It's All in the Details: A Mini Memoir

Sarah LaFazia
Jul 30
17 min read

by Sarah LaFazia

As I enter the 11th and final month of my service year, I look back on all the different projects, trainings, and events scattered throughout my time with GrizzlyCorps. When I was first tasked with writing this blog post, I was having trouble deciding what to highlight from my year. After attending a Flora of the Northern Sierra Nevada field course this past June though, I knew it was a great experience to discuss, reflect upon, and share.

This 5-day training through San Francisco State University took place at their Sierra Nevada Field Campus in the Gold Lakes Basin. Here, our class learned plant identification terminology and how to use taxonomic keys to identify 8 major plant families in the region. By the end of the week, our group had to complete independent plant identifications. Although this exercise provided a catalyst for growth, lots of trial and error was involved. When my classmates and I struggled to identify specimens, we were advised to focus on the seemingly minute details. Often, we were swept up in the bigger features, creating tunnel vision in which we overlooked the finer, more telling details. In those moments of looking at tiny characteristics of our samples under dissecting scopes and hand lenses, something clicked. I realized it’s not always the big obvious features that lead you to the answer, but the small ones that quietly guide the way. That lesson shifted not only how I approached plant identification, but also how I approached reviewing my service year. It’s not just a few flashy moments that truly reflect my time as a fellow, rather it is all of the little elements that have created such a rewarding year.

Using taxonomic keys in the field // A look under the dissecting scope // Using hand lenses in plant identification

This perspective shift prompted me to utilize this opportunity to highlight all of the small moments that made my experience as a 2024-2025 GrizzlyCorps Fellow and FIRE Foundry Training & Outreach Coordinator what it was. Every month was a new adventure and challenge: from changes to my office space and taking on new position responsibilities, to attending conferences, volunteer events, and external trainings with other Grizzly Fellows across California.

The beginning of September kicked off with an in-person orientation, followed by a 3-day Wilderness/Remote Location First Aid course at the UCANR Hopland Research and Extension Center. This training consisted of learning CPR, epipen administration, and participating in various wilderness trauma scenarios to earn our certifications with Sierra Rescue.

I then set off for Marin County to settle into my new community and start my position with FIRE Foundry. The first week consisted mainly of informational meetings with different Marin County Fire Department (MCFD) staff, important stakeholders, and partner organizations. These seemingly random individuals I was rapidly introduced to are the most influential people from my time, as I collaborated with them on a variety of different projects throughout the year. During one of those first meetings in particular, I remember being confused whenever the term ‘D-Space’ was mentioned, thinking, “What is this place and why is it so important?” Looking back almost 11 months later, I can’t help but laugh as I find myself naturally and subconsciously evaluating this very same D-Space (defensible space) in any neighborhood I enter.

A week later, I headed up to Lake County for a Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2) Training with Tribal EcoRestoration Alliance (TERA) and The Watershed Research and Training Center, two other GrizzlyCorps Fellow host sites. Here, I built my knowledge of fire behavior, different approaches to wildfire situations, and the importance of cultural burning and how it differs from prescribed burning. I was educated on indigenous fire practices such as the use of an elderberry spindle along with wildland fire techniques like progressive hose lays.

FFT2 fire behavior class // TERA small group photo // Using an elderberry spindle to start a fire

Back in Marin, early October led me to attend a FLAME meeting at Audubon Canyon Ranch’s Martin Griffin Preserve, hosted by Fire Forward and TOGETHER Bay Area. This event was an opportunity for individuals from fire related organizations across the bay to gather and discuss challenges and strategies to maintain a prescribed burn program. This experience built upon my foundation of fire knowledge from the FFT2 Training and increased my understanding of program objectives and strategies within FIRE Foundry and other local organizations.

In mid October, I had my first interface with the FIRE Foundry recruits, where I joined them for a tour of Santa Rosa Junior College’s Fire Academy, a talk with Cal Fire representatives, and a resume building workshop. My participation in these events was to increase knowledge of the program and prepare to represent FIRE Foundry at outreach events. Additionally, I was tasked with capturing media content to help highlight the training opportunities, resources, and services FIRE Foundry offers to early career individuals. The pictures and videos are used for many different purposes, including the following: social media advertisement, public education, presentations to local organizations and important stakeholders, informational flyers at outreach events, and at conferences and celebrations.

