APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
_________________________
CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. ______________ C.M.S.
INTRODUCED BY COUNCILMEMBERS CHARLENE WANG AND ZACHARY
UNGER
ADOPT A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE EXTRAORDINARY
VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE OF ECOSYSTEMS
CONCEPTS, INC., ITS HERDERS AND CAPRINE (GOATS) STAFF, AS
THE ORGANIZATION EXECUTES ITS CONTRACTUAL
AGREEMENTS WITH THE CITY OF OAKLAND, DESIGNED TO
MITIGATE THE RISK OF WILDFIRES BY DEPLOYING HUNDREDS
OF GRAZING GOATS INTO HIGH -RISK FIRE ZONES, TO REDUCE
THE AMOUNT OF HAZARDOUS VEGETATION
WHEREAS, not all heroes wear capes or walk on two legs. Oakland is home to countless heroes who dedicate their time to making Oakland a safer and better place to call home. Whether Oakland’s heroes drive a bus, collect refuse, fix roadways, or feast on overgrown vegetation, all play a crucial role in making Oakland the wonderful city that it is. This resolution honors the herders of Ecosystems Concepts, Inc., who dedicate their professional time to managing their flocks and the dozens of goat herds that traverse the Oakland hills, removing overgrown vegetation and reducing the risk of wildfires; and
WHEREAS, the threat and damage to human life and property from fires is a reality that The City of Oakland (The City) has faced in the past, for example, the Tunnel Fire of 1991, it is also commonly referred to as the Oakland Hills firestorm or the East Bay Hills fire. The fire ultimately killed 25 people and injured 150 others. The 1,520 acres destroyed included 2,843 single-family dwellings and 433 apartment and condominium units1. The economic loss from the fire was estimated at $1.5 billion; and
WHEREAS, since the Tunnel Fire of 1991, The City’s Fire Department and its regional partners in fire prevention have developed key strategies to prepare for wildfires. These include Oakland’s Measure MM, passed in 2024, to enhance wildfire resilience and prevent future loss of homes and lives. Measure MM will also help fund the Vegetation Management Plan 2adopted
1 http://www.sfmuseum.org/oakfire/overview.html
2 https://www.oaklandca.gov/Public-Safety-Streets/Fire/Fire-Projects/Oakland-Vegetation- Management-Plan
2 by the City. Additionally, the City partners with the Oakland Fire Safe Council (OFSC), a nonprofit organization and member of the California Fire Safe Council network. OFSC supports Oakland and Alameda County by reducing wildfire risks to people and property through preparedness education, safety programs, materials and resources, advocacy, outreach, community building, and volunteer efforts opportunities; and
WHEREAS, as fire seasons in regions around the world are becoming longer and more unpredictable, The City has implemented innovative measures to better protect residents and property from wildfires better. As part of the City’s Vegetation Management Plan, the City adopted Resolution No. 90131, authorizing the City Administrator to enter into a professional contract with Ecosystems Concepts Inc.; and
WHEREAS, Goat grazing has become an essential part of the vegetation management strategy employed by the Oakland Fire Department (OFD) - Fire Prevention Bureau (PPB) to reduce fire fuels in areas which are inaccessible to mechanical treatments or too steep for hand crews; and
WHEREAS, OFD-FPB released an RFP for Goat Grazing Services on November 10, 2023
through the City of Oakland's procurement system, iSupplier, and publicized its release through formal advertisement in the Oakland Tribune and an announcement email sent to over 20 goat grazing vendors. Five (5) proposals were submitted in response to the RFP After review of the five (5) proposals to the RFP, Ecosystems Concepts, Inc. was selected as the vendor that was most qualified in terms of relevant experience, qualifications, organization, approach, cost effectiveness, and responsiveness to the RFP; and
WHEREAS, the deployment of Ecosystems Concept Inc. herders and goats has yielded positive results in fire prevention. For example, goat grazing has provided firebreaks that reduce the speed at which a wildland fire can travel horizontally and threaten nearby structures and private property. Additionally, goat grazing is a fiscally responsible approach to vegetation management, goat grazing is the most cost-effective way to clear hazardous fuel loads in the hills area when compared to using hand crews and machinery; and
WHEREAS, the herders of Ecosystems Concept Inc., have decades of experience identifying high-risk fire zones (alongside other wildfire experts and city staff), and deploying strategic herds into those areas, creating fire breaks and eliminating vegetation; now, therefore, be it
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3 RESOLVED: That the City of Oakland honors the work that Ecosystems Concept Inc., it’s herders and cap rine staff, for their extraordinary work protecting Oaklanders by mitigating the risk of wildfire.
IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES - BROWN, FIFE, GALLO, HOUSTON, RAMACHANDRAN, UNGER, WANG, AND
PRESIDENT JENKINS
NOES –
ABSENT –
ABSTENTION –
ATTEST:
ASHA REED
City Clerk and Clerk of the Council of the
City of Oakland, California
3439133/PWB