April News: Speed of Safety, Restoring the Heart of the Mountain, WERP Kickoff, Firewise Summit, Paradise Learning Exchange
- Shasta McBride
- Apr 15
- 4 min read
Calendar of 2026 Upcoming Events
April 24th: Konocti Fire Safe Council Summit for Firewise Leaders
May 8: Cobb Forest Stewardship Committee of the Cobb Area Council, public invited
May 14-15th: in Paradise - SSCRA Northern California Fire-Affected Communities Collaboratory Learning Exchange
May 16: CWPP Volunteer Training, 2 spots left, click here to register
May 23: Cobb Watershed Education and Restoration Program - Phase 2 Public Kickoff (see story below), Location tbd
July 3rd: Cobb Forest Stewardship Committee of the Cobb Area Council, public invited
Jul 11: 2nd annual Cobb Forest Summit, invitation coming soon
July 18: Cobb Watershed Creek Workshop #1, Mandala Springs, open to the public, Saturday
August 29: COBBler Festival
September 19: Cobb Watershed Creek Workshop #2 at Boggs Forest - open to the public, Saturday
The Speed of Safety: Why Trust is Our Best Tool
“Resilience isn't a program we sign up for or a manual we download; it’s a relationship we tend.”
Around Lake County, we know that resilience is about more than just the height of our weeds or the steel in our garden beds. While we spend a lot of time talking about "hard" infrastructure—clearing fuel breaks and hardening our homes—there is a second kind of infrastructure that is just as vital: the strength of our social fabric.
In the world of leadership and community building, two names often come up: Stephen Covey and Peter Block. Covey famously taught that work moves at the "speed of trust," while Block reminds us that true community is found in the "structure of belonging" we create with our neighbors. At first glance, these might seem like corporate or academic ideas, but on Cobb Mountain, we see both truths in action every day.
When we trust each other, we don't just work better; we work faster. In an emergency, we don’t have time for a "trust tax"—that invisible friction caused by second-guessing, miscommunication, or "checking" on one another. We need a “speed dividend" that comes from knowing exactly who our neighbors are and being appropriately accountable to them long before the smoke appears.
Resilience isn't a program we sign up for or a manual we download; it’s a relationship we tend. Whether we are sharing tools for a new gardening project or coordinating a Firewise evacuation route, we are building a community that doesn't just survive together—it thrives together.
We’ve learned that our strongest fuel break isn't made of dirt and gravel; it’s made of the people standing next to us. By fostering that trust today, we ensure we can move at the speed of safety tomorrow.
Restoring the Heart of the Mountain: The Cobb Mt. Watershed Education and Restoration Program
We are thrilled to announce a significant new chapter in our efforts to protect the vibrant landscapes we call home. SSCRA is officially launching the next season of the Cobb Mt. Watershed Education and Restoration Program (WERP), a multi-year initiative designed to heal our local creeks and strengthen the health of the entire Clear Lake Watershed.
Supported by funding from the California Blue Ribbon Committee for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake, this program represents a unique bridge between ancient wisdom and modern innovation. Over the next two years, we will host a series of seven hands-on workshops that pair Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)—led by our partners at the Tribal Ecosystem Restoration Alliance (TERA)—with the latest advancements in riparian science and geotechnical engineering.
Cobb Mountain serves as a critical headwater for the region. By participating in these workshops, you aren’t just learning about ecology; you are making a tangible difference in the long-term rehabilitation of Clear Lake. Whether we are stabilizing banks or restoring native plant corridors, the work we do here flows downstream to benefit the entire county.
Join Us on the Ground
The Cobb community is warmly invited to get their hands dirty and learn alongside experts. We are extending a special invitation to neighbors who own property with creeks running through them. This is a prime opportunity to learn how to manage your land in a way that prevents erosion and fosters a thriving habitat.
For 2026, we have three foundational workshops scheduled:
June and July:
September TBD
November TBD
Specific dates, times, and creek-side locations will be announced shortly. Each session will include a hosted lunch for all participants to foster community connection and discussion.
Registration will be requested to ensure we have enough supplies (and sandwiches!) for everyone. Keep an eye on our newsletter and social media channels for the sign-up links. Come help us steward the waters of Cobb Mountain—we can’t wait to see you in the creek!
Collaborating for a Fire-Safe County: Magdalena Valderrama at the Firewise Summit
Our Operations Director, Magdalena Valderrama, will be representing us at the 4th Annual Konocti Fire Safe Council (KFSC) Firewise Community Leaders Summit on Friday, April 24.
Magdalena will provide a briefing on Grant Preparation, a crucial skill for funding local mitigation efforts.
While this summit is a specialized working session for county Firewise leaders and active volunteers rather than a general public meeting, we are proud to have Magdalena sharing her expertise to help strengthen wildfire resilience across Lake County.
Note to Firewise Leaders: If you are a designated leader and haven't yet registered, please remember to RSVP to John Nowell at jlnkln@aol.com to secure your spot and lunch!
Strengthening Regional Ties: The Paradise Learning Exchange
This May 14–15, Magdalena Valderrama Hurwitz and Eliot Hurwitz will travel to Paradise for a two-day regional knowledge exchange. Following Lake County’s turn as host last year and a gathering in Nevada City this past December, this event brings together 20 leaders from across Northern California to share insights on resilient community development.
The Paradise exchange focuses on the "human infrastructure" of recovery—how trust and collaboration serve as the foundation for practical progress.
Exchange Highlights:
Field Visits: Touring local housing developments, parks, and the community center to see Paradise’s evolving landscape firsthand.
Collaborative Dialogue: Facilitated sessions on building the relationships and trust necessary to move large-scale projects forward.
Shared Strategy: Exchanging updates on watershed restoration, Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP), and proactive planning—including lessons from Nevada City’s highly preventative approach.
By engaging with our neighbors in Paradise and Nevada City, we continue to foster the regional relationships that help Lake County stay connected, informed, and supported as we navigate our own community-building efforts.
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