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The Status of Forests and Forestry in California:
Forest Inventory and Management
Synopsis of 2015 FRAP Assessment Findings
Presentation Outline
• Commercial Forest Resources • Forest Ownership • Harvest Versus Growth by Ownership • Timber Harvest Trends • The Management Landscape • Third Party Certification of Forest
Management • Landowner Assistance
DataSources• TheU.S.ForestServiceForestInventoryandAnalysisProgram– Resultsobtainedfromsampling2001-2010updatedto2013
• CALFIREForestPracHcesDataBase– DatacompiledonharvesHngbetween1997-2014– DataonregulatoryiniHaHves
• WebsitesofThirdPartyCerHficaHonOrganizaHons– SupplementedbyinterviewswithcerHficaHonpracHHonersandcerHfiedcompanies
DistribuHonofFIAPlotsinCalifornia’sForestedLandscape
FIAistheComprehensiveForestInventoryfortheUS
Forestland versus Timberland • Forestland is generally defined as land
with 10 percent canopy cover of trees of any species
• Timberland is defined on the basis of productivity. FIA defines it as land capable of producing 20 cubic feet/acre/year of fiber.
• Timberland may include commercial and non-commercial tree species.
ThemajorityofthemostproducHveprivateHmberlandislocatedintheredwoodregionandisinindustrialownership.Note:allmapsshownherewillbeavailableattheFRAPwebsiteaVerpublicaHonofthe2015Assessment.
GeneralStaHsHcs
ForestandTimberlandbyOwnershipandStatus(thousandsofacres)
*IncludesNaHonalForests,NaHonalParks,BureauofLandManagementandotherfederalagencies**Includesstateandlocalgovernmentandspecialdistricts***Althoughreservesmaynotbeformallydesignatedonprivateortriballands,inmanycasesareasset-asidefromHmbermanagementsuchasriparianzones,old-growthhabitatsandsteep,inaccessiblelandsaredefactoreserves.
SomeDetails• Publicagenciesown17millionacresofHmberlandandprivateownersprimarilyengagedinHmberproducHonownabout3.9millionacresofHmberland.
• Over30percentofpublicHmberlandisnotavailableforHmberharvest.
• Non-industrialownersownabout3.5millionacresofHmberland.
• Theareaof“workingforest”ownedandmanagedbyconservaHonorganizaHonsandlandtrustsisincreasing.
SomeDetails(cont.)• Commercialconiferforests
consHtuteabout12millionacresofHmberland.
• Hardwoodforesttypescoverabout13millionacresofwhich4.7millionacresisclassedasHmberland.
• Nettreevolumeexceeds100billionboardfeet,twothirdsofwhichisonpublicland.
• Publiclandhasgreaterpercentagesofvolumeinlargerdiameterclassesthanprivateland.
Coniferforest:<20cubicV./acre/yearConiferwoodland:non-commerciale.g.,juniper
SiteproducHvityandexisHngHmberinventoryarenotnecessarilyposiHvelycorrelatedi.e.,potenHalproducHonisnotbeingachieved,parHcularlyinsomeforesttypes.Thisrepresentsamanagementopportunity.
Harvest,MortalityandGrowthNaHonalForests–removalsmeanharvest
Datafor2001-2006and2006-2010
Harvest,Mortality,Growth(cont.)Privateandotherpubliclands(Hmberlandonly)
Datafor1991-1994and2007-2010
ForestlandinNeedofRestoraHon• Asof2013,therewereover
2millionacresofcommercialHmberlandthatwereeithernon-stockedorpoorlystocked.
• Atleastanothermillionacresofforestland(notjustHmberland)wereexcessivelystockedandatriskofdisease,insectagackorwildfire.
• Intotal,over2.5millionacresofHmberlandinneedofrestoraHonweresitesnaturallysupporHngcommercialconiferspecies.
• AllofthisbasedondatacollectedasmuchasfiVeenyearsago.Thingshavechangedsincethen!
Summary
• Theamountofforestlandhasnotchangedoverthepastdecadeormorei.e.,landconversionisrelaHvelyminor.– OwnershippagernshaveshiVedsomewhat.– Theamountoflandinreservestatushasincreased.
