Forest Resilience in the Sierra: An Interview with Brendon Haffner CEO of Ascent Forestry.
- Sonya Z. Meline
- Oct 18
- 4 min read
It was one of those crisp October evenings when the air smells faintly of woodsmoke and pine. I’d just wrapped up my workday day when I sat down with Brendon Haffner, founder of Ascent Forestry, at the Cold Rush Café. The café had already closed for the day, but the lights were still warm and inviting. Brendon was sipping on a passion fruit kombucha, and as we talked, the conversation drifted easily, from his forestry work to our shared love for this mountain town.
I first met Brendon while welcoming him to Downieville, I didn’t recognize him and wanted to say hello, as I often do with newcomers. I was thrilled to learn that his team would be staying in town for the next three months to work on local forest management projects. What impressed me most was his immediate connection to the community. When Brendon submitted his proposal to Sierra County, he made it clear that his crew would live here, not just work here. They would stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants, and shop at our markets, fully immersing themselves in Downieville life.
That intentionality meant a lot to me. So when his team checked in at the Carriage House Inn, we gave them a hero’s welcome, because that’s exactly what they are.
The timing of our conversation couldn't be more dramatic. Just as Brendon's crew was preparing to arrive in Downieville, the government shutdown threw their entire project into uncertainty. With federal funding frozen and permits in limbo, countless forest management projects across the state ground to a halt. Crews were left waiting, equipment idled, and communities remained vulnerable. But in a stroke of fortunate timing, or perhaps recognition of how critical this work is, Brendon got the green light to proceed just as his team was supposed to arrive. While so many other projects remained stalled, Ascent Forestry's work protecting Downieville would continue.
Roots and Resilience
Brendon explained that Ascent Forestry’s mission is to create healthier forests and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire. Their approach is proactive and science-driven… balancing cutting-edge tools with a deep respect for nature’s systems. His team focuses on fuel reduction, forest thinning, and soil restoration, all of which strengthen the forest’s natural ability to recover and protect nearby communities.
Here in Downieville, where one wildfire could block the evacuation routes and sweep through town, those efforts aren’t just theoretical, they’re lifesaving.
To do this work, Ascent uses specialized steep-terrain equipment like the Prinoth Raptor 500, capable of operating safely on slopes up to 45 degrees while protecting soil structure. When the terrain becomes even steeper, they use remote-controlled systems like the Ecoforst T-Winch to minimize impact and keep crews safe.
It’s hard, physical work, but it’s also deeply hopeful work.
The Heart of the Forest: Soil
My background is in permaculture, and years ago my husband and I became certified through the Permaculture Research Institute while living on a small farm in Southern California. Those years taught us that the real magic of any landscape lies in the soil. As Dr. Elaine Ingham, one of my heroes in soil microbiology, often says, “It’s the life in the soil that grows healthy plants and healthy ecosystems.”
Permaculture is about living as if you’ll be here forever. Tending the land not just for yourself, but for the generations that follow. So when Brendon began describing Ascent Forestry’s soil practices, I felt a spark of recognition and excitement.
He talked about soil microbiology, how living microorganisms, bacteria, fungi, algae, form the unseen foundation of forest health. Ascent protects this living layer by minimizing compaction, retaining organic matter, and even producing biochar from excess forest material. Biochar, created by heating wood in a low-oxygen environment, turns waste into something extraordinary: a carbon-rich, soil-building material that improves fertility, retains water, and sequesters carbon.
Listening to him, I was struck by how closely their modern forestry methods mirror the regenerative principles of permaculture. It’s a reminder that science and stewardship are not separate, they’re partners.
BioChar
A Community Effort
Another thing I love about Ascent’s work is how it intertwines with our community. Brendon and his team are staying in local inns, including ours, and their presence has already brought new energy into town. They’ve been gracious guests, dining locally, supporting small businesses, and engaging with residents who care deeply about the future of these mountains.
As Brendon told me, “When visitors hike or bike these trails, they’re experiencing the results of restoration. Healthier trees, stronger soils, and a forest that can breathe.”
That kind of resilience benefits everyone! From the wildlife that calls these forests home to the people who make their living beneath the canopy.
Looking Forward
Brendon’s vision for the next decade is simple but profound: forests that can burn naturally without catastrophe - open, diverse, and full of life. Forests that can endure, adapt, and thrive long after we’re gone.
As someone who lovingly calls Downieville home, I’m grateful for the people doing this kind of work. Their efforts safeguard not only our homes and trails but the living systems that sustain them.
As I left the café that evening, the air had turned even crisper, and the moonlight shimmered on the Yuba River. I thought about something Dr. Ingham once said: “When we care for the soil, the soil cares for us.”
That truth seems to echo through the hills here, whispered in the pines, carried in the river, and now, stewarded by people like Brendon and his team at Ascent Forestry.
A Final Word
Forest resilience is not built overnight. It takes vision, science, and a deep respect for the natural systems that sustain life in the Sierra.
Through the work of Brendon Haffner and Ascent Forestry, Downieville stands as a model for how small mountain communities can embrace proactive forest management, protecting not just today’s homes, but tomorrow’s wilderness.
Find out more at https://ascentforestry.com/
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