Habitat Is Where Conservation Begins
Healthy habitat is the foundation of thriving deer herds and resilient ecosystems.
At the California Deer Association, we protect and restore the landscapes wildlife depend on—focusing on science-based, on-the-ground solutions that support migration, water availability, and long-term ecosystem health across California.
2020-current
cda projects
and accomplishments
Click on a location marker to explore a CDA Habitat Project and learn more about the work completed.
VIEW 1996-2017 PROJECTS
INYO NF
IP White Fir Ridge Fuels Reduction Project
Project Summary
The project treatments will provide meaningful fire resilience treatment to a landscape that would otherwise be very difficult to treat, yielding direct benefits and cobenefits such as enhancing recreation user safety, improving critical ingress/egress for forest visitors, strengthen migratory mule deer habitat, supporting firefighting efforts, reducing wildfire risk from Highway 395 (vehicle fires, cigarettes, dragging chains, etc.), reducing wildfire potential from visitor created wildfires, and providing further defensible space for TOML
INYO NF
IP Inyo Craters Bark Beetle Mortality Project
Project Summary
The goal of this project is to treat 385 acres to reduce the expansion and spread of bark beetle into the larger 3,000 acre Inyo Craters landscape, neighboring Three Creeks project, and future ESCCRP project. These beetle bark killed trees have created a hazardous fuels build up since the standing dead trees can hit public roads, is in a popular Inyo Craters trail that hikers use to get to two volcanic calderas, and is immediately north of popular community and tourism destinations Mammoth Lakes and Mammoth Mountain Ski Area.
CDFW
San Felipe Valley Wildlife Area Invasive Species Removal Project
2023Project Summary
The project removed salt cedar stands as part of an effort to increase native plant regeneration, improve habitat for local species, and improve overall ecosystem health. The project site is an important resource for state and/or federally listed species such as peninsular bighorn sheep, least Bell’s vireo, southwestern willow flycatcher, yellow-billed cuckoo, as well as a resident deer population year round for fawning habitat and quality forage and water resources.
CDFW
Slinkard Post Fire Restoration Project
2021 – 2025Project Summary
This project included fence removal & repair (wildlife friendly), mastication, chipping, pinyon-juniper restoration, reforestation, project hand cut & pile, mowing, hazard tree abatement, road restoration for ingress/egress, curl leaf mahogany seed collection, aerial & mechanical seeding, invasive species, etc.
BLM
Upper Tuledad Valley Habitat Improvement Project
2020 – 2025Project Summary
The purpose of this project was to restore the sage steppe ecosystem through the reduction of hazardous fuels within juniper stands across the identified treatment areas. Implementing this project was anticipated to benefit wildlife species such as Greater sage-grouse and mule deer, improve hydrologic conditions, and enhance the forage base for wildlife and livestock.
SEQUOIA NF
25S15 & Evans Flat Campground Hazard Tree Removal
Fall 2022Project Summary
The purpose of this project was to remove hazard trees in a post-fire landscape that have potential to fall and cause injury to either people or property. The project may remove dead, dying or live trees of any size which are immediate hazards to roads, campgrounds, power lines or other infrastructure.
EL DORADO NF
Callecat & Foster Firs Hazard Tree Abatement
Summer 2023Project Summary
Projects focused on roadside fuels reduction in critical fuel breaks and felling and piling of hazard trees along forest service roads.
SHASTA TRINITY NF
Eastside Fuel Break
2024-2025Project Summary
This project will improve forest and safety conditions for multiple users and communities due to healthy and functional natural ecosystem fuel breaks, restored meadow, aspen, and oak habitats as a functional wildlife habitat, and reducing wildfire risks on several significant cultural and tribal sites.
KLAMATH NF
Burn Assist Contracts
2025-2026Project Summary
CDA was able to provide 5-person modules to support prescribed pile and understory burning on the Klamath National Forest. Prescribed burning improves wildlife habitat by reducing dense understory, stimulating native plant regeneration, increasing forage availability, creating diverse age classes of vegetation, enhancing habitat connectivity, and lowering the risk of high-severity wildfire.
KLAMATH NF
Hand Cut & Pile (Lovers Canyon Project)
2024-2025Project Summary
CDA implemented hand treatment across approximately 560 acres to reduce ladder fuels and implement a fuel break. Understory thinning benefits wildlife habitat by opening travel corridors, increasing sunlight to promote native grasses and forbs, improving forage availability, enhancing structural diversity, and reducing competition for water and nutrients among remaining vegetation.
