Park District to Receive $400,000 in State Funding for Stock Pond Restoration Projects to Reduce Wildfire Risk kstrey Tue, 09/08/2026 - 17:17

OAKLAND, Calif. – The State budget package passed Sept. 1, 2026, includes $400,000 in funding for the East Bay Regional Park District to complete stock pond restoration projects across its grazed grasslands. The Park District uses targeted grazing across more than 87,000 acres to reduce the risk of wildfires. Grazing is a key component of the Park District’s overall vegetation management strategy for wildfire prevention and the only practical means for maintaining safe levels of vegetation across such vast landscapes. Livestock ponds are essential to this work, keeping grazing animals healthy and hydrated.

“We sincerely thank Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson (AD-11) and Senator Jerry McNerney (SD-5) for their leadership and support of this budget request. With this action, the Park District will have capacity to restore up to five livestock ponds, which will support prescribed grazing operations vital to vegetation management, wildfire prevention, and safety of East Bay communities,” said East Bay Regional Park District General Manager Max Korten. “The co-benefits of wildfire risk reduction, groundwater recharge, endangered species habitat protection, and the support of East Bay ranchers truly makes this a win-win for all.”

Assemblywoman Wilson and Senator McNerney each submitted budget funding requests on behalf of the Park District for stock pond restoration. The cost to restore each pond is approximately $75,000, while the Park District has capacity to restore up to approximately five ponds a year. Therefore, the one-time funding of $400,000 will effectively support the Park District’s restoration work over a 12-month period. Recent reductions in Federal funding, including the elimination of the wildfire-friendly Livestock Pond Program, have created a significant funding gap. The state funding provided through this action will enable work to continue in a timely manner for these geographically dispersed stock ponds.

Assemblywoman Lori D. Wilson noted, “The East Bay Regional Park District has been a leading partner in protecting habitat unique to the East Bay. Supporting its work, and that of ranchers, to graze parklands provides multiple benefits — wildfire risk reduction, improved water quality, soil health, carbon sequestration, and prevention of wildfires that would lead to immense carbon release and unhealthy air quality. This funding proactively saves costs from the challenges we would face if grazing on East Bay rangelands ceased to occur.”

“As the largest Park District of its kind in the nation, the East Bay Regional Park District plays a pivotal role in reducing the risks of catastrophic wildfires in our region. The Park District’s successful livestock grazing program is key to vegetation management and wildfire prevention. Livestock and wildlife ponds keep animals hydrated and healthy in hard-to-access areas of the Park District,” said Sen. McNerney, D-Pleasanton. “I was proud to partner with Asm. Wilson to secure $400,000 in state budget funds to support the Park District’s pond restoration work and ensure the livestock grazing program can thrive, thereby reducing wildfire risk, enhancing healthy habitats, and offering a model for grasslands management across California.”

The East Bay Regional Park District hopes to build off this initiative by advancing water infrastructure and prescribed grazing legislation to better define the utility of livestock ponds and streamline regulatory requirements for responsible public land management agencies working to reduce wildfire risk. With over 600 ponds present throughout the Park District, it is important to secure stable funding and reduce barriers to meet regular restoration needs. Advancing this work would have incredible benefits for wildfire risk reduction, grazing livestock, wildlife and endangered species, groundwater recharge, and carbon sequestration. This action also supports local ranchers who have been longstanding partners of the Park District, grazing livestock and continuing a legacy of agriculture and animal husbandry in the East Bay while contributing greatly to the protection of East Bay landscapes from severe wildfires.

"I recently pulled on a pair of waders and joined our Stewardship team at Sunol Regional Wilderness for a pond survey and was amazed by how much wildlife these restored ponds support, including protected species like the California red-legged frog, California's official state amphibian. Healthy ponds mean healthy grasslands, supporting habitat and cattle grazing that reduces wildfire risk," said East Bay Regional Park District Board President Olivia Sanwong.

Overall, this modest investment of state funding will facilitate outsized returns, helping the Park District maintain and restore natural spaces, and safeguard East Bay communities from the growing threat of catastrophic wildfires.

East Bay Parks

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