3540 Department of Forestry & Fire Protection
Program Descriptions

12 - RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

California's state and private forest, range, watershed lands and urban forests provide multiple human, climate and environmental benefits. The objective of this program is to maintain and enhance those benefits and to minimize damage to these resources from natural catastrophes and human development. Objectives are met by regulation of timber harvesting, coordination of climate related activities for the forest sector, technical assistance to non-industrial landowners, operation of state demonstration forests and forest nurseries, vegetation management projects, and administration of federal forestry assistance programs.

12.10 - Resources Protection and Improvement:
The objective of this program is to improve forest lands. Activities include the detection, evaluation, and control of forest pests; growing and selling tree seedlings from two nurseries for reforestation and soil erosion control; genetic tree improvement; advice and assistance to non-industrial forest landowners on management of forests and improved harvesting practices; the demonstration of sustainable forestry in state forests; implementation of the California Forest Improvement Act of 1978; and demonstration of the use of wood waste and forest growth for increased use of forest products. In the area of vegetation management, assistance is provided to public and private landowners to achieve land use objectives by reducing damage from wildland fires, increase wildlife habitat, increase productivity of forest and rangelands, improve water yields and air quality, and maintain desirable ecosystems. CAL FIRE cooperates with federal, state and local agencies, and private property owners to develop and achieve land use objectives. Activities include removal, rearrangement, conversion, or improvement of vegetation using various treatment measures such as prescribed fire and mechanical, manual, biological, and chemical methods.

12.30 - Forest Practice Regulations:
The objective of this program is to maximize sustained production of high-quality timber while protecting soil, water, wildlife, recreation and other values associated with forest land. Activities include regulating timber harvesting operations on nonfederal timberlands, carrying out studies of causes and effects of soil erosion, issuing licenses to timber operators, and assisting taxing agencies in their administration of taxes on timber and timberland.

12.40 - Forest Resource Inventory and Assessment:
This program provides information to assist in the formulation and analysis of resource policies and practices regarding fire protection, watershed protection, and resource management. Activities include assessing forest and range land conditions; developing and maintaining the data and tools used in the California Fire Plan; identifying policy options for improving conditions across all wildland resources; publishing forest and range assessments; designing and conducting inventories to gather forest and range land data; developing a data storage; producing maps displaying soil and vegetation types; and providing comment on the U.S. Forest Service Resources Planning Act, National Forest Management Act and Soil Conservation Service Resource Conservation Act processes.

12.50 - Professional Foresters Registration Program:
The Office of Professional Foresters Registration is a statutorily authorized program within the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. The program is responsible for the licensing and regulation of all persons who practice forestry or rangeland management on non-federal, state and private lands in California pursuant to the Professional Foresters Law of 1972.