spur of the Santa Ana River trail. This spur runs from Barton flats campground to the Santa Ana River itself. The maintenance includes new signage, brush removal, down tree removal, and major erosion repair/control.

In proud partnership with the U.S. Forest Service - San Bernardino National Forest

Funded by Prop 84

Congratulations to the newly recruited Corpsmembers of the Urban Conservation Corps. SCMF is thrilled to have you join the dedicated team, where your passion for conservation and community will shine. The Southern California Mountains Foundation’s Urban Conservation Corps is honored to offer young adults, ages 18 to 26, an incredible opportunity to kickstart your careers with meaningful work in climate resiliency and conservation.

The UCC is hiring you guys adults 18 - 26 years of age, residents of Riverside or San Bernardino Counties for a
12 Month Paid Job Training Program. Hourly pay rate is $17/hour Training and mentorship in conservation careers, career development, public relations, and community leadership. Post-service job search assistance and support for one year after completion of the program.

Apply today www.MountainsFoundation.org

The Southern California Mountains Foundation is grateful to be underway with youth service corps project and finished the first month with the spearheading climate resilience work. The City Manager of Rancho Cucamonga came out to visit the UCC crew. He brought some refreshments and thanked the Corpsmembers for all their hard work. He was blown away with how much work has been accomplished so far.

Funded by a grant through Youth Service Corps.

🎶🎸There are still two amazing concerts remaining at Big Bear’s most exciting summer concert series! The Southern California Mountains Foundations Music in the Mountains tickets are on sale - Check out the band line up listed above and get tickets before they’re sold out:

✨GIVEAWAY✨ if you attended previous concerts you can upload your photos or videos to enter the online giveaway now! Tag Southern California Mountains Foundation - to enter. ✨

Music in the Mountains is more than a concert series; it’s a catalyst for change, supporting conservation, recreation, and education initiatives through the efforts of the Southern California Mountains Foundation. Your ticket purchase goes directly back into SCMF’s seven programs, keeping Public Lands open and thriving for everyone to enjoy - that’s a true reason to celebrate! Secure your tickets and help us make a difference, one note at a time.

A heartfelt thanks to our amazing sponsors: , , , , Big Bear Moose Lodge, Lock-Ridge Tool Co., KSVB 94.1 FM and . (Drone video by )

You want to know more about hiking in the Mountaintop Ranger District? Or do you want to join in some good old fashion trail work? Talk to this expert: Jordan Lowe, who is the Big Bear Trails Manager for the Southern California Mountains Foundation. Lowe was at Smokey Bear's shindig to speak to the public about his program; he stated that one popular trail is the nearby Woodland Trail, where volunteers of the SCMF can engage with 200 hikers during four hours on a busy day of the weekend.

Phytophthora is a disease that affects plant roots, rotting them from the bottom up. The plants look fine, until they are not, and by the time you notice the die out, it’s too late, the soil is contaminated. This water mold infects the soil and can contaminate large patches of land, creating brown, dead zones on the forest. It’s most often found in wetter environments, like in Northern California, but we are not immune to it in Southern California. The Big Bear Forest Service Nursery has been certified by the Accreditation to Improve Restoration Program as a Phytophthora-free nursery since 2021. We follow strict nursery procedures including sterilizing our soil, use a sanitizing-solution on all of our tools and pots, growing our plants on nursery benches 2.5ft above the ground, and testing our plants for diseases before they are planted in the forest.

In proud partnership with U.S. Forest Service - San Bernardino National Forest

Scorpions and a Thread Snake were pretty photogenic last week for UCC-CV’s Star gazing and night hike outing. Thanks to the for funding assistances, and to some very special volunteers and to the Astronomical Society of the Desert for bringing their telescopes and their passion for the night sky. It was a great evening full of joy and wonder for UCC of Coachella Valley.

