Wildlife Conservation Board: ecologically sensitive vegetation management: wildfire risk reduction.

The Wildlife Conservation Law of 1947 establishes the Wildlife Conservation Board in the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Existing law requires the board to determine the areas in the state that are most essential and suitable for wildlife production and preservation and that will provide suitable recreation, and to determine those lands in the state that are suitable for specified wildlife-related purposes. This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to encourage ecologically sensitive vegetation management practices for the purpose of maintaining ecological health and strengthening biodiversity while mitigating wildfire risk through fuel load reduction. The bill would require the board to establish a grant program to facilitate the application of ecologically sensitive vegetation management practices that can improve long-term wildfire risk reduction, improve native plant and wildlife diversity, protect water quality, and enhance ecosystem function. The bill would require the board to leverage existing state funding to award grants to local government entities, park and open-space districts, resource conservation districts, and nonprofit organizations, as separately defined, for projects that carry out ecologically sensitive vegetation management practices designed to, among other things, reduce wildfire risk by maximizing the removal or reduction of invasive plant species using an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach or maximizing long-term wildfire risk reduction.