• FIAdataindicatesthatpotenHalsiteproducHvityisnotbeingrealizedonasignificantamountofland.– InaddiHon,asubstanHalareaofforestissuscepHbletowildfire,
insectsanddisease.– ThelongtermdroughteffectsarenotreflectedintheFIAdata.
• DataindicatethatharvestandmortalitydonotexceedgrowthonanylandtypeexceptNaHonalForestwilderness.– Effectsofextensivemortalityandrecentwildfiresarenotreflectedin
thesedata.• TheamountofforestandHmberlandinneedofrestoraHon
conHnuestogrow.
PagernsofTimberHarvest
• TimberproducHoninthestatehasdeclinedsubstanHallysincethelate‘80’sandearly‘90’s.
• Between1990and2013thevolumeofHmberharvesteddeclinedfrom4billionboardfeet/yearto1.6billionboardfeet/year.
• ThedeclineinHmberproducHonislargelyduetoreducedharvesHngonNaHonalForests.
• FluctuaHonsinHmbervaluesandincreasesinharvesHngcostshavealsohadanimpactonproducHon.
TimberHarvestTrendsTimberHarvestStaHsHcs1997-2014
TotalTHPs–9067TotalNTMPNoHcesofHarvest-2174
Lowpointinstumpage
TimberHarvestTrends(cont.)TotalAcresHarvested:1997-2014-2.9millionacres
1997–238thousandacres2014–135thousandacres
AverageSizeofTimberHarvestPlans,1997-2014
TimberHarvestTrends(cont.)AcresHarvestedbySilviculturalPrescripHon,1997-2014Average1997–42%even-aged,33%selecHon,25%otherAverage2014–35%even-aged,53%selecHon,12%other
Clearcunng:SHllControversial
PracHcesHaveChangedOverTime
CentralSierraRegion• RetenHonofstructure• StreamsideprotecHon• Adjacencyconstraints• Sizelimitsonclearcuts
NorthCoastRegion• Extensiveriparianbuffers• Habitatreserves• Sizelimitsonclearcuts
WhatareChangesinHarvesHngMethodsAgributedto?
• Increasedregulatoryrequirementstoprotectwildlife,fisheriesandwaterquality,especiallyinthecoastalregion.
• Changesinmanagementregimesofsomemajorlandowners.
• VoluntaryparHcipaHoninregulatoryiniHaHvesandcerHficaHonprograms.
Summary
• ThenumbersofTHPsfiledandtotalareaharvestedhavedeclinedoverthepast17years,consistentwithadeclineinHmberproducHon.
• TheaveragesizesofTHPshaveincreasedapparentlydueinparttoregulatorycosts.
• HarvesHngwithun-even-agedmethodshasincreasedandtheareaharvestedwitheven-agedmethodshasdeclinedoverHme.
• Even-agedharvesHngresultshavechanged,parHcularlyinthecoastalregion.
DefinedontheBasisofCommodityEmphasis
• High:forestindustry• Medium:Hmber
producHononeofmulHpleobjecHves
• Low:limitedevidenceofHmberproducHonemphasis
• Non-commodity:reservesandnon-commercialforesttypes
TheManagementLandscape
AMosaicofAlternaHveManagement
MandatoryandVoluntaryRegulatoryIniHaHves
• CompliancewithsustainedyieldregulaHons:SustainedYieldPlans(350thousandacres)and“OpHona”(3.9millionacres)
• Non-industrialTimberManagementPlans:772covering319thousandacres
• ProgramTimberEnvironmentalImpactReports:fourcovering229thousandacres
• HCP/NCCP:sixcovering748thousandacres• SomeproperHeshavemorethanoneiniHaHveinplace
ThirdPartyCerHficaHon• ForestStewardshipCouncil,SustainableForestryIniHaHve,AmericanTreeFarmSystemplusAirResourcesBoardCarbonOffsetprogram
• FSC:1.5millionacres;SFI:2millionacres;TFS:455thousandacres
• CaliforniaARBProjects:sixcomplianceprojectscovering48.8thousandacresandfive“earlyacHon”projectscovering59thousandacres.
• VirtuallyalllandswithhighandmoderatecommodityemphasisarecerHfiedbythirdparHesforsustainablemanagement.
