AB 2494: State forests: forest management.

(1) Existing law authorizes the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to engage in management of state forests and defines management for purposes of the state forests as a means of handling forest crop and forest soil to achieve maximum sustained production of high-quality forest products while giving consideration to values relating to, among other values, recreation, watershed, and wildlife, as provided.

This bill would redefine management for purposes of state forests as the handling of forest vegetation, water, and soils within state forests to maximize biodiversity conservation and wildfire resilience, while supporting durable onsite carbon storage and sequestration, watershed conservation, water quality enhancement, climate mitigation and resiliency goals, equitable forest access, wildlife and fish habitat, recreation opportunities, education, and compatible research efforts. The bill would require that all forest management practices recognized under specified forest practice regulations, to the extent consistent with this definition of management, be considered valid tools for achieving the above-described objectives. the demonstration state forest system for public benefits, as described.

(2)Existing law declares it is in the interest of the welfare of the people of the state and their industries and other activities involving the use of wood, lumber, poles, piling, wood pulp, and other forest products that desirable cutover forest lands be made fully productive and that the holding and reforestation of such lands is a necessary measure predicated on waning supplies of original old growth timber, as provided. Existing law further declares it is in the interest of the welfare of the people of the state that the state retain the existing land base of state forests in timber production for research and demonstration.

This bill would repeal these provisions and instead declare, among other things, that state forest the purpose of the demonstration state forest system is to acquire lands, as provided, should be restored to fulfill habitat and ecological functions, conditions, and processes, as provided. The bill would further declare it to be the policy of the state to respect California Native American tribal sovereignty and to seek opportunities for comanagement and integration of indigenous traditional ecological knowledge in forest management. The bill would further declare it to be the policy of the state, among other things, to accept or acquire lands, the reforestation or restoration of which is not assured under private ownership, to restore those lands with locally appropriate species and manage those lands for public benefit, and that the state should, among other things, retain the existing land base of demonstration state forests for research and demonstration purposes and allow the sale of timber and other forest products. manage the land for public benefit, including biodiversity conservation, recreation, ecosystem health, watershed health, and as a living laboratory for healthy forest structures. The bill would authorize the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to enter into comanagement agreements with California Native American tribes, as defined, to incorporate traditional ecological knowledge and indigenous knowledge into the management direction of a forest in the demonstration state forest system, as provided.

(3)Existing law requires the management of state forests and the cutting and sale of timber and other forest products from state forests to conform with regulations prepared by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection and approved by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. Existing law requires the regulations to conform with forest management practices designed to achieve maximum sustained production of high-quality forest products while giving consideration to values relating to, among other values, recreation, watershed, and wildlife, as specified. Existing law authorizes state forest lands to be used for grazing and mining purposes pursuant to regulations established by the board. Under existing law, a person who violates the rules and regulations pertaining to the state forests established by the board is guilty of a misdemeanor.

The bill would instead require the management of demonstration state forests and the cutting and sale of timber and other forest products from demonstration state forests to conform with regulations prepared by the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection and approved by the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. The bill would require the sale of timber and other forest products from state forests to occur in a manner consistent with the definition of management, as provided. The bill would require the state board, among other things, to establish measurable goals and include performance metrics in the forest management plan for each state forest to cumulatively track progress toward restoration and management targets. The bill would repeal the authorization for state forest lands to be used for mining purposes, except as provided. The bill would require the regulations permitting prescribed herbivory, recreation concession, and surface mining of onsite existing rock pits for forest-related road work work, including, but not limited to, the construction of watercourse crossings, on state forest lands to be updated to reflect the redefinition of management. Because a violation of these regulations would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(4)Existing law requires the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency, in consultation with the Secretary for Environmental Protection, to submit a report to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee on the activities of all state departments, agencies, and boards relating to forest and timberland regulation, as specified.

This bill would, among other changes to the report, require the report include additional information information, including, among other things, any identified staffing needs, by department, and costs per position, to support a more efficient review of timber harvest plans.

(5)Existing law authorizes the department to collect recreational user fees for overnight camping and reserved group activities in a demonstration state forest. Existing law prohibits the department from charging a fee that exceeds the amount necessary to reimburse the departments costs for maintenance and improvement of campground facilities, associated recreational facilities, natural environment, and access thereto. Existing law requires all user fees collected by the department to be deposited into the Forest Resources Improvement Fund and requires the fees to be used, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to reimburse the departments cost of maintaining and improving the campground facilities, associated recreational facilities, natural environment, and access thereto. Under existing law, the Forest Resources Improvement Fund is the depository for all revenue derived from the receipts from the sale of forest products, as defined, from state forests to support specified operations. Existing law authorizes money in the Forest Resource Improvement Fund to only be expended, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the cost of operations associated with management of lands held in trust by the state and operated as demonstration state forests, as specified.

This bill would repeal the prohibition on the department regarding charging a fee that exceeds the amount necessary to reimburse the departments costs for maintenance and improvement, as provided. The bill would require any other funds generated by a demonstration state forest to be deposited into the Forest Resources Improvement Fund.

(6)The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.