Z'berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973: working forest management plans.

Existing law, the Z'berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973, declares the policy of the state to encourage prudent and responsible forest management of nonindustrialized timberlands through the approval of working forest management plans. Existing law authorizes a person who intends to become a working forest landowner to file a working forest management plan with the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, with the long-term objective of an uneven aged timber stand and sustained yield through the implementation of the plan. Existing law defines "working forest landowner" to mean an owner of timberland with less than 10,000 acres who has an approved working forest management plan and is not primarily engaged in the manufacture of forest products. Existing law also defines "working forest management plan," and allows multiple working forest landowners to submit a working forest management plan, but provides that the plan may cover no more than 10,000 acres of timberland. This bill would revise the definition of "working forest landowner" to mean 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. The bill would revise the definition of "working forest management plan" to allow multiple working forest landowners to submit a working forest management plan, but provide that the plan may cover no more than 15,000 acres of timberland. The bill would also make nonsubstantive changes to other definitions applicable to working forest management plans.