California Forest Practice Rules

The purpose of the Forest Practice Rules is to implement the provisions of the Z'berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 in a manner consistent with other laws, including but not limited to, the Timