Commonly, many landownerís first contact with a state or federal agency is often when they want to do some activity that falls under a law or regulation. Activities such as timber harvesting, mining, or road building are subject to a number of requirements of state, federal, and local land use laws. Different land management activities are regulated by different agencies. While managing your land, you will need to contact a number of agencies to ensure that you are following the law. We have prepared a database of contacts to assist you in navigating this sea of agencies.
The Who's Who of state, federal, and local agencies can seem complex. For example, the State of California regulates timber harvest on private lands, while gravel mining requires a permit granted by the county. If the mining is done in a stream bed, other permits are required from the California Department of Fish and Game and, possibly, the US Army Corps of Engineers. Livestock grazing may require preparation of a ranch plan for the State Water Resources Control Board.
When in doubt, it's wise to err on the side of caution. When planning any major activity on your forest lands, you should at least contact the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) and your county government. Information on how to contact your local CDF forester is listed in the contacts database.
On private land, timber harvest is subject to regulation by the State of California. The primary law you will need to comply with is the Z'berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973. This act regulates when, where, and how timber harvest can be conducted.
The purpose of the law is to protect public trust resources including: soils, fish and wildlife, habitat, rare plants, and air and water quality as well as recreation, visual corridors, and cultural landmarks. In addition, the State of California has an interest in encouraging sound management of timber resources and ensuring long-term sustained production of high quality timber products.
The Forest Practice Act limits the size and location of harvest units and matters such as protection of riparian corridors, timing of harvests during wildlife nesting periods, location of roads, and operation during certain seasons to protect wet soils.
The Act requires that a Timber Harvest Plan (THP) be prepared and approved before timber harvest can take place on your property. A THP must be written by a Registered Professional Forester (RPF). It includes descriptions of how harvesting and replanting will be done and what measures will be taken to prevent soil erosion, maintain water quality, and protect habitat.
The THP is submitted to the California Department
of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) for review and approval (and
other agencies in some cases, including wildlife agencies if special
species are present). A CDF forest practice inspector then visits
harvest sites during operations.
Some operations do not require a complete Timber
Harvest Plan. Some operations can be legally performed by filing a
notice with CDF. Table 1 outlines some of the legal requirements of
timber harvesting in California. Since the forest practice rules
change often, you should check with a forester or CDF to see if this
information has changed.
|
Purpose |
Christmas Trees |
Dead, Dying or Diseased |
Fuelwood or split products |
Fire hazard reduction |
Substantially Damaged land -not for sawlogs |
Less than 3 acre conversion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Form |
RM-73 |
RM-73 |
RM-73 |
RM-73 |
RM-73 |
RM-73 |
|
Acreage Limit |
None |
None |
None |
Within 150 feet of residence |
None |
Less than 3 acres one time for ownership |
|
Cut Live trees |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No (see rules for exceptions) |
Yes |
|
Need RPF |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Trees marked |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
|
Approval Time |
Wait for notice of receipt from CDF |
Wait for notice of receipt from CDF |
Wait for notice of receipt from CDF |
Within 5 days of receipt by CDF. Wait for notice of receipt from CDF |
Wait for notice of receipt from CDF |
Within 15 days from receipt by CDF. Wait for notice of receipt from CDF |
|
Work completed within |
One Year |
One Year |
One Year |
One Year |
One Year |
One Year (logging) Two years to complete conversion. |
|
Notify CDF of Operations |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Notify Neighbors |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Permit Posted |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
|
Silviculture Limitation |
None |
Can cut less than 10% of the volume |
Can cut less than 10% of the volume |
Some |
Must meet definition for substantially damaged timberland |
none |
|
Stocking Report |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Work completion |
|
Comments |
|
Many special rules see 1038(b) |
Many special rules see 1038(b) |
Strict slash clean up required |
Many special rules see 1038(b) |
Many special rules |
|
Purpose |