SRJC Fire Academy tour // A talk from CalFire representatives

Shortly after joining the recruits for these events, GrizzlyCorps hosted their first retreat at UC Berkeley’s Blodgett Forest Research Station. This was an opportunity to hear from industry professionals and site-staff about different career pathways in forestry and fire while reconnecting with other fellows. We went on a guided walk to evaluate past burn sites and see post-fire effects on the landscape, and were taught the proper use of a drip torch in a controlled environment. The retreat served as a much-needed reset before diving headfirst into the busy season, waiting for me back in Marin.

By the end of October, three Marin Interns (or marinterns as we like to call them) with MCFD and FIRE Foundry started their 6-month internship under my supervision. One of their first big assignments was to assist with documenting both the Rope Rescue and Water Rescue Training for the 2024 Foundry recruits. Despite happening towards the start of my fellowship year, these experiences remain some of my favorite memories from my time with Foundry. Capturing content for and observing such informative and insightful trainings filled me with pride and inspiration, knowing I was supporting such a unique program.

Basket rescue practice scenario // Water rescue behind the scenes // High angle rope rescue practice scenario

In November, the marinterns and I joined Marin Water (another Grizzly host-site) and One Tam for a Habitat Restoration volunteer event to help protect the watershed and improve oak woodland and grassland habitat near Bon Tempe Lake. This was my first time “broom pulling”, which I quickly learned was not talking about witch brooms. “Broom Pulling” describes the removal of French Broom, an invasive plant widespread throughout Marin County. This vegetation management approach uncovers healthy plant communities to support ecosystem diversity and reduce wildfire risk by removing dangerous ladder fuels (flammable vegetation that allows fire to climb from the ground into the forest canopy). Later in the year, the marinterns and I were tasked with holding three Broom Pull events of our own at White Hill Open Space and Camp Tamarancho. We were able to apply our experience and observations to plan, organize, advertise and host volunteer events within our community. Working alongside three strong, unique and driven women to create visible change and educate the public on the importance of this work added to my favorite moments from my service year.

Marin Water broom pull event // MCFD & FIRE Foundry February broom pull group photo

Next, I attended The Future of California’s Forests forum at UC Berkeley. This was a chance to hear key state and federal forestry leaders discuss the challenges and innovations shaping sustainable forest management in California. Moderated by Chris Anthony (retired CAL FIRE), panelists included CAL FIRE Chief Joe Tyler, USFS Region 5 Forester Jennifer Eberlien, and Patrick Wright, Director of the Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force.

The marinterns and I then moved on to organize a holiday celebration and help conduct mock interviews for Foundry recruits. Both experiences allowed the marinterns to build leadership, give back to a program that they were a part of, and learn important event planning skills.

From there, I headed slightly south to Butano State Park to attend a training put on by my alma mater, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, in collaboration with their living laboratory, Swanton Pacific Ranch. This experience increased my understanding of conducting restoration in an oak woodland/meadow ecosystem in the coastal zone under the California Vegetation Treatment Plan (CalVTP). CA state park staff, registered professional foresters and environmental scientists emphasized the importance and value of effective coordination with partner agencies. We also discussed the ecological role that fire plays in redwood systems.

Shortly after, I drove solo up to Sebastopol to meet with fellows from other host sites and attend a Symposium Celebrating Womxn’s Leadership in Food. Although my host-site was focused on forestry and fire, this event was another major highlight in my service year. As a woman currently working in a historically male-dominated environment, being surrounded by so many amazing, successful, supportive, and resilient women was truly empowering. This celebration was a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished when we combine passion, determination, and persistence, regardless of gender identity. Such similar ideals to these are what make me grateful to be a part of the FIRE Foundry program. Although it is only the beginning of creating a more inclusive and diverse environment in the fire space, I see those changes taking place from the ground up through increased representation of women and other underrepresented identities at programs like FIRE Foundry.

Celebrating Womxn group discussion // Hearing from womxn owned businesses

As our final event of the 2024 year, the marinterns and I provided support for the January 2024 FIRE Foundry recruits graduation, along with hosting an end of the year celebration; both events served as opportunities for event planning and leadership growth.

In January, fellow grizzlies and I had the pleasure of attending the 45th annual EcoFarm conference in Monterrey. This offered a valuable opportunity to explore the field of regenerative agriculture on a larger scale through workshops and keynote speakers. The conference acted as a dynamic space to learn about ecological stewardship and food justice while networking/collaborating with organic farmers, ranchers, and food system advocates.

