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Forest Stewardship Plan
for
The Family Forest

Prepared by:
Last Update:

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WHO

“Who” describes the people that have responsibility for managing the property, the contractors that you hire to perform specific tasks and the agencies and organizations that can help you become a better steward.

Who Owns the Property: List all owners and proportion of the property owned.
(Tip Duplicating Name Boxes)

Name:
Address:

City State Zip:
Phone / Fax:
e-mail:
Notes:

Other owners:

Name:
Address:

City State Zip:
Phone / Fax:
e-mail:
Notes:

Other Family Member with an interest in the property:

Name:
Address:

City State Zip:
Phone / Fax:
e-mail:
Notes:

Who Helps to Manage the Property: List contact information for resource management professionals that help with the management of the property. A list of consulting foresters appears in the resource section or use the Contacts Database. Include your forester, wildlife biologist, loggers, contractors that you work with to manage your property. See Choosing Professionals for more information.


Forester:

Name:
Address:

City State Zip:
Phone / Fax:
e-mail:
Notes:

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Who are the Regulatory Agencies that Regulate the Property: List contact information for resource management agencies with regulatory authority. Use the Contacts Database or the Agencies List for addresses. List the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection office, Department of Fish and Game, Natural Resources Conservation Service office, Resource Conservation District and others. Also list the agency responsible for fire protection. Don’t forget to add the address for your county Cooperative Extension office.

CDF Office:

Name:
Address:

City State Zip:
Phone / Fax:
e-mail:
Notes:

Resource Conservation District Contact:

Name:
Address:

City State Zip:
Phone / Fax:
e-mail:
Notes:

Other Agencies:

Name:
Address:

City State Zip:
Phone / Fax:
e-mail:
Notes:

Who are the neighbors: List contact information for neighbors that adjoin the property.

Name:
Address:

City State Zip:
Phone / Fax:
e-mail:
Notes:

Who else is involved: List contact information for any one else that help with the management of the property and their relationship. You might list an accountant, attorney, real estate agent, and others.

Name:
Address:

City State Zip:
Phone / Fax:
e-mail:
Notes:

Phone Log:

Get in the habit of keeping a running record of phone conversations regarding your property. This will remind you of past conversations and provide a method for following through. You could also use a database, which is a computer file that organizes information such as names, addresses, phone numbers,.and phone conversations.

“What” describes the current status of the property. What actually do you own. “What” includes an inventory of the resources available, timber, soil, water supplies, cultural and historical sites, wildlife, etc.

Legal Description:



Acres:


Township: Range: Section:

Assessor’s Map Book: Page Parcel No.

How is the Title to the Property Legally Held: Fee Simple, Joint Tenancy, Partnership, Trust, Other?

Describe any Liens on the Property.

Describe and show on a map any Rights-of-Way or Easements that pertain to the property?


What is the Land Use Zoning? Is the land zoned for Timberland Production Zone (TPZ)?




General Description of the Property:
List attributes and features of this property and the uses you expect of it. Note general location, vegetation types, buildings and improvements, water sources, mineral resources, wildlife, and any special features.

Stand Descriptions: Often it is helpful to divide the property into separate units for management purposes. This is sometimes done by physical location (for example, west of the main road) or often by biological conditions, (for example, meadows, the ponderosa pine plantation). Each of these divisions are called management units (when physically determined) or stands within biologically determined. Describe each forest stand type or management unit. Use a separate sheet for each. These should also be delineated on a property map in the Where section.

For each stand, describe its current condition - the types of plants growing there, their age, soils and site quality. Also describe recent management activities, fire, harvest, insect attack, or other activity in the stand. You will want to note any qualities that the stand has for wildlife habitat and any archeological sites that you know of. You will want to include any forest inventory information that is available.