CerHficaHonStandardsVary
Summary
• Ofthe12.6millionacresofprivateforestland,overonethirdhasdemonstrableregulatoryevidenceofsustainablemanagement.
• Themanagementlandscapeiscomplex,consisHngofamosaicofmanagementobjecHvespotenHallycreaHngobstaclestocoordinatedresourcemanagement.
• Over4millionacresofforestlandiscerHfiedbythirdparHes.ThereissomecontroversyoverthecomparaHverigorofthecerHficaHonprocess.
• Over8millionacresofforestlandisownedbyenHHesthatshowlimitedevidenceofacHvemanagement.
LandownerAssistanceMajorProviders• UniversityofCaliforniaCooperaHveExtension
• NaturalResourceConservaHonService
• CALFIRE• ResourceConservaHonDistricts
CaliforniaForestImprovementProgram(CFIP)
• HistoricallyprovidedfundingtodoforestmanagementtoenhanceHmberproducHvity.
• EmphasishasshiVedtofuelreducHonandmanagementplans.
• Between2008-2014147projectswerefundedcoveringnearly9000acres.
• AnHcipatedfundingfor2016is$3.465million
CaliforniaForestLegacyProgram
• ProvidesfundingtoacquireworkingforestsandconservaHoneasements.
• AnaHonalprograminwhichCaliforniacompetesannuallyforcongressionallyappropriatedfunds.
• Todate22projectsonnearly96thousandacreshavebeensecuredthroughtheprogram,uHlizingover$15millioninfederalfunds.
NRCSPrograms
EnvironmentalQualityIncenHvesProgram(EQIP)• Providesfundingforforesttreatmentse.g.,thinningtoreducefuelloadsandresponsetocatastrophicwildfire.
• Between2010-2014624foresttreatmentprojectsaffecHng2.3millionacreswerefundedatacostofover$13.6million.
• Between2013-201428projectson26thousandacreswerefundedtoaddresspost-wildfireerosioncontrolandrecovery.
NRCSPrograms(cont.)HealthyForestsReserveProgram• ProvidesfundingforacquiringconservaHoneasementsinmoststates.
• InCalifornia,theprogramhasbeenusedtofundprojectsbenefinnganadromousfishrecoveryonnorthcoastForestLegacyparcels.
• Between2010-201311projectsaffecHng23thousandacreswereimplementedatacostof$969thousand.
• FuturefundingfortheprogramisuncertaininpartbecauseoftheemergenceofanewprogramcalledtheRegionalConservaHonPartnershipProgram.
OtherPrograms• Severalstateandfederalagencieshaveprogramsaimedatforestlandbuttheyarenotusuallyaccessibletoprivatelandowners.
• SierraNevadaConservancyisanexample.WithfundingfromProposiHon84itdistributedover$50milliontomorethan300projectsintheSierraNevadasponsoredbypublicagenciesandnon-profitgroups.
• TherecentapprovalofProposiHon1providesanewsourceofgrantfundingtotheConservancyandotheragencies.
NewPrograms• CalFireGreenhouseGasReducHonFund–ForestManagementProjects(GGRF).Grantswereawardedfor2014-2015.Nofundinghasbeenallocatedfor2016.
• CalFireStateResponsibilityAreagrantstoreducefirehazard.In2015-16thereis$5millionavailabletopublicagenciesandnon-profitgroups.
• AB1492TimberRegulaHonandForestRestoraHonFund.ThisfundwascreatedbytheimposiHonofataxonlumber.ProceedsareusedtoimprovetheHmberharvestplanreviewprocessandforforestandwatershedrestoraHonprojects.Currently,grantfundshavebeenallocatedtotheFisheriesRestoraHonGrantProgram.
Summary• Privatelandowners,publicagenciesandnon-profitgroupscanaccesstechnicalandfinancialassistancethroughCALFIRE,NRCSandotherorganizaHons.
• FundingtoprivatelandownersisprimarilyavailablethroughCFIPandEQIP.
• Somenewprogramshaveemergedtoincreasefinancialassistancetoforestlandowners.InthecaseoftheGGRF,whichrepresentsapotenHallargesourceofassistance,fundinghasnotbeenallocatedfor2016.