Agency - utility right of way |
Emergency Operations |
Modified Timber Harvest Plan |
Timber Harvest Plan |
Conversion of Timberland |
Non Industrial Timber Mgmt Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Form |
RM-73 |
RM-63 |
RM-63 |
RM-63 |
RM-53 |
|
|
Acreage Limit |
None - must be right of way |
None |
100 acres or less in ownership |
None |
None |
2500 |
|
Cut Live trees |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Need RPF |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
|
Trees marked |
No |
Yes - some exceptions |
Depends on silvicultural system |
Depends on silvicultural system |
No |
Yes |
|
Approval Time |
Wait for notice of receipt from CDF |
Wait for notice of receipt from CDF |
Minimum 25 days |
Minimum 25 days |
Varies - expect months |
45 Days |
|
Work completed within |
One Year |
120 Days |
Three years can request 2 - 1 year extensions |
Three years can request 2 - 1 year extensions |
Five years |
Life |
|
Notify CDF of Operations |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Notify Neighbors |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
|
Permit Posted |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
|
Silviculture Limitation |
None |
Must meet definition of emergency conditions |
Yes (See rules) |
Yes (see rules) |
No |
Uneven aged only |
|
Stocking Report |
Yes (Work completion) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes - (Work Completion) |
|
|
Comments |
|
|
Written impact analysis is not required |
Detailed cumulative impact analysis is required |
Needs THP and RM-91 for county approved subdivisions |
Locks in Forest Practice Rules |
Form ? Refers to the CDF form that is filed for this type of harvest.
Acreage Limit ? Briefly describes the number of acres that this type of treatment refers to.
Cut Live Trees ? Many of the exemptions are for dead or dying trees, limiting cutting of live trees.
Need RPF ? Are you required under the law to have a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) prepare the form? Even for those activities that do not require an RPF, you are still required to follow the law. In many cases, it is in your best interest to hire an RPF.
Trees Marked ? Are individual trees required to be marked prior to the harvest?
Approval Time ? Describes how much time the law gives CDF to respond to your completed form.
Notify CDF of Operation ? Some activities require that you formally notify CDF just prior to the start of operations.Notify Neighbors ? Some activities require that you notify certain neighbors of harvesting activities. Even when it is not required, it is often a good idea.
Permit Posted ? Some activities require that a copy of the CDF permit be posted at the entrance to the job site.
Silvicultural Limitation ? Some of these exceptions require certain practices be followed in order to qualify for the exemption. Please refer to the current rules for more details.
Reports?Stocking Completion ? Some of these activities require that you file a stocking report?an estimate of the number of trees regenerated per acre after harvest. Others require a notice that work is completed.
Comments ? point to some special requirements. In all cases, you should become familiar with the rules for each type of operation.
Gravel mining or removal of rock or gravel from your property is regulated by the county. You must first get a permit from your county planning department before developing any gravel pits. However, if you plan on digging gravel from a stream bed on your property, you must also get a Streambed Alteration Agreement from the California Department of Fish and Game, who is charged with protecting fish habitat in the state. A permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers, who administers the Clean Water Act, may also be required.
Livestock can cause problems with the quality of water in streams running through grazing lands. Landowners who graze livestock on their forest land may need to develop a plan to protect water quality. This is to comply with the Clean Water Act which is administered by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).
Building and development on forested land is regulated by each county government in California. The responsible agency may be titled the planning, zoning, or building department depending on the county.
Every county government has adopted a
General Plan
which designates all the land in the county for particular uses. By
state law, the county zoning ordinance must conform with the General
Plan. Zoning for one particular use may prohibit other types of
uses.
For example, lands zoned as Timber Production Zone
(TPZ), are designated primarily for activities related to the growing
and harvesting of timber. Residential uses are permitted only in
conjunction with this primary use and must conform to minimum parcel
sizes that vary by county and by timber productivity site class.
Itís very important that a potential purchaser of forested
land understand first what they may and may not do with a piece of
property before buying the land.
