BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 468
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Date of Hearing: January 13, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
Wesley Chesbro, Chair
AB 468 (Chesbro) - As Amended: January 6, 2014
SUBJECT : Nonindustrial timber management plans: forest
landowners
SUMMARY : Replaces the term "tree farmer" with "forest
landowner" in the Nonindustrial Timber Management Plan (NTMP)
statutes to both modernize the statutes and make them consistent
with the Working Forest Management Plan (WFMP).
EXISTING LAW :
1)Creates the NTMP, which is a timber harvest plan for a
"nonindustrial tree farmer" with the long-term objective of an
uneven aged timber stand and sustained yield. Defines
"nonindustrial tree farmer" as an owner of timberland with
less than 2,500 acres who has an approved NTMP and is not
primarily engaged in the manufacture of forest products.
2)Creates the WFMP, which is a timber harvest plan for a
"working forest landowner" with the long-term objective of an
uneven aged timber stand and sustained yield. Defines
"working forest landowner" as an owner of timberland with less
than 15,000 acres who has an approved working forest
management plan and is not primarily engaged in the
manufacture of forest products.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : Last year, the Legislature passed AB 904 (Chesbro),
which created the WFMP. The WFMP is a long-term forest
management plan for nonindustrial landowners with less than
15,000 acres of timberlands. The purpose of the WFMP is to
provide an incentive to forest landowners to engage in
light-touch, sustainable forestry and to discourage forest land
conversion.
The WFMP is modeled off of the successful NTMP program, which
applies to nonindustrial landowners with less than 2,500 acres
of forestland.
AB 468
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When the NTMP was created in 1990, the preferred nomenclature
for a nonindustrial forest landowner was "tree farmer." A
nonindustrial forest landowner, however, is actually more than a
tree farmer: he or she generally manages the forest for multiple
uses (e.g., environmental protection, recreation, timber
harvesting). This is why the WFMP uses the term "forest
landowner" instead of "tree farmer." Moreover, the organization
that represents the 30,000 non-industrial family forest owners
in the state calls itself the Forest Landowners of California.
This bill amends the NTMP statute by replacing the term "tree
farmer" with "forest landowner." This will make the NTMP and
the WFMP consistent with each other; it also further
acknowledges that owning forest lands generally involves more
than timber harvesting.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
None on file
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Mario DeBernardo / NAT. RES. / (916)
319-2092