Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4789. Section 4789.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Forest and Rangeland Resources Assessment and Policy Act of 1977.
CHAPTER 12. Forest and Rangeland Resources Assessment and Policy Act of 1977 [4789. - 4789.7.]
Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC 12.
in effectCal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4789.1. Section 4789.1.
The Legislature finds and declares as follows:
(a)
The forest resources of California provide vitally important economic and environmental benefits to the people of California.
(b)
Demands on forest resources in California are expected to increase significantly in the next decades.
(c)
Forest resources in California are limited.
(d)
Better use of forest resources can result where there is good information as to anticipated needs and constraints and the potentials for meeting such needs consistent with Section 4513.
(e)
The necessary information is not now available and should be developed.
(f)
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.
Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4789.2. Section 4789.2.
As used in this chapter:
(a)
“Board” means the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection.
(b)
“Resources Planning Act” means the Forest and Rangelands Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. Secs. 1601 to 1610, incl.).
(c)
“Assessment” means the forest resource assessment and analysis developed pursuant to Section 4789.3.
(d)
“Director” means the Director of Forestry and Fire Protection.
(e)
“Forest and rangeland resources” means those uses and values associated with, attainable from, or closely tied to, forest and rangelands, including fish, range, recreation, timber, watershed, wilderness, and wildlife.
(f)
“Forest land” means timberland defined pursuant to subdivision (g), and other lands that have been withdrawn from timber production, such as units of the state park system, national parks, and wilderness areas.
(g)
“Timberland” means land on which is growing a significant stand of trees of commercial species, or potential commercial species, either in public or private ownership or that is generally capable of maintaining a stand of trees in perpetuity and not withdrawn or otherwise devoted to uses other than timber production.
(h)
“Timber” means wood fiber of commercial or potential commercial species growing on timberland as defined in subdivision (g).
(i)
“Rangeland” means land on which the existing vegetation, whether growing naturally or through management, is suitable for grazing or browsing of domestic livestock for at least a portion of the year. Rangeland includes any natural grasslands, savannas, shrublands (including chaparral), deserts, wetlands, and woodlands (including Eastside ponderosa pine, pinyon, juniper, and oak) which support a vegetative cover of native grasses, grasslike plants, forbs, shrubs, or naturalized species.
Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4789.3. Section 4789.3.
(a)
Under policy guidance from the board and in consultation with the Secretary of the Resources Agency, the director shall prepare and submit to the board and the Secretary of the Resources Agency, a preliminary forest and rangeland resource assessment and analysis not later than July 1, 1979, and shall present a full and updated assessment by January 1, 1987, and by January 1 of each fifth year thereafter. The assessment and analysis shall recognize distinct differences in ownership and management of forest and rangeland resources in California between the various public and the various private owners and shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(1)
An assessment and analysis of the supply and availability of the various present and potential forest and rangeland resources of the state, including limits to those supplies imposed by natural site conditions, such as slope stability and erosion hazard, or by governmental restriction, such as special zoning. Among resource potentials to be evaluated are opportunities to accomplish any of the following:
(A)
Improve and rehabilitate the understocked timberland in California and to more fully utilize the productive potential for growing and harvesting timber.
(B)
Improve wood fiber utilization and wood product recycling.
(C)
Salvage trees infested with insects and diseases on timberland.
(D)
Improve the management of forest wildlife and wildlife habitat within the state.
(E)
Increase the quantity and quality of recreation available in the state.
(F)
Improve and rehabilitate rangeland areas within the state.
(G)
Increase the potential to use wood fiber from timberland as an economically viable source of fuel for energy production.
(H)
Improve the potential for rangeland forage for domestic livestock production.
(2)
An assessment and critique of federal policies with respect to rangeland and timberland. The assessment and critique shall include (A) as to timberlands, a review of the federal government’s national forest revenue sharing program administered pursuant to Section 500 of Title 16 of the United States Code, and (B) as to rangelands, a review of grazing fee charges and revenue sharing policies affecting national forest lands administered by the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. The timber sale revenue sharing and grazing fee policies of the Department of the Interior shall also be reviewed. In conducting the review, the director shall consult with the State Board of Equalization, and with local governments and school districts affected by the federal government’s revenue sharing programs.
(3)
An analysis of present and anticipated demand for various forest and rangeland resources in the state.
(4)
A description and evaluation of current state programs and responsibilities in cooperative state-federal forest and rangeland resource programs, and management of state and local public forest, range, and related lands.
(5)
A discussion of important policy considerations, laws, regulations, management responsibilities, and other factors expected to influence and significantly affect the use, ownership, and management of forest and rangeland resources.
(6)
When assessing various resource potentials which could be obtained from forest lands and rangeland, the director shall include an evaluation of probable direct and indirect economic and environmental benefits and costs, including opportunity costs, associated with realizing those potentials.
(b)
In preparing the assessment, the director, under policy guidance of the board, shall 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.
(c)
For the purpose of assisting the director and the board in preparing the assessment and its revisions, the board may appoint advisory committees it deems necessary. The committees shall consist of individuals with expertise in forest and rangeland resource fields, with particular emphasis on survey and program analysis, and shall include representatives of state agencies concerned with the use of forest and rangeland resources.
(d)
In preparation of the assessment, the director shall do all of the following:
(1)
Analyze the need to develop and maintain an effective system for the collection, analysis, and display of that data in forms that contribute to the achievement of the purposes of this chapter.
(2)
Identify high-priority needs for completing the data base and analytical framework essential to improving the quality of future assessments.
(3)
Evaluate the accuracy and completeness of existing data and of steps needed to improve the accuracy and completeness of data for future assessments.
Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4789.4. Section 4789.4.
(a)
Based on a review of the assessment prepared pursuant to Section 4789.3, and consistent with Sections 740 and 4513, the board shall prepare a forest resource policy statement.
(b)
Such policy statement shall recognize distinct differences between the various public and various private owners of forest resources in the state and should include, insofar as is possible, the following:
(1)
A delineation of specific needs and opportunities for promoting both public and private forest resource management programs in California.
(2)
A discussion of priorities for accomplishment of program opportunities, with specified costs, results, and possible constraints on implementation.
(3)
An analysis of the relation of the alternative forest resource policies to employment opportunities in California.
Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4789.5. Section 4789.5.
The board shall hold public hearings on the assessment and the proposed policy statement prepared pursuant to Sections 4789.3 and 4789.4.
Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4789.6. Section 4789.6.
(a)
The board, assisted by the director, shall biennially determine state needs for forest management research and recommend the conduct of needed projects to the Governor and the Legislature.
(b)
To facilitate reporting and updating the assessment pursuant to Section 4789.3, the director, under guidance by the board, may prepare and implement a forest resource management information storage and retrieval program regarding forest land conditions in the state. Such program shall be coordinated and integrated to the maximum extent practicable with data storage and retrieval programs of other state and federal agencies and institutions. The director shall review existing forest resource management storage, retrieval, and analysis systems in the institutions of higher learning in this state, and insofar as the board deems desirable, may utilize such systems as a model for the state program established pursuant to this section.
(c)
The director shall, as budgetary resources permit, 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.
Cal. Public Resources Code - PRC § 4789.7. Section 4789.7.
(a)
The director shall convey the assessment and its updates to federal agencies charged with managing public land within the state.
(b)
To assure the availability and compatibility of data and scientific information needed for development and implementation of the assessment, the board and the director shall cooperate with the United States Department of Agriculture in conducting surveys and analyses as provided for in the Resources Planning Act and with other federal agencies as provided by federal law.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026