Unfortunately, Lake County and surrounding areas are facing a new potential threat: the Mediterranean Oak Borer. This beetle poses a significant risk to our Valley and Blue Oak trees. Its distribution within Napa, Sonoma, and Lake Counties is not yet well understood, so CLERC is closely monitoring suspect trees.

We are working with the Tree Mortality Task Force which is a subcommittee of the Risk Reduction Authority (RRA). A reporting system has been developed that will allow community members to report trees that may be affected. If you think you see an infected tree you can report it Here!

When faced with the non-renewal of his home insurance, Will Evans, executive director of CLERC, discovered XyloPlan, a tech startup that uses AI to map and predict wildfire risks. CLERC, with its extensive experience in wildfire resilience, recognizes the urgent need for proactive prevention, especially as housing continues to encroach on forested areas. However, insurance companies often struggle to account for wildfire mitigation efforts when assessing risk. Through a pilot project with XyloPlan, partially funded by Pacific Gas & Electric, CLERC aims to make data-driven fire prevention a permanent part of their strategy. The ultimate goal is to use this innovative technology to help communities with effective wildfire mitigation retain or secure home insurance, ensuring that their reduced risk is accurately reflected in policy management.

The CLERC team attend the Clear Lake Integrated Science Symposium August 15-16th. This was an amazing opportunity for the greater Clear Lake community to come together to learn, network and share information about our beautiful lake. The symposium was a huge success and we want to thank the organizers for their hard work.