A number of state, federal, and local agencies are involved in regulation of California's forest lands. In addition to their responsibilities for enforcement of land use regulations, many agencies offer technical assistance, cost-sharing grants, and educational programs to landowners.
Resources Agency: California's land use and management agencies are all a part of the Resources Agency, which is responsible for the conservation, enhancement, and management of California's natural and cultural resources, including land, water, wildlife, parks, minerals, and historic sites. The Agency is composed of 18 state departments, boards, conservancies, and commissions.
California Resources Agency
1416 9th St. Suite 1311
Sacramento, CA 95814.
Phone: (916) 653-5656
The state departments which you are likely to contact are the California Department of Fish and Game, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, California Conservation, and Water Resources.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection: The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) has responsibility for fire protection and stewardship on all of the State's privately-owned land, including yours! It is CDF that oversees enforcement of California's forest practice regulations as adopted by the State Board of Forestry. This includes review of the Timber Harvest Plans (THPs) submitted by private landowners and logging companies who want to harvest trees on their property.
CDF also provides fire fighting and related
emergency services and fire prevention education. The Department's
firefighters, fire engines, and aircraft respond to an average of
more than 7,500 wildfires each year. Those fires burn roughly 120,000
acres annually. In addition to fire fighting and Forest Practice Act
compliance, CDF also offers a number of assistance programs to
landowners, including the California Forest Improvement Program, Fire
Safe educational programs, urban forestry grant programs the
Vegetation Management Program, the Stewardship Incentive Program, and
the Forest Legacy Program.
CDF is organized into a headquarters office, regional and area offices with local level ranger unit offices.
California Department of Forestry
and Fire Protection
1416 9th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 944246
Sacramento, CA 94244-2460
Phone: (916) 653-7772
California Department of Fish and Game: The California Department of Fish and Game (CDF&G) is responsible for conserving the state's wildlife according to the policies of the Wildlife Conservation Board. It is also consulted on land management actions which may alter wildlife habitat. CDF&G offers a number of programs which may assist private landowners with their goals, including the Private Lands Wildlife Habitat Enhancement Program, the Riparian Habitat Conservation Program, the Adopt a Lake Program, and the Fisheries Restoration Grant Program.
CDF&G is organized into a headquarters and five regional offices as well as a network of county-based game wardens.
State of California,
Department of Fish & Game
1416 9th Street
Sacramento, Ca 95814
Phone: (916) 653-7664
Fax: (916) 653-1856
California Department of Water Resources:
The California Department of Water
Resources (DWR) manages the water resources of California to ensure
that water needs are met. The Department operates and maintains the
State Water Resources Development System to supply water for
municipal, industrial, agricultural, and recreational uses and for
fish and wildlife protection and enhancement. It regulates dams,
provides flood protection, and assists in emergency
management.
DWR provides technical assistance, cooperating with local agencies on water resources investigations, supporting watershed and river restoration programs, and encouraging water conservation.
DWR has a headquarters office in Sacramento and four District offices - Northern, Central, San Joaquin, and Southern.
California Department of Water Resources
P.O. Box 942836, Room 1115-1
Sacramento, CA 94236-0001Street Address:
1416 - 9th Street, Room 1115-1
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 653-7007
State Water Resources Control Board: The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) was created in 1967 to protect the quality of California's water resources and to allocate water rights. The State Board oversees nine regional water quality control boards located in each of the nine major watersheds of the State. The Regional Boards have jurisdiction over all surface, ground, and coastal waters of the State. They develop basin plans, issue waste discharge permits, take enforcement action against violators, and monitor water quality. They are responsible for carrying out State and Federal water quality laws.