🎉🎂 Come celebrate Smokey Bear’s 80th birthday with us on August 10th at the Big Bear Discovery Center! 🌲🐻 This special event is packed with exciting and interactive activities for people of all ages. From educational exhibits to fun games, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Join us in honoring Smokey Bear’s incredible legacy of forest preservation and fire safety awareness. It’s a perfect day out for families, nature enthusiasts, and anyone who loves a good time! Let’s make unforgettable memories together as we commemorate 80 years of Smokey Bear’s important message. See you there! 🎉🌳🚒

August 10th - 10am - 2pm
40971 North Shore Dr. / HWY 38
Fawnskin, CA 92333

Exciting Opportunity Alert! 🌲 SCMF is now hiring Urban Conservation Corps Corpsmembers for an incredible 12-month paid job training program in conservation careers. If you’re between 18-26 years old and a resident of Riverside or San Bernardino Counties, this is your chance to make a difference and develop valuable skills!

➖Hourly pay rate is $17/hour.

➖Training and mentorship in conservation careers, career development, public relations, and community leadership.

➖Post-service job search assistance and support for one year after completion of the program.

Join our team and work alongside passionate individuals dedicated to preserving nature. Apply now at www.MountainsFoundation.org 🌿 Don’t miss out on this chance to start your career in conservation!

Apply here: https://southerncaliforniamountainsfoundation.bamboohr.com/careers/47

▪️ The begin on August 7th! There’s still time to apply. • JMCS is an alternative high school in California equipping 18 to 26-year-olds to earn diplomas and prepare for fulfilling careers. UCC job training and education goes hand in hand.

Congratulations Corpsmembers for the month for July!!! From Coachella, Kebin Perez-Franco is 19 years old and has been with UCC for about 10 months. He was born and raised in La Quinta. Kebin enjoys new activities, camping and spikes. Kebin likes that the UCC is welcoming to new Corpsmembers. He enjoys that Corpsmembers gain a lot of experience and get to socialize with one another. Kebin has made great friendships here at UCC and enjoys hanging out with his new friends. Kebin hopes the new Corpsmembers enjoy their experience as much as he does. He believes others should join because of the training opportunities and assistance with finding new employment. Steven Pidal is the Corpsmember of the month for July at the San Bernardino facility. Steven has quietly worked hard everyday and improved his overall performance in the past couple of months. His dedication has not gone unnoticed and appreciated by all leadership that has worked with him. Steven is 21 and from Redlands. “I have been working at the UCC for 10 months now. I enjoy working at the UCC because of all the training opportunities, you also get to see some beautiful places when you work. Others should join the team to build critical working skills and start their journey into a career. I enjoy working and building teamwork strength with my fellow Corpsmembers. I appreciate the caring staff at the UCC. If anyone is lost and needs a place to get them back on track they should consider joining the Urban Conservation Corps. Thank you to each Crew and Corpsmember from SCMF!!

The Southern California Mountains Foundation’s Big Bear Trails recently teamed up with , an empowering women’s cycling group based out of Los Angeles California. The crew linked up to make a large impact on the local hiking, biking and equestrian trails, showcasing the beauty of Big Bear and the spirit of community. Inspired to make a difference? Join us, as an individual or group and volunteer with Big Bear Trails to help maintain local trails and create future events like this one. Let’s get involved in unforgettable experiences together to keep public lands open for all to enjoy!

[email protected]

Volunteers, SCMF and Forest Service staff with Green Thumbs mulched and watered the Green Valley Lake restoration site. The pollinator plants at the Crab Creek restoration site was also watered and everyone was grateful for the opportunity to volunteer. Thank you to each person who joined!

SCMF had a great time meeting forest visitors, organizations, Forest Service and friendly people at the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association Forest Festival in Barton Flats. This event was a hub of information on the history in the San Bernardino Mountains with interpretive programs and more! Thanks .social and partners for a fun event.

🎶🎸 The Southern California Mountains Foundation’s Music in the Mountains is underway! Tickets and season passes on sale now. With each purchase you are supporting beloved Public Lands. Let’s celebrate together in the name of public lands!🎵

⭐️July 20th**: Bohemian Queen, a tribute to Queen, along with Forever Rod, celebrating Rod Stewart.

⭐️August 3rd**: DSB, hailed as the world’s greatest Journey tribute band, alongside Heart n Butterfly, honoring Heart.

