ACRE Conservation

Happy Monday! Let's start our week following the advice of our friends at CAL FIRE and PLEASE prepare. Is your go bag ready to go?

The time to prepare isn’t during an emergency—it’s right now! 🎒

When an emergency happens, every second counts. Having a bag ready for each member of your family (including pets) means you can leave quicker and safer. Pack essentials like water, food, medications, clothes, important documents, and comfort items for kids. A little preparation today can make all the difference tomorrow.

This , take the first step—build your go bag and remind your friends and neighbors to do the same. All month long, we’ll be sharing information every Friday to help you stay ready during National Preparedness Month.

👉 For the full go-bag checklist, visit: ReadyForWildfire.org

Today the ACRE team had the privilege to attend a field tour covering the Eaton Fire Response and Recovery. We heard harrowing stories of unimaginable challenges and danger, epic coordination between multiple agencies, neighbors saving neighbors, and a community's human kindness.
And so, this week's "What's in an Acre" answer comes to you from the Eaton Fire and Recovery site...
What's in an acre? On January 7, 2025 any given acre of land in Altadena held trees, wildlife, fuel, fire, homes, memories, teamwork, heroism, and even tragedy. Today in Altadena, any given acre of land holds resilience, rebuilding, new life, a stronger community, lessons learned, and hope.

Thank you to our hosts at the USFS and to the teams at Cal Fire, L.A. County Fire, and City of Pasadena Fire.

We are so happy to welcome the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force to our home in the Inland Empire! ACRE was proud to share our work at the resource fair and learn about all of the great work being done in our region on the panels.

What's in an ACRE? More than you think. A single acre of healthy forest can absorb thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide each year, but it can also be a bustling home for wildlife, a natural filter for our water, and a thriving space for our community to connect. Each Friday we will answer the question "What's in an acre?" These posts will highlight the incredible, measurable impact of land conservation (get ready to dive into the data with us) and it will also capture the intangible value of an acre of land, the incredible hidden value within our protected lands and the people who make conservation possible. Join us each Friday to ponder and celebrate, "What's in an acre?"

At ACRE, we are proud of our reforestation efforts in areas affected by wildfires. We believe in the power of trees to heal landscapes and strengthen communities. We are dedicated to restoring these vital ecosystems, planting native species, and working towards a more resilient future. We are grateful for the support of our supporters and partners who help make this critical work possible. Together, we are making a lasting difference for our forests and the communities that rely on them.

As summer wraps up we are looking back at all the fun we had, like this great day joining our friends at Santa Monica Mountains Fund at their monthly native plant give-a-way program. Check out all of their amazing work on native plants, seed propagation, and more at one of their many community events and get involved! www.samofund.org

Collecting the Giants of the Pine World — Near Crater Lake

We’re excited to share that we are in the process of collecting 160 bushels of Sugar Pine (Pinus lambertiana) cones in the forests surrounding Crater Lake. Working alongside experienced local collectors, we are taking part in a tradition that not only supports reforestation but also preserves the genetics of one of the most remarkable conifers on Earth.

Sugar Pine holds the record for the longest cones in the world — often reaching 10–20 inches. Each cone holds hundreds of seeds, each with the potential to become a towering tree that could stand for centuries.

This effort is especially important here because white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola), an invasive fungal pathogen, is present in the region. By collecting cones from healthy and potentially rust-resistant trees, we’re contributing to the long-term survival of the species and helping ensure that future forests can withstand this ongoing threat.

The photos show sample cones we’ve cut open to check seed quality and readiness — a vital step to ensure that each bushel collected will provide viable seeds for nursery propagation and reforestation.

From these forests to future planting sites, every cone is a step toward stronger, healthier, and more resilient forests in the Pacific Northwest.