California Department of Conservation: The California Department of Conservation (DOC) is the state's conservator of land, energy and mineral resources. Teams of geologists, engineers, seismologists, and other professionals assess seismic hazards, mining and geology, mine reclamation, oil, gas, and geothermal resources for decision-making for public safety; sustainable economic development; land-use planning and resource management and conservation. The DOC also provides technical assistance for counties and cities to administer the Williamson Act. The Act, passed by the California Legislature in 1965, is a voluntary land conservation program created to balance the pressure of urban growth by providing an incentive for farmers and ranchers to remain in agriculture. When land is enrolled in a Williamson Act contract, landowners are taxed a lower rate, using a scale based on the actual use of the land for agricultural purposes, as opposed to its unrestricted market value. In turn, the landowners commit to restricting the use of their land to agricultural and open space uses for ten years. Approximately 16 million acres, or about one-half of the state's 30 million acres of agricultural and open space land, is currently protected under the Williamson Act. Forty-seven of the state's 52 agricultural counties, and 20 cities participate in the Act.
California's Department
of Conservation
801 K Street, MS 24-01
Sacramento, California 95814
(916) 322-1080
University of California Cooperative Extension:
The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) staffs 64 county-based offices to bring the University's research-based information to all Californians. More than 400 campus-based specialists and county-based farm, home, and youth advisors work as teams to develop and deliver practical solutions for local problems. Their efforts range from technical forestry and farm assistance and water-conservation research to nutrition education for low-income families and advances in veterinary medicine.UCCE is a partnership of federal, state, county, and private resources linked in applied research and educational outreach. UCCE's teaching tools include meetings, conferences, workshops, demonstrations, field days, video programs, newsletters, and manuals.
UCCE's forestry programs include the Integrated
Hardwood Range Management Program (IHRMP) and a number of
county-based extension forestry and natural resource advisors who
work with local land owners to help them find appropriate information
resources. Extension Forestry Programs are based in the College of
Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Science, Policy and
Management.
This is also where updates to these articles will
appear.
University of California
Cooperative Extension - Forestry
Dept. Environmental Science, Policy, and Management
163 Mulford Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720-3114
Voice: 510-642-6678, 642-2360
FAX: 510-643-5438
USDA-Forest Service:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (USDA FS) is a
Federal agency that manages 191 million acres of forested public
lands. These lands, located in 44 States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin
Islands, are known collectively as the National Forest System. They
comprise 8.5 percent of the total land area in the United States.
Congress established the Forest Service in 1905. Its current mission
is multiple use - managing resources under the best combination of
uses "to provide the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount
of people in the long run." These multiple uses include a sustained
yield of renewable resources such as water, forage, wildlife, wood,
and recreation.
There are 155 national forests, nationwide, 17 in
California. The person in charge of a national forest is called the
forest supervisor. Each forest is composed of several ranger
districts. The supervisor's office coordinates activities between
districts, allocates the budget, and provides technical support to
each district.
The district rangers within a forest work for the forest supervisor. Each district has a staff of 10 to 100 people and vary in size from 50,000 acres to more than 1 million acres. Many on-the-ground activities occur on the ranger districts, including trail construction and maintenance, operation of campgrounds, and management of vegetation and wildlife habitat.
The Forest Service cooperates with state and local
governments, forest industries, other private landowners and forest
users in the management, protection, and development of forest land
in non-federal ownership. This is done through its State and Private
Forestry Program.
The Forest Service offers programs to improve
conditions in rural areas through the Rural Community Assistance and
Economic Development Program.
National Headquaters:
Forest Service
U. S. Department of Agriculture
Auditors Building
201 14th Street, S.W. at Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20024California is in Region 5 the Pacific Souwtwest at:
Forest Service
U. S. Department of Agriculture
630 Sansome Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS): The NRCS, formerly the Soil Conservation Service, was formed as a response to the Dust Bowl catastrophe of the mid-1930s when soil erosion was viewed as a national menace.The agency was created to work directly with private land owners. The NRCS is part of a nationwide partnership of federal agencies that works with local communities to help land owners, farmers, and ranchers conserve their land. NRCS employees have technical expertise and field experience in many scientific and technical specialities, including soil science, soil conservation, agronomy, biology, agroecology, range conservation, forestry, engineering, geology, hydrology, cultural resources, and economics. Nearly three-fourths of the technical assistance provided by the agency goes to helping individual farmers and ranchers develop conservation systems suited to their land and individual ways of doing business. The agency also provides assistance to rural and urban communities to reduce erosion, conserve, and protect water and solve other resource problems. Programs include the Forest Incentives Program, the Wetlands Reserves Program, and Resource Conservation and Development districts. In addition, the NRCS surveys soils across the nation. About 85 percent of California's privately owned soils have been mapped. They also survey the state's snowpack annually to forecast water supplies.