⭐️August 17th**: The Long Run (TLR), a tribute to the Eagles, with Stevie Ray Visited, commemorating Stevie Ray.

⭐️August 31st**: Petty Party, a homage to Tom Petty, with Gypsy Dream, a tribute to the Fleetwood Mac Experience.

This magical summer event is taking place at the Big Bear Discovery Center 🎟️ Get your tickets now and don’t miss out on this incredible concert lineup. 🎸

👉 https://mountainsfoundation.org/programs/music-in-the-mountains/ (Link in bio)

Music in the Mountains is more than a concert series; it’s a catalyst for change, supporting conservation, recreation, and education initiatives through the efforts of the Southern California Mountains Foundation. Secure your tickets at and help us make a difference, one note at a time.

A heartfelt thanks to our amazing sponsors, this music event would not be possible without Visit Big Bear, Big Bear Vacations, Mitsubishi Cement Corporation, Vista Recreation, Big Bear Moose Lodge,Lock-Ridge Tool Co.,KSVB 94.1 FM and Fennemore 👏

The Urban Corps of the Inland Empire offer our grateful thanks to S. Monique Limón and Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia for championing the historic , now known as , which will be on the November ballot thanks to your strength and vision! California Association of Local Conservation Corps

SCMF staff and USFS led a SERCAL (Society for Ecological Restoration) field trip to the Pinnacles Restoration Site in May, to talk about restoration, partnership opportunities and challenges in an urban forest. Thank you to all participants who joined the field trip, from Caltrans, to City gov, consulting firms, and other groups. The crew covered topics like supportive partnerships between the Forest Service and the Mountains Foundation and hosting volunteer events. Big thank you to USFS and everyone who joined!!

Special thanks to U.S. Forest Service - San Bernardino National Forest

Who’s coming tonight!!!?

MUSIC IN THE MOUNTAINS is here!! Let’s kick off this summer concert series starting July 6th!! 7000’ above the California coast at the Big Bear Discovery Center! Season passes and tickets are on sale now. All proceeds go to the Southern California Mountains Foundation and it’s six powerful recreation, conservation and education programs. Please click the link below to get your season pass now or head to the link in our bio for more info 👏 See you there!

https://mountainsfoundation.org/programs/music-in-the-mountains/

Congratulations UCC Corpsmembers for the month of June!! From the Coachella Valley facility, we introduce Faith Legocki. Faith is 26 yrs old and is from Yucca Valley. Faith has been with UCC since March 2024. She enjoys the on the job training UCC offers and recommends others should join UCC for the community it’s connected to. Faith likes working with other Corpsmembers, she says it socially helpful for her mentality. The advice Faith would give to new Corpsmembers is not to give up! Faith would like to add about her experience with UCC, “It’s a great job!” Faith is an inspiration to us all! From the San Bernardino facility, Daelan Lewis is the Corpsmember of the month. Daelan’s positive spirit and hard work has quickly caught the attention of all our UCC leadership. Here’s a little more about Daelan. Daelan is 25, from Redlands and has been working at the UCC for 2 months. He says, “love the outdoors. Being able to work with my hands and being able to clean up our environment. Others should join the team to make use of the certifications and time to help find yourself a career. Working with other Corpsmembers is for the most part perfect, we all help and thrive off one another.” SCMF wants to thank each UCC Crew and Corpsmember for all of the hard work keeping community linked with public lands!!

Fire lookouts in the San Bernardino National Forest are essential guardians throughout the year, particularly on the 4th of July. Volunteers vigilantly watch over the landscape helps identify and manage fire risks promptly, ensuring the safety of the forest, wildlife, and surrounding communities.

During a holiday marked by local celebratory fireworks it is important to check local laws and regulations surrounding the use of fireworks, outdoor fires and overall recreational activities. While visiting the San Bernardino National Forest you can check with the local authorities to learn more about how to do your part in keeping the beloved National Forest and community safe.