KLAMATH NF
Hand Cut & Pile (Jess Project)
2025Project Summary
CDA implemented hand treatment across approximately 560 acres to reduce ladder fuels and implement a fuel break. Understory thinning benefits wildlife habitat by opening travel corridors, increasing sunlight to promote native grasses and forbs, improving forage availability, enhancing structural diversity, and reducing competition for water and nutrients among remaining vegetation.
KLAMATH NF
Reforestation
2025Project Summary
CDA led a Fall reforestation effort where our crews performed dig & pack at the nursery, transport, and plant of over 150,000 seedlings to re-establish the post-fire forested landscape of the Antelope-Tennant burn scar
KLAMATH NF
Site Preparation
2025Project Summary
CDA utilized mechanical equipment to masticate existing brush and fuels in preparation for reforestation within the Antelope-Tennant burn scar.
KLAMATH NF
Juniper Fuelwood Program
In progressProject Summary
CDA built a project to skid and deck existing cut juniper piles to utilize for fuelwood (firewood) for local community/entities/tribes.
KLAMATH NF
Juniper Reduction
2025Project Summary
CDA has been improving wildlife and sage-steppe habitat across the north state for many years via removing juniper. This project included both mechanical and hand treatments to prep for our partners and crews to burn the piles within the next 1-2 years.
MENDOCINO NF
Hammerhorn Campground Restoration and Salvage Project
2023Project Summary
This project lies within the footprint of the 2020 August Complex wildfire. The proposed action includes removing dead and dying trees along roads and within the Hammerhorn Campground that could pose a hazard to motorists and campers, salvage of dead and dying trees. Some trees and snags will be retained to serve as seed sources for natural regeneration, shade, and wildlife habitat.
MENDOCINO NF
Stand Exams
2025Project Summary
CDA assisted in completing common stand exams on the Mendocino National Forest to inform future silvicultural prescriptions and project treatments to benefit forest health, fuels reduction, and our wildlife.
MENDOCINO NF
Wildlife Resource Surveys
2025Project Summary
CDA assists partners across the state with resource surveys for botany, wildlife, archaeology, hydrology, etc. to improve our understanding of current baselines and to inform current and future project work.
MODOC NF
IP Cedar Pass South Project Planning (NEPA)
In ProgressProject Summary
Preparation of resource specialist reports/surveys for activities such as Biological Assessments and Evaluations (terrestrial wildlife, aquatic wildlife, and botany), Management Indicator Species Report, Noxious Weed Risk Assessment, Hydrology and Cumulative Watershed Effects Analysis, Fuels/Air Quality Analysis, and Cultural Resource Report.
MODOC NF
IP Deep Payne Fuels Reduction Project Planning (NEPA)
In ProgressProject Summary
Preparation of required resource specialist reports/surveys for activities such as Biological Assessments and Evaluations (terrestrial wildlife, aquatic wildlife, and botany), Management Indicator Species Report, Noxious Weed Risk Assessment, Hydrology and Cumulative Watershed Effects Analysis, Fuels/Air Quality Analysis, and Cultural Resource Report for future habitat improvement and forest health project work.
MODOC NF
IP Well and Water Source Construction Project Planning (NEPA)
In ProgressProject Summary
This project is planning and analyzing new well and drafting pond construction a water source for forest and project activities such as fire suppression.
MODOC NF
Bald Mountain Ecosystem Restoration Project
in ProgressProject Summary
This multi-phase project will address multiple causes of deer habitat degradation in the Warner Mountains, important summering range for mule deer in Northern California. We will be removing conifers encroaching into wetlands and aspen stand as well as mitigating an ongoing pine-beetle mortality within pine forests. The project will also benefit the landscape by reducing the potential for high-severity wildfire, increasing ecosystem resiliency to drought and climate change effects, and improv forest health and watershed resilience.
MODOC NF
Devil’s Garden Fencing Removal Project
Fall 2024Project Summary
The project removed all fencing material including t-posts and barbed wire to be disposed of offsite. Removing fencing restores natural wildlife movement corridors, allowing animals to safely access critical habitat, food, and water sources. It also reduces injury and mortality risks, supporting healthier populations and improved ecosystem connectivity.
