A central element of the Plumas County strategic-planning workshop was an environmental scan presented by facilitator Galen Ellis outlining demographic, economic and natural-resource factors that shape county services and strategy.

Ellis summarized the county’s demographic trends as a steady population decline in recent decades and a median age “over 50,” compared with about 37 for California. The scan noted ‘‘urban drift’’ of younger adults leaving after high school or college for jobs elsewhere and only limited in‑migration tied to seasonal or programmatic arrivals. The presenter said the county has a high share of seasonal or vacant housing units in areas such as Lake Almanor and Graeagle.

On the economy, Ellis said more than 85% of local businesses employ fewer than 20 people and that median household income and housing costs leave affordability gaps. The county’s economy was described as transitioning away from natural-resource extraction toward public-sector employment, small businesses and recreation/tourism. Participants discussed the potential of the recreation economy but emphasized balancing tourism with residents’ quality of life.

The natural‑resources and hazards portion of the scan stressed that about 70% of county land is managed by the U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management, limiting local property tax rolls and complicating development. Ellis reviewed recent major disasters — most prominently the Dixie Fire and its post‑fire flooding — and told the room that the county's watershed supplies drinking water to roughly 27 million Californians. Workshop participants said these hazards are shortening planning timeframes and increasing demand for integrated emergency planning.

Workshop attendees used the scan to discuss service implications: senior services and transportation needs tied to an older population, broadband and infrastructure needs to support remote work, and housing availability for employees. The scan was presented as a “living document” and facilitators invited participants to submit additional items for the county’s baseline analysis.

No policy changes were adopted at the workshop; participants used the scan to inform subsequent visioning and mission exercises.