When you think of Folsom, what comes to mind? Strong sense of community? Beautiful surroundings? Miles and miles of trails? Check, check, check.
And that’s what the Friends of Folsom Parkways, a local nonprofit that’s been around for over 30 years, centers itself on. Educating, advocating, and rallying the community in support of our 60+ miles of parkways. It’s pretty unique for any city to have that vast a network of trails, weaving through neighborhoods, alongside wetlands and oak woodlands.
So when nature calls (or the need to prevent natural disasters in our case!), the Friends took action. We saw a problem—the need to make our trails and neighborhoods more fire resilient—and are doing something about it. City resources are tapped, so it takes all of us taking action in a collaborative effort to effect change.
In coordination with City staff, the Friends identified key areas in most need of fuel removal (i.e., significant overgrowth, invasive plants climbing native trees, etc.) to prevent wildfires.
Benefits of Reducing Fire Fuel
Decreased Fire Intensity: By removing excess vegetation and dead trees, the intensity of wildfires can be significantly reduced. This makes it easier for firefighters to control and extinguish fires, ultimately saving lives and properties.
Slower Fire Spread: Reducing fire fuel slows down the spread of wildfires, giving residents more time to evacuate and emergency services more time to respond.
Protection of Ecosystems: Controlled reduction of fire fuel helps maintain the health of ecosystems by preventing the complete destruction of habitats and promoting the growth of fire-resistant vegetation.
Enhanced Community Safety: Proactive fire fuel management creates a safer environment for communities, reducing the likelihood of catastrophic wildfires, like those we saw in Santa Rosa and Pacific Palisades.
Change Happens When We Take Action
Over the past year, people from every walk of life have joined forces to remove fire fuels like dry brush, low-hanging branches, and invasive plants from Folsom’s parkways. People willing to roll up their sleeves, get a little bit dirty, and maybe even wield a chainsaw all in the name of fire safety are taking care of our beautiful city.
Once those fire fuels are removed, City staff chip everything up to make mulch. We’ve even had members of the Folsom Fire Department out at Hinkle Creek assisting with fuel ladder removal as part of their wildfire training!
We’ve hosted 24 fire fuel removal projects since February 2025, amounting to over 450 man-hours thanks to 190 volunteers. And we’ve got more events planned for November and December. Just think what contributing two hours of your time can help us accomplish!
Upcoming Volunteer Projects
The work isn’t done, and the Friends of Folsom Parkways needs your help! If you love our trails and want to help keep them fire safe and maintained for all to enjoy, come on out to one of our fire fuel removal projects. You don’t need experience. You just need to show up!
Now through December, we’re working in the Hinkle Creek Nature Area located at 7000 Baldwin Dam Road, Folsom.
Thursday Afternoons | 3:30-5:30pm
- November 6
- November 20
- December 4
- December 18
Saturday Mornings | 9:00-11:00am
- November 1
- November 8
- November 15
- November 22
- November 29
- December 6
- December 13
- December 20
- December 27
Want to learn more?
Join the Friends of Folsom Parkways at our monthly meetings, held on the second Thursday of each month at 6:30pm at the Hinkle Creek Nature Center (7000 Baldwin Dam Road). From coordinating the City’s Adopt-a-Trail program to leading trail improvement projects, it’s our goal to advocate, educate, and raise awareness of our 60+ miles of trails.
Become a member, volunteer, trail adopter or corporate sponsor, and support Folsom’s parkways!
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