EcoFarm GrizzlyCorps small group photo // EcoFarm Conference speaker panel

In February, GrizzlyCorps hosted their second retreat at Blue Oak Ranch Reserve, a host-site in San Jose. Here, we checked in with our affinity groups, small groups that foster a safe environment for fellows to connect and build community through shared experiences and peer support. As many individuals relocated for their positions–some to extremely remote or rural areas–these retreats served as a way to receive assistance from staff and reconnect with fellows on similar journeys to our own. We also participated in a iNaturalist Bioblitz which helps gather valuable biodiversity data that can be used by scientists and professionals for research, conservation efforts, and species tracking/documentation.

Femme/Enby affinity group photo at GrizzlyCorps winter retreat // CA Tortoiseshell butterfly from bioblitz

After returning to Marin, the marinterns and I tagged along with the FIRE Foundry recruits for a station visit to San Rafael Fire. Recruits and marinterns were able to learn more about upcoming career opportunities, ask questions from current professionals, and gain insight to the inner workings of an active fire station along with what it takes to succeed on the job. Joining visits and events like this proved to be some of the most unique and memorable moments from my fellowship experience.

March kicked off with traveling to Weaverville to join other Grizzly fellows in supporting the Trinity County Resource Conservation District in putting on their Salmon Mardi Gras! This educational celebration brought visibility and awareness to Northern California’s struggling salmon populations.

This month also wrapped up the marinterns internship. They closed out their time with a presentation to project partners, local stakeholders and MCFD staff to highlight their accomplishments from the past 6-months. During that time, 12 projects with 5+ different organizations were completed. From educational reels with Fire Safe Marin, Spanish resources with MCFD’s EMS Division Battalion Chief, evaluating data of emerging technology for wildfire resilience with UC Berkeley Disaster Lab, hosting volunteer events with MCFD’s Vegetation Management team, creating social media content with Marin County’s Public Information Officer, and leading hands-on trainings for Foundry recruits with College of Marin, the range of projects was truly diverse and supported many different causes in partner organization programs.

Marintern's end-cap presentation to partners // Marinterns and Sarah after FIRE Foundry broom pull

The end of March concluded with the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force Regional Meeting. This conference focused on critical issues related to community wildfire risk reduction and landscape management, facilitating panel speakers and a resource fair. Task Force partners, including FIRE Foundry, also hosted field tours which offered immersive opportunities to better understand the critical work being done to maintain landscape health and wildfire resilience. My favorite part of the conference, although I may be ever so slightly biased, was when FIRE Foundry alumni showcased the impact the program has had on their career journey. It was definitely a full circle moment from this year when one of the Foundry alumni (a marintern that avoided public speaking at the beginning of their internship) felt empowered enough to represent themselves and the program as a panelist at the regional conference.

Marintern (conference speaker) and Sarah // Task Force field trip to FIRE Foundry work site // Task Force Spring Regional Meeting

At the beginning of April, I joined MCFD staff to represent FIRE Foundry in Sacramento at the Firefighter Candidate Testing Center (FCTC) for the NorCal Firefighter Career Expo. Throughout the entirety of my service year, I attended a total of 8 career outreach events to help promote FIRE Foundry and their mission of clearing pathways to sustainable wage careers in fire & civic service. FCTC was definitely the largest scale event I had attended thus far, with over 500 individuals pre-registered to attend the event and more registering on-site the day of. This event is actually what the past GrizzlyCorps fellow with FIRE Foundry chose to write about from his service term. Shout-out Louis Choy, go read his blog post from last year to hear about his experience and a more detailed description of the career expo. Events like this are so important in creating visibility and awareness for programs like FIRE Foundry that foster diversity in the fire service through offering education and training experience to prepare individuals of all backgrounds for rewarding and challenging careers. Several FIRE Foundry recruits joined and successfully graduated from the program–earning their EMT certificate from College of Marin–after learning about it from events like this one.

Seasonal employee and Sarah at MCFD booth // FCTC Career Expo (photo from caljac.org)

