California Rangeland Resources Assessment and Policy

California has numerous formal acts in statute. Public Resources Code Division 4, Part 2, Chapter 12 provides the Forest and Rangeland Resources Assessment and Policy Act of 1977, which is contained in Sections 4789 to 4789.7. Chapter 12 was added in 1984 by Chapter 835. Section 4789 names the act.

Section 4789.1 contains six legislative findings and declarations, including that the forest resources of California provide vitally important economic and environmental benefits to the people of California. In addition, it is the intent of the Legislature to provide for the assessment of California’s forest resources in order to develop and implement forest resources policies for the state.

Section 4789.2 provides definitions for the following terms: “board”; “Resources Planning Act”; “assessment”; “director”; “forest and rangeland resources”; “forest land”; “timberland”; “timber”; and, “rangeland.”

Section 4789.3 requires the director to prepare and submit to the board and the Secretary of the Resources agency. This assessment and analysis must recognize distinct differences in ownership and management of forest and rangeland resources in California between the various public and the various private owners and include specified information.

In addition, when preparing the assessment, the director, under policy guidance of the board, is required to solicit the cooperation of, and information collected by, public and private organizations, federal forest and rangeland resource agencies, state agencies concerned with forest and rangeland resources, county planning and taxation agencies, and state-supported forest and rangeland resource research agencies. Also, in preparation of the assessment, the director is required to conduct specified activities.

Section 4789.4 provides that, based upon a review of the assessment prepared, the board is required to prepare a forest resource policy statement. This policy statement must recognize distinct differences between the various public and various private owners of forest resources in the state and should include specified information.

Section 4789.5 requires the board to hold public hearings on the assessment and the proposed policy statement. Section 4789.6 requires the director to biennially determine state needs for forest management research and recommend the conduct of needed projects to the Governor and the Legislature.

In addition, the director is required to develop a cost-effective and statistically valid system to periodically monitor the extent to which timberland is, or is becoming, less available for the growing and harvesting of timber due to zoning, onsite development, adjacent land uses, ownership patterns, parcel size, or any other factors.

Section 4789.7 requires the director to convey the assessment and its updates to federal agencies charged with managing public land within the state.