National Headquarters:
Natural Resources Conservation Service
14th Street & Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20013California State Office:
USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service
2121 C 2nd Street, Suite 102
Davis, CA 95616
Farm Services Agency: Stabilizing farm income, helping farmers conserve land and water resources, providing credit to new or disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, and helping farm operations recover from the effects of disaster are the missions of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Services Agency (FSA). The FSA incorporates programs from several agencies, including the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, the Federal Crop Insurance Program, and the Farmers Home Administration. Since the 1930s, federal farm programs have been administered locally by an elected three- to five-person county committee. Committees review county office operations and make decisions on how to apply the programs. This grassroots approach allows farmers to influence how federal actions affect their communities and their individual operations. FSA's aerial photographs of U.S. farmlands are used extensively by government, private organizations, and the public. Order forms and an index are available from FSA county offices. FSA works with USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service and other agencies to deliver other conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), and the Wildland Fuel Break Project in some California counties.
California State FSA Of?ce
1303 J. Street
Suite 300
Sacramento, CA 95814
USDI-Bureau of Land Management: The Bureau of Land Management manages 270 million acres of land, mostly non-forested, which comprises one-eighth of America's land surface and 41 percent of the land under Federal ownership. Most of the lands managed by the BLM are located in 12 Western States, including Alaska. The BLM has about 9,000 employees, most of whom work in field offices throughout the 12 Western States. The Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, requires the agency to manage in a way that accommodates many uses of the land -- such as fishing, camping, hiking, boating, grazing, timber harvesting and mining.
Bureau of Land Management
California State Of?ce
2135 Butano Drive
Sacramento, California 95825
Phone: (916) 978-4400
FAX: (916) 978-4305
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA): Part of the BIA's mission is to enhance the trust assets of American Indians, Indian tribes and Alaska natives. The BIA administers almost 600,000 trust acres in California. For Indian communities and landowners wishing to manage their natural resources, the BIA is the first point of contact for technical and financial assistance.
Sacramento Area Of?ce
Bureau of Indian Affairs
2800 Cottage Way
Sacramento, California 95825
Phone: (916) 979-2600
FAX (916) 979-2569
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS): The USFWS is a bureau within the Department of the Interior charged with conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish and wildlife and their habitats. Its major responsibilities are migratory birds, endangered species, freshwater and anadromous fish, the National Wildlife Refuge System, wetlands, conserving habitat, and environmental contaminants. The Service employs approximately 7,500 people across the country in seven regional offices and 500 national wildlife refuges encompassing more than 92 million acres of the nation's best wildlife habitats. One of the major functions of the Fish and Wildlife Service is the identification and recovery of endangered species both in the United States and worldwide. Species that meet the criteria of the Endangered Species Act are placed on the Interior Department's official "List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants." More than 700 native species are currently on the list. California has over 200 Threatened and Endangered species on the list including 82 species of animals; 11 mammals, 19 birds 6 reptiles, 4 amphibians, 16 fish, 9 crustaceans, and 27 insects; along with 118 species of plants. Service biologists work with scientists from other federal and state agencies, universities, and private organizations to develop "recovery plans" that identify actions needed to save listed species and restore their numbers. Recovery programs may include research, habitat preservation and management, captive breeding, law enforcement, reintroduction of depleted species into suitable areas of their historic range, and other activities. Such efforts have already helped save some animals that only recently appeared headed for oblivion including the American alligator, the bald eagle, and the California gray whale.