April also commenced the start of Frontiers of Fire, a survey course that provides ecologically sound practices in wildfire prevention training for recruits. Through guest lectures and fieldwork, this series introduced recent January FIRE Foundry recruits to innovative ideas and evolving career pathways in wildfire management. This course ran for 7 weeks and hosted 28 different guest speakers across 5 different units, 12 classroom sessions, and 5 interactive field trips. The program served 16 recruits and covered a wide range of topics including new technologies, remote sensing and geographic information systems, field mapping at large-scale wildland fire incidents, post-fire plant community ecology sampling, and cultural fire. Frontiers of Fire was one of the most notable learning experiences, teaching me about long-term planning, project management, event coordination, and professional relationships. My personal highlights from this course include two of the field trips. The first was a day spent touring the San Rafael San Anselmo Fuel Reduction Zone and collecting data on the study of herbicide effectiveness in reducing Eucalyptus populations. This day was hosted in collaboration by representatives from Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA), San Rafael Fire Department (SRFD), and UC Agriculture and Natural Resources / Cooperative Extension (UCANR UCCE). The second field trip was a day of conducting plant identifications and observing forest health in response to the Woodward fire in Point Reyes with Tanya Baxter, a Botanist that also taught my Flora of the N. Sierra Nevada field course through SFSU.

SRFD staff, Sarah & recruits collecting field data // Frontiers of Fire Unit 2 field trip group photo // Recruits doing browns transects

Towards the end of April, I journeyed back to Sacramento for the California Society for Ecological Restoration (SERCAL) annual conference. The aim of this event was to create a space for leaders, practitioners, and conservationists from the restoration industry, NGOs, academics, and the next generation to collaboratively explore challenges, options and opportunities in creating a more ecologically resilient California. This year’s conference felt especially impactful and important given the current political climate; many organizations were already facing changes to funding and the rest were anxiously awaiting to be undoubtedly affected by similar changes. This event was a collective opportunity to learn from one another and take steps to move forward in bringing about positive change through highlighting grass root efforts and up-and-coming solutions.

The day after the conference wrapped, I boarded the Amtrak Coast Starlight and joined a group of fellows from Northern California on their journey down to Santa Barbara. We were headed to our third and final GrizzlyCorps retreat and last in-person event of the service year together as a cohort. Taking place at another host site, White Buffalo Land Trust welcomed us with open arms. This retreat marked the start of wrapping up our time as fellows while offering a place of comfort and solidarity during unprecedented times. We toured the land trust, learned about dung beetles and nesting birds, and heard from program alumni and current fellows. After a fulfilling but fleeting weekend, with heavy but full hearts, the pack of Grizzlies headed back up north and re-boarded the same train that fostered such excitement and joy on the trip down. That evening at 8:21pm, our cohort received news that AmeriCorps had terminated our current grant for GrizzlyCorps, affecting most, if not all, other AmeriCorps programs in California. Our program along with over 1,000 others had been terminated, impacting over 32,000 AmeriCorps members across the country in one fell swoop. I have waited to write about this experience for a while as, even with time, it felt too fresh a wound to disturb. However, because this has been such an impactful experience for myself and many close to me, I feel an obligation to speak up and advocate for the thousands of AmeriCorps members who were decommissioned from serving the communities they had committed to supporting.

GrizzlyCorps fellows exploring White Buffalo Land Trust during spring retreat // NorCal Grizzlies at Santa Barbara Amtrak Station

Following the news that our program was ordered to close immediately, fellows were instructed to take a pause from work, receiving intermittent updates about the state of our jobs as they arose. A one-day break from service turned into a week-long pause from any work at host sites. Some individuals chose to voluntarily serve, but most fellows did not work; instead wrestling with disbelief, waiting for any sign of hope that their time was not over. We finally received news from GrizzlyCorps over a week later that they were able to keep us on through the end of May, despite cutting ties from AmeriCorps and the financial support they provided. Although I am beyond grateful for this support, not all AmeriCorps fellows or programs were as fortunate.

Come May, I returned to the office in Marin, unsure of how long I had left with the people and program that transformed my first year post-grad into one of immense growth and gratitude. The Frontiers of Fire course wrapped up shortly after, ending with a day of discussing sustainable careers both direct and adjacent to fire. This provided recruits with the opportunity to hear from and connect with a variety of industry professionals, exposing them to a diverse range of career paths. Other fellows and I resumed work as normal, despite the immense uncertainty and instability of having no job security loomed over us, knowing things could change at any moment. Eventually, fellows received word that GrizzlyCorps and UC Berkeley had made arrangements to retain any fellows who chose to continue work until the original end-date.

