California Forests

California has among the highest requirements in the world for private forestland management because of extensive regulation and independent programs that promote sustainable forest management, according to a new study by Cal Poly State University-San Luis Obispo.

But the authors of the study, by Christopher A. Dicus, assistant professor of natural resources management, and Kenneth Delfino, executive director of Cal Poly's Urban Forest Ecosystems Institute, caution that state regulations may not give local foresters the flexibility they need to manage forestland for long-term sustainability and the benefit of watershed protection and wildlife.

"California forestlands are some of the most legally protected privately owned forests in the world. Multiple layers of federal, state, county and local regulations ensure that timber will be managed in a sustainable manner," the study's authors said. That regulation, however, can result in a micro-managing that may not be best for the forests and the environment, they said.

"Classical forest management is based on adapting a variety of options to each on-the-ground problem," the authors said. Although some exceptions are provided, "the state regulatory process forces a one-size-fits-all approach that cannot accommodate all the variables of California's landscapes," they said.

"Further, the ever increasing cost to forest landowners for complying with the Forest Practice Rules could drive some to utilize their land for purposes other than the growing and harvesting of timber," the authors said. "Conversion of lands to alternative activities such as subdivisions cause permanent environmental changes that are far more drastic than forestry activities." The study, "A Comparison of California Forest Practice Rules and Two Forest Certification Systems," is the first in-depth look at standards met by owners of California forestlands. The study was funded by the California Forest Products Commission.

The study's authors found the certification processes, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), require landowners to exceed state regulations.