Pacific Region:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Eastside Federal Complex
911 NE 11th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97232-4181
(503) 231-6121
U.S. Geological Survey: The U.S. Geological Survey collects much of the Nations'
earth science information. One of the uses of this information is to
help managers of water, biological, energy, and mineral resources.
USGS develops topographical maps of all the land in the country.
These maps are available from thousands of private dealers, but can
also be purchased at Earth Science Information Centers (ESICs). There
are nine ESICs nationwide, including one in Menlo Park,
California.
ESICs also offer detailed biologic, geologic and
hydrologic information to the public. Toll Free Number:
1-800-USA-MAPS.
Western Region:
U.S. Geological Survey
345 Middle?eld Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: As part of their mission to help defend America's military,
economic, and environmental security, the Corps of Engineers provides
engineering, management, and technical support to the Department of
Defense, other agencies, and state and local governments.
They also are the permitting agency for activities
which are regulated by the Clean Water Act. These activities include
depositing of fill or dredged material in streams or adjacent
wetlands; construction of revetments, groins, breakwaters, levees,
dams, dikes, and weirs; and placement of rip rap and road
fills.
The Sacramento District Regulatory Branch District is
one of the largest districts in the Corps, covering all or part of
nine western states with approximately 1,500 military and civilian
employees. It covers most of California, from the east slope of the
Coastal Range to the west slope of the Sierra Nevadas and from the
Oregon border to the Tehachapi Mountains.
Permitting is overseen by regulatory specialists
whose coverage is determined by watershed boundaries.
South Pacific Division:
US Amy Corps of Engineers
333 Market Street
San Francisco, CA. 94105
Phone: (415) 977-8272
Working with Your Neighbors and Groups: As an individual landowner, you may have conservation goals for your property which require the cooperation of neighboring landowners. Some conservation goals, such as fire risk reduction, wildlife, and watershed management, affect large areas of land across multiple ownerships. For example, while actively treating fuels on your own land will definitely help you reduce your land's vulnerability to fire, adjacent untreated lands may continue to put your lands at risk.
These types of conservation goals require coordinated action by groups of landowners and or agencies. There are several types of organizations which can help landowners to cooperate with each other with other local groups and with the government. These include formal organizations such as Resource Conservation Districts and more informal associations such as bioregional or watershed groups.
California's Resource Conservation Districts: Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs) have been involved in conservation in California for over 50 years. There are currently over 100 RCDs in the state working to create opportunities for landowners to identify and accomplish stewardship goals on an individual or watershed basis.
Resource Conservation Districts are independent
local government organizations that coordinate between local
landowners and the federal government to promote conservation of
land, water, forests, wildlife, and other resources. They work on a
wide variety of issues such as reducing fire risk, improving range
and forest management, and increasing wildlife habitat.
RCDs have no regulatory power and so use voluntary
approaches, asking neighboring landowners to cooperate. As a local
government entity, RCDs can work with any local, state, or federal
agency through simple cooperative agreements. This allows them to
receive and spend conservation grant funding. They also have property
taxing authority under state law as special assessment districts. The
primary federal agency with which RCDs work is the NRCS.
RCDs are governed by a Board of Directors made up of 5 to 9 landowners elected or appointed to serve the district. Many RCDs are currently moving away from working with landowners one at a time to working with groups of landowners within a watershed.
Resource Conservation Districts - Two examples:
Sotoyome-Santa Rosa
RCD: Increased flooding along the Russian
River threatens the long-term viability of agriculture and quality of
life in Sonoma County. A variety of land uses, such as hillside
vineyards, gravel mining, and grading for homesite development, may
be changing the river's watershed and contributing to the problem.
The Sotoyome-Santa Rosa RCD is working to coordinate planning with
landowners along the river to help reverse these problems.
