Habitat Conservation

Timberland Conservation Program

Background

Forest covers 40% of California’s land area. California forests are home to animals, plants, and fish, including threatened or endangered species. Forests also are important for maintaining water quality, providing recreation, and generating economic activity and jobs. One of the ways that Department of Fish and Game protects the natural resources of forests is by reviewing plans to harvest trees from private or state owned forest land. DFG is authorized to review timber harvest plans under the State’s Forest Practice Rules and under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

California has 40,233,000 acres of forested land, including oak woodlands and conifer forests. Timberland, forests managed for harvest, include 2,932,000 acres in private ownership, 146,000 acres in State ownership, 10, 130,000 acres in federal ownership, and 4,551,000 acres of non-industrial timberland in private ownership.

Timber Harvest Review

DFG reviews plans, called timber harvets plans, to harvest trees on private or state owned forest land. DFG looks for potential significant impacts to wildlife and plants and water quality. DFG also relies on its Botanical Guidelines to inform THP applicants, Registered Professional Foresters, review agency staff, and the public of DFG's botanical review objectives for proposed timber harvesting activities. DFG also assesses the likelihood that a timber harvest plan would result in the ‘take’ of state listed threatened or endangered species. DFG conducts this review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as a ‘responsible agency’ and trustee of the state’s natural resources. As a result of its review, DFG may recommend changes to the timber harvest plan so that significant impacts to natural resources, or take of a listed species, will be avoided. If the impacts can’t be avoided, the plan may need to include mitigation for the impacts. If a timber harvest plan may result in the take of a listed species, an incidental take permit will be required. Some timber harvest plans will result in building roads or impounding the water of creeks or streams, which requires a Lake and Streambed Alteration Agreement, or 1600 Agreement.

All timber harvest plans are utimately reviewed and approved by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), the lead agency under CEQA. Cal Fire takes into consideration all the recommendations from the other reviewing agencies for avoiding significant impacts, avoiding ‘take’ of listed species, and providing mitigation. Typically, other reviewing agencies include Regional Water Quality Control Boards and California Geological Survey. The Department of Parks and Recreation or local county governments may also participate in plan review when the timber harvest plan has the potential to affect resources they are responsible for.

Four DFG regional offices review Timber Harvest Plans and links to these offices are in the right column of this page.