CLEARFIELD, Utah, April 30, 2026 – The Mule Deer Foundation (MDF) has been awarded up to $320,265 through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Restoration Grant Program: Nature Based Solutions – Wildlife Corridors to implement a large-scale juniper reduction project within the Modoc National Forest of northeastern California.
Historically dominated by open sagebrush grasslands, the landscape has experienced significant western juniper expansion into sagebrush steppe ecosystems that are hindering wildlife movement and replacing critical forage. This partnership supports California’s commitment to expand nature-based solutions that accelerate fish and wildlife corridor projects and ensure wildlife can move safely and freely across the state.
“Healthy sagebrush landscapes are the foundation of functional migration corridors,” said Randy Morrison, Director of Conservation Operations, West Coast for the Mule Deer Foundation. “This investment from CDFW allows MDF to apply proven, nature-based solutions that restore habitat connectivity, improve watershed function, and build long-term resilience for mule deer, pronghorn, greater sage-grouse, and other sagebrush-dependent wildlife.”
MDF will use this funding to assist in the removal of encroaching western juniper woodlands across 1,046 acres of a larger 6,500-acre project in the vicinity of Goose Lake and several other key reservoirs within the national forest. The sagebrush ecosystem in the project area occupies a critical intersection of migration corridors, seasonal big game ranges, and greater sage-grouse habitat.
Juniper tree encroachment reduces available wildlife forage, alters water patterns, and increases wildfire risk. With this large restoration project, MDF is reducing the risk of high-severity wildfire while strengthening the resilience of a critical watershed for mule deer and wildlife in the Modoc Region.
Through state partnerships, the Mule Deer Foundation continues to advance science-based, collaborative conservation that restores forest landscapes while safeguarding our nation’s wildlife legacy for future generations. For more information about the Mule Deer Foundation and its habitat restoration efforts, visit www.muledeer.org.
About the Mule Deer Foundation
The Mule Deer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring the conservation of mule deer, black-tailed deer, and their habitat. Through science-based management, partnerships, and community engagement, MDF works to enhance wildlife populations and maintain healthy, connected landscapes for future generations.
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