Species	Avg. Diameter	Trees Per Acre	Basal Area	Cubic Foot Volume	Board Foot Volume

Name / Description:

Vegetation Type: Age:

Site Quality Soils Description:


Brief Management History


Fish and Wildlife Habitat


Cultural Resources / Archeological Sites


Notes:


Inventory:

“Where” describes the location of your property and the locations of the resources that are part of your property. “Where” can usually best be described with maps or aerial photographs. Describe where forest stands or management units are ready for harvest. Where is the source and outflow of any streams or springs. Where are the sensitive sites that demand special consideration. Also, where is the property located in relation to fire protection and Resource Conservation Districts, mills that might buy timber from the property, including roads and access.

Give detailed direction on how to reach your property (attach map if necessary):


USGS Topographic Sheets: (attach a copy)

Aerial Photos that cover the property:

Supplier Date Scale





County

Watershed:

Resource Conservation District (contact)


Nearest CDF office


Fire protection:


Nearest Mills (contact)

Place the cross-hair target on your property’s location (click and drag).

There are more detailed maps of Northern California, Central California, or Southern California that you might want to use instead.

Where are the resources on you property:

Prepare a base map of your property showing the boundaries, topography, roads, buildings, streams, and other important features. You can use the Drawing tools or prepare one on paper and attach a copy. Copies of the base map can be used to note management activities, forest history, or other management information. A photocopy of a USGS Topographic map makes a great place to start.

Using your base map prepare:

Vegetation map (attach a copy)

Road System map (attach a copy)

Management History map (attach a copy)

“Why” is one of the most important parts of the plan. This is the section where you state why do you own the land - what do you hope to obtain from owning the land. What benefits do you derive or hope to get from owning the land? How would you like the land to be managed in the future? What are your goals and dreams for the property? In general terms, describe why do you own the property. What do you hope to accomplish during your stewardship? How do you want the property to look in 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 years from now?

Goals for the Property as a Whole

“How” outlines the the tools and techniques used in managing forested land. ”How” is the step-by-step method that you will use to obtain your goals. Usually, it is best to make specific objectives for each stand or management unit - “I plan to thin 7 acres of the plantation planted in 1986 in the fall of 1998. The goal of the thinning will be to concentrate growth on the remaining trees to improve wood production. The remaining 9 acres will be thinned in 1999.” You can get as detailed as you need to. Note alternatives that you considered and why you rejected them - what swayed your decision. You may also note ecological considerations - site quality - management history, or other factors that influence your decision.

How is based on “what” are the resources. “Where” are they located, and “why” do you own the property, your goals and expectations. “How” also depends on “who” will do the work, “when” it can be scheduled, and “how much” will it cost or profit. The “How” section talks about the legal, environmental, and economic considerations for managing forests.
Tip - Stands Box

This is one of the hardest parts of the plan to complete. So much depends on your specific situation and your individual goals. At least identify stand or management units and some of the alternatives that you will consider for each. Remember that “Do Nothing until . . . ” is a reasonable choice in many cases.



Stand or Management Unit:

Management Objective:






Alternatives Considered:




Ecological Consideration


Wildlife Concerns

“When” is a time line of when you expect projects to happen. Events that depend on other activities can be highlighted. Future family events that may require funds from a timber harvest can be noted and planned for. You should be specific in addressing when activities are going to occur in particular stands.

When also describes historical events. Which Indian tribes inhabited the area? When was it settled? When did your family obtain the property? Who were the previous owners?

Year	Season	Stand	Activity
1998	Winter
	Spring
	Summer
	Fall
1999	Winter
	Spring
	Summer
	Fall
2000	Winter
	Spring
	Summer
	Fall
2001	Winter
	Spring
	Summer
	Fall
2002	Winter
	Spring
	Summer
	Fall
2003
2008
2023
2048
2098

History of the Property:

Many landowners view their forest land as an investment - a source of income for retirement, inheritance, or other family needs. This section helps answer the questions of value and capturing income from forested property. This section helps you answer many of the questions involved in estate and tax planning. You need to establish an accounting system for your property. See the text for details. Remember to record expenses as they occur, save and number receipts, and refer to the receipt number in your ledgers. Being organized now will save you a great deal of time at tax tim. Tips: How Much

Equipment Account
Date	Description: Type, make, model, year	Reference	Debit	Credit

Forest Stewardship Plan Updated: 6/17/98

Who What Where Why How When How Much Resources

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