New Work Begins Embracing Innovative Tools
Published June 5, 2025
Building on the successful treatment of more than 1,000 acres in the Los Gatos-Saratoga area, the Los Gatos Creek Watershed Collaborative has just launched the next phase of their forest health and wildland fire resilience work.
The collaborative is a partnership between Midpen, Santa Clara County Parks, San Jose Water, Santa Clara FireSafe Council and community partners including Lupin Lodge and Aldercroft Heights, working together at a landscape level to increase wildfire resilience and forest health through vegetation management. This next phase of work, supported by a new $6.9 million CAL FIRE grant, will expand the Collaboration’s efforts by an additional 840 acres; 485 of those acres will be within El Sereno, St. Joseph’s Hill and Sierra Azul open space preserves. This multi-year effort is slated for completion in the fall of 2027, bringing the total treated area to over 1,800 acres.
840 acres is roughly the same size as Central Park in New York City and 485 acres is roughly equivalent to five Disneyland parks.
“Our collaborative approach is essential. By working together across agencies, we can achieve a scale of impact that wouldn't be possible individually," said Midpen Field Resource Specialist Chelsea Young. “It's our shared responsibility to ensure we are doing our part in bringing back the land’s resilience to wildfire in a way that both improves the safety of our communities and the health of our local ecosystems."
Adding a new dimension to this phase is the adoption of innovative technology. The collaborative will be working with BurnBot, a local company that specializes in wildfire prevention through new technologies.
The initial 155 acres of work west of the Lexington Reservoir will be treated using BurnBot’s Remote Mastication Teams, which includes a remote-controlled unit that reduces vegetation (like brush and small trees) to reduce wildfire fuels. This technology offers a lighter touch on the land and exceptional precision in managing vegetation, allowing for targeted fuel reduction in difficult terrain while preserving desired native plant species and minimizing impact on the surrounding ecosystem.
A cornerstone of this ongoing initiative is the deep commitment to ecologically sensitive practices. As with the first phase, all vegetation management will prioritize the long-term health and resilience of the landscape. This means carefully selecting treatment methods – from strategic hand thinning to precise mechanical work – that minimize soil disturbance, targets overgrown and dead vegetation and enhances habitat for wildlife.