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Jessica Morse

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Jessica Morse (born February 23, 1982) is an American natural resources manager and politician. Morse has spent her career in public service, having worked in the Department of Defense, Department of State, and the Agency for International Development. She was a Deputy Secretary of the California Natural Resources Agency. She twice ran for Congress.

Jessica Morse
Jessica Morse, CA Natural Resources Agency deputy secretary
BornFebruary 23, 1982
Pacifica, California
EducationMasters of Public Affairs, Princeton University
OccupationNatural resources manager
Employer(s)US Department of Defense,
US Department of State,
US Agency for International Development,
California Natural Resources Agency
Political partyDemocrat
Websitemorseforcongress.com

Early life and education

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Morse is a fifth-generation Californian. She was born in Pacifica, California, grew up in Carmichael, and Gold Run, and lives in Roseville.[1][2] She graduated from Principia College in 2004 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics. In 2010 she earned a master’s degree in Public Affairs from Princeton University, with a focus on nuclear non-proliferation and international security.[3][4]

Career

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National security

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Morse spent a decade working in national security for the US Defense Department, the US State Department, and the US Agency for International Development. Her assignments included time in India and Myanmar and a year and a half in Iraq at the height of the war.[5]

Natural resource management

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Effects of California wildfires by year
 
Acres burned
 
Structures destroyed
 
Lives lost

After the Camp Fire in November 2018, Morse spent a month in Paradise, California as a volunteer, finding food, clothing, and shelter for people whose homes and belongings were destroyed in the fire.[5][6]

In 2019, Morse was appointed to the California Natural Resources Agency as Deputy Secretary for Forest and Wildland Resilience.[7][8] David Ackerly of the UC Berkeley Rausser College of Natural Resouces described Morse as the architect of California's wildfire resilience strategy.[5] Morse helped secure $2.7 billion in state funding for wildfire resilience, spread over the years 2021 through 2023.[9][10] After California increased its wildfire resilience budget, damage to structures and loss of life were reduced. The number of acres burned also fell, but fluctuates considerably from year to year.[11]

Wildfire resilience requires a three-pronged strategy according to Morse: clearing defensible space around homes, creating strategic fuel breaks between wild areas and communities, and thinning forests, all of which help to protect communities from future wildfires although they do not prevent wildfires from igniting.[12][13][14] In March, 2023, in testimony on forest resilience before subcommittees of the California legislature, Morse stated that two fires in 2022 that were modeled to become megafires, the Electra Fire in Amador County and the Oak Fire in Placer County, were successfully contained because they each encountered strategic fuel breaks.[15][16]

In August 2022, Morse presented an updated forest management plan for the Jackson Demonstration State Forest, a 50,000-acre state-owned redwood forest in Mendocino County, where protests by environmentalists and tribal leaders had brought commercial logging to a halt. The updated plan features shared state and tribal forest management, an agreement to preserve larger trees from logging, and increased funding for forest restoration.[17][18][19]

In 2023, Morse was appointed to the U.S. Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission, which advises federal agencies on how best to handle wildfires.[20][21][22]

Political campaigns

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Morse grew up Republican, but became a Democrat in her 30s because she believes that Republicans engage in culture wars and fail to protect the environment.[23]

In 2018, Morse ran for Congress as a Democrat in California's 4th congressional district, where she lived before the 2020 United States redistricting cycle, against the Republican incumbent Tom McClintock.[3] The district had been heavily red and was rated as "Solid Republican", before being moved to "Likely Republican".[24] McClintock eventually won, 54% to 46%.

In 2024, Morse ran for Congress as a Democrat in California's 3rd congressional district, which after redistricting included her home in Roseville.[1] Her Republican opponent, the incumbent Kevin Kiley,[20][25] won, 57% to 43%.

References

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  1. ^ a b Brassil, Gillian (February 27, 2024). "Republican Kevin Kiley faces two challengers in contentious 3rd District primary". Sacramento Bee.
  2. ^ Skelton, George (October 18, 2021). "Column: As California continues to burn, politicians must have their feet held to the fire". Los Angeles Times.
  3. ^ a b Bischoff, Bailey (April 25, 2018). "Life of first-time candidate: 16-hour days, piles of paperwork – and enthusiasm". The Christian Science Monitor.
  4. ^ Office of the Governor (March 29, 2019). "Governor Newsom appoints Jessica Morse Deputy Secretary of Forest Resources Management at the California Natural Resources Agency". YubaNet.
  5. ^ a b c Public Affairs (July 28, 2023). "Berkeley Talks: Jessica Morse on how we can live with fire". UC Berkeley News.
  6. ^ "CANDIDATE FOR CONGRESS TO VISIT SIERRA COUNTY". Sierra Booster. October 10, 2023.
  7. ^ Bollag, Sophia; Sabalow, Ryan (July 17, 2019). "Gavin Newsom wants to spend 22 percent more on his staff than Jerry Brown did. Here's what he's adding". The Sacramento Bee.
  8. ^ Smith, Hayley (May 2, 2023). "Wet winter may delay — but not deter — 2023 fire season; 'We must not let our guard down'". Los Angeles Times.
  9. ^ The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board (February 8, 2024). "The Bee's endorsement for the big 3rd congressional district centers on the Sierra". The Sacramento Bee.
  10. ^ "Governor Newsom Joins Vice President Harris to Highlight State-Federal Investments and Action to Build Wildfire Resilience". Governor Gavin Newsom. January 21, 2022.
  11. ^ "The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection". CAL FIRE.
  12. ^ Anderson, Scott Thomas (July 7, 2021). "Sacramento region sees over a dozen dangerous blazes in the first month of fire season". Sacramento News & Review.
  13. ^ Rogers, Paul (August 24, 2020). "California fires: State, feds agree to thin millions of acres of forests". The Mercury News.
  14. ^ Bay City News (July 30, 2021). "Experts, UC scientists discuss wildfires in the state's riskiest regions". San Francisco Examiner.
  15. ^ "Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Climate Crisis, Resources, Energy, and Transportation". Digital Democracy. March 1, 2023.
  16. ^ "Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 2 on Resources, Environmental Protection and Energy". Digital Democracy. March 9, 2023.
  17. ^ Fishman, Kate (August 23, 2022). "Officials announce 'innovative' tribal co-management vision for Jackson Forest". The Mendocino Voice.
  18. ^ Callahan, Mary (August 22, 2022). "Cal Fire announces 'new vision' for Jackson Forest, reduces cutting of big trees". The Press Democrat.
  19. ^ Callahan, Mary (March 3, 2022). "For 70 years, a Mendocino County forest has been used to promote logging. Is it time to change its mission?". The Press Democrat.
  20. ^ a b Porter, Jaque (September 12, 2023). "Wildfire specialist Jessica Morse announces candidacy for CA Congressional District 3". FOX40.
  21. ^ Brassil, Gillian (March 7, 2024). "Republican Kevin Kiley, Democrat Jessica Morse to battle in close November House race". Sacramento Bee.
  22. ^ "Commission Members". USDA.
  23. ^ Brassil, Gillian (September 20, 2024). "Kevin Kiley vs. Jessica Morse for Congress: Why analysts are watching this California race". The Sacramento Bee.
  24. ^ Burlij, Terence (April 30, 2018). "CNN House Key Race alerts". CNN.
  25. ^ Hatch, Jenavieve (September 13, 2023). "Democrat Jessica Morse running for Kevin Kiley's California Congressional seat in 2024". The Sacramento Bee.

Further reading

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