With the 4th of July holiday around the corner, Big Bear will be a busy town with many recreational activities going on. While visiting or exploring please make sure you’re practicing responsible recreation. Participating in responsible recreation insures we can continue to keep the National Forest open for everyone to enjoy throughout the year. Fun Challenge: Can you name one of the LNT principles? Happy trails!!

The Southern California Mountains Foundation’s Urban Conservation Corps learned about environmental justice and how this garden at Uptown San Bernardino Urban Garden plays such big role within the community and how contributing hard work makes a difference. A big thank you to Music Changing Lives and Sandals Church in San Bernardino for inviting us to help up keep such beautiful green space for the community to enjoy.

Thank you to Music Changing Lives 👏

It was a packed house in Indio for the Proposed Chuckwalla National Monument Public Meeting, where Coachella Valley’s UCC Corpsmembers showed up to listen and show support for our public lands. The proposed Chuckwalla National Monument would protect 627,000 acres of existing public lands south of I-10, extending from the Coachella Valley region to the east near the Colorado River. This campaign also includes protecting 17,000 acres of public lands adjacent to the east side of Joshua Tree National Park, further enhancing the area's holistic conservation efforts.

SCMF staff recently attended Cone Camp with American Forests, and learned to use a giant slingshot and potato canon to hunt pinecones. Training provided from the US Forest Service, former director of the USFS Placerville nursery, the FS Geneticist, our FS Forester, and the ecologist, Cal Fire Reforestation Program Manager. The SCMF staff joined alongside other agencies and partners as we learned about CA seed shortages, cone identification, and how to effectively survey, monitor, collect and report cone collections.

Thank you to U.S. Forest Service - San Bernardino National Forest & American Forests 👏

Congratulations Corpsmembers of the month for May!! From the Coachella Valley site, Jennifer Valenzuela is 23 years old and has been with UCC for one year. She was born and raised in Indio. Jennifer enjoys new activities, camping/spikes, the beautiful views when hiking and getting to know her fellow Corpsmembers. Jennifer likes that UCC is welcoming to new Corpsmembers, she knows they can gain a lot of experience and get to socialize with other corpsmembers. Jennifer enjoys her work experience with UCC, it makes the job easier when you have other corpsmembers to talk to. Jennifer has made friendships here with UCC and enjoys hanging out with them. Jennifer hopes the the new corpsmembers enjoy their experience as much as she does. Joe Taylor is Corpsmember of the month from San Bernardino. Joe says, “I am 19 years old and from San Bernardino. I have been working here for about 11 months. “I enjoy working here because I like the work that we do, the people here are funny, and it’s my first job. I feel like it's a good program for people, and there's a lot of opportunities here with great training for a better job. I feel like it's fun once you get to know the people you're working with. The UCC is great!” Thank you so much to each crew and Corpsmember from SCMF for all of your hard work and linking community with conservation!

During the Bobby Vega park community event this June, the UCC collected multiple bags of trash and cleaned up Bobby Vega's mural. The UCC engaged with community residents and people attending the park and talked about the role the park plays within the community and how residents were happy to see the UCC active in Bobby's neighborhood. Bobby Vega was the co-founder and deputy director of the Urban Conservation Corps since 2007, he had dedicated himself to improving the quality of life for young people as a friend and mentor for more than three decades. His legacy lives on through the UCC!

Strawberry Peak Fire Lookout made a Smoke Report this morning:
11:44am - 210°, 4 miles, North of Hwy 18 & 40th street. This fire was stopped at approx. 0.5 acre.

Way to go

MUSIC IN THE MOUNTAINS is here!! Let’s kick off this summer concert series starting July 6th!! 7000’ above the California coast at the Big Bear Discovery Center! Season passes and tickets are on sale now. All proceeds go to the Southern California Mountains Foundation and it’s six powerful recreation, conservation and education programs. Please click the link below to get your season pass now or head to the link in our bio for more info 👏 See you there!

https://mountainsfoundation.org/programs/music-in-the-mountains/

Join in June 15th for a community clean up event! Join SCMF’s UCC at the Bobby Vega park in San Bernardino from 9am - 11am 🙌

This program is funded by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209 and administered by California State Parks, Office of Grants and Local Services.