This bill directs the State Forester to establish sustainable harvest levels for harvesting timber on state forestland and develop a timber inventory model to inform sustainable harvest levels. Directs the State Forester to offer timber for sale at the sustainable harvest level, annually report on sales of timber relative to the sustainable harvest level and address any shortfall in timber sales. Confers standing on certain persons to challenge a failure to address a shortfall. Directs the State Forester to adopt sustainable harvest levels, forest management plans and related significant policy documents by rule. Establishes certain requirements for judicial review of the rules. Makes certain changes concerning forest management reports by the State Forester. Appropriates moneys to the State Forester out of the General Fund for developing a timber inventory model and a sustainable harvest level. Takes effect on the 91st day following adjournment sine die.
This bill is a refinement of the 1937 O&C Act regarding sustainable forestry. It should go a step further and make certain that the inventory included trees not available for harvest, such as HCPs and other acronym reserves. Those types of exclusions are what caused the Elliott to become so devalued over time. The report should emphasize four numbers: 1) total standing volume in MMBF; 2) total annual growth rate (mmbf); 3) total volume sold per calendar year (mmbf); 4) actual harvest per calendar year.