Since then, so much in my life has continued to shift and change, reminding me of the importance to stay grounded in the present and live in the moment because nothing is promised. Following these huge changes, I had the opportunity to shadow both Marin County Parks wildlife biology and vegetation management teams to gain experience with a local organization that conducts natural resource preservation and management. I was able to join a nesting bird survey at the Terra Linda-Sleepy Hollow Divide Northern Preserve along the 680 trail along with aiding in invasive species removal of both Sea Lavender at Pickleweed Island in Richardson Bay and Goat Grass at Mt. Burdell. In addition, the end of May concluded with shadowing my GrizzlyCorps mentor, a restoration technician with Point Blue Conservation Science. I tagged along to help implement irrigation for a restoration site at Patterson Point Reserve and conduct maintenance on hedgerows on private property in Sonoma County. That experience was my second time volunteering with Point Blue, the first being at Novato Baylands with Cal Academy’s Volunteers for Nature pilot program. At this event, volunteers gained insight into ecological restoration practices through aiding in native seed collection and potting Alkali Heath and Western Blue-eyed Grass. These projects all support plant survival and growth, encourage biodiversity, improve soil health, create wildlife habitat, promote water conservation, enhance water quality, mitigate erosion, and sequester carbon in the Bay Area.

Removing invasive Sea Lavender at Pickleweed Island // Restoration at Patterson Point Reserve // Repotting native species with Point Blue Conservation

I was also able to join the Foundry May recruits for an introductory sawyer class through Conservation Corps North Bay (CCNB) where I learned basic terminology, parts, safety protocol, approaches, and techniques for proper chainsaw use. I further practiced these skills through a C-212 classroom training with MCFD engine seasonals and the Foundry May cohort fuels crew. I hope to complete this training to build my knowledge and experience with power tools to utilize and build upon in future jobs.

June began by taking the Pack Test for the second time during my fellowship year; the first was back in September with TERA. Also known as the Work Capacity Test (WCT), this fitness exam assesses the ability to perform physically demanding tasks and is most often used to determine whether individuals meet a baseline standard to ensure they can work safely and effectively without fatigue. The test involves walking three miles with a 45-pound pack in under 45 minutes, simulating the physical exertion required during fireline work. I took this test with the Foundry fuels crew recruits in anticipation of the Wildland Academy that they would be joining the following week. Although I opted out of participating alongside the recruits at the actual academy, I was tasked with documenting the different scenarios and hands-on training. This 3-day-long wildland fire intensive is the conclusion to MCFD’s annual Seasonal Fire Academy, designed to teach and grow essential skills of seasonals for the fire season. FIRE Foundry recruits were invited to join this crash course, introducing many to their first experience managing live fires. Despite being physically demanding, this opportunity provided valuable insight to the procedures and protocol used in response to wildland fire. It was extremely unique and rewarding to be a part of, providing me with a strong reminder of the sacrifice, resilience, and determination it requires to take on the responsibility of protecting and serving communities.

Sarah at Wildland Academy // FIRE Foundry recruits during a progressive hose lay // Wildland prescribed burn

Flash forward to now (July 1st, 2025), where I stand at my desk, taking on the ultimate task of somehow documenting the last 10-months of my life, attempting to highlight all of the many incredible moments and opportunities I have been fortunate enough to experience. Being a part of such a dynamic, diverse, and supportive community has truly taught me more than I could have ever imagined when I accepted the position back in September.

Disregarding all the statistics and buzzwords scattered throughout this brief little memoir, I want to emphasize that it is the people, the purpose, and the perseverance of those around me that I will remember most. The rewarding training opportunities, experiences, and relationships built on one another to make this fellowship year what it was. From moving to a completely new area, serving a community and program I grew to know and love, traveling around California to volunteer with different organizations, attending empowering trainings and conferences, and getting temporarily(?) fired(?) and then rehired. It has been a chaotic experience to say the least, but I look back on my time with no regrets. I hold an immense amount of love and appreciation for everyone that was a part of this journey. It's amazing to see the network GrizzlyCorps has built in both forestry/fire and regenerative agriculture. Through every training, conference, community event, and shadow day I attended, there wasn’t a single time I looked around the space and didn’t recognize at least one person. I am excited for our web to continue to grow and prosper, supporting future generations through connecting and serving communities across the golden state. To the GrizzlyCorps staff, my fellow Grizzlies, FIRE Foundry recruits and staff, and everyone else I have met along the way, thank you. Both of these programs truly mean the world to me and I am relieved to hear that for GrizzlyCorps this isn’t the end of their story, rather a huge hurdle in the many challenges facing natural resource organizations across the country. To those of you who voluntarily listened to me ramble on about my fellowship year, thank you. I hope you were able to gain a better insight and understanding into the importance, impact and value both GrizzlyCorps and FIRE Foundry provide to both communities & early-career individuals. My only hope is that after hearing all this, you can act as an advocate and supporter in their continuation for years to come.