Tahoe RCD: Erosion
control and water quality are the main issues which the Nevada-Tahoe
and Tahoe RCDs are working on. In collaboration with the NRCS, the
RCD offers landowners a variety of services, provided by a staff of
engineers, environmental, plant, and education specialists, and
administrators. They provide information to landowners on soil
erosion, water quality problems, and plant species.
The RCD also pursues educational grants for
development and enhancement of environmental education in Nevada and
California schools.
How to Find the RCD Nearest You: To find the resource conservation district in your area,
check the contacts database, contact the NRCS office in your area, or
the contact the
California Association of
Resource Conservation Districts
801 K Street, Suite 1318
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 447-7237
Fax: (916) 447-2532
E-mail: carcd@ns.net
Partnership and watershed organizations are
informal groups of individuals or organizations working together to
address land use, natural resource, or environmental issues at the
local level. The number of partnership groups has been rapidly
expanding throughout the United States in recent years. Partnerships
are usually organized around some unit of land meaningful to the
problem being addressed, such as a watershed or ecological region,
and attempt to involve all those who have a stake in the solution.
People form partnerships when one or more individuals or groups
identify a conservation problem that cannot be addressed by any one
individual or group acting alone because they lack adequate funding,
skills, or jurisdiction over the resource or land ownership. An
example would be the desire to conserve or improve fish habitat along
a specific river.
Typical partners include government agencies,
nonprofit organizations, professional societies, corporations,
landowners, and private citizens. Resource Conservation Districts are
typically members of these broad based organizations. Partnerships
attempt to generate a commonly shared vision for addressing a
conservation problem and work to involve the public in planning and
decision making. By pooling their skills and resources with others,
they are able to find creative solutions.
Some examples of successful partnerships: The French Creek Watershed Group: The group was started in 1990 with the goal of solving the erosion and sedimentation problems in the French Creek watershed. The watershed has many private and public owners. To reduce sediment flowing into French Creek, the group coordinated over $400,000 in road improvements including rocking and recontouring 37 miles of unsurfaced road. They are currently tracking their success by monitoring the amount of sediment deposited in the creek's pools. Results so far show reduction in sediment from 32 percent of the total material in 1992, to 10 percent in 1993, to 8 percent in 1994.
The group meets formally once or twice a year and is made up of the Siskiyou RCD, Siskiyou County Road Department, State Water Resources Control Board, NRCS, USDA Forest Service, the Department of Fish and Game, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, North Coast Regional Water Quality Board, Marble Mountain, Audubon Society, French Creek Drainage Property Association, Fruit Growers Supply Company, Roseberg Resources Company, and Sierra Pacific Industries.
Deer Creek Watershed Conservancy
(DCWC): The Deer Creek Conservancy is a
land owner organization working to protect Deer Creek, which is one
of two remaining salmon streams in the Sierra Nevada. The conservancy
is focusing on preserving the natural resources of Deer Creek through
sensitive stewardship practices and also serves as a forum for
community and group action within the Deer Creek
Watershed.
The group is composed of ranchers, timber operators,
farmers, orchardists, and residents who live in the Deer Creek
watershed and are dedicated to preserving natural resources, private
property rights, and responsible land stewardship. DCWC works closely
with the California Departments of Fish and Game, Forestry and Water
Resources.
How to Find the Partnership Group Nearest You:
For information on partnership groups,
contact your local UC Cooperative Extension Office. A listing with
contact information is also maintained at the following:
http://ceres.ca.gov/biodiv/text/groups/regionlist.html
In accordance with applicable State and Federal laws and University policy, the University of California does not discriminate in any of its policies, procedures, or practices on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, medical condition, or handicap. Inquiries regarding this policy may be directed to the Affirmative Action Director, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 300 Lakeside Drive, 6th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612-3560. (510) 987-0096.
Publication of this series was in part funded by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection under Contract numbers 8CA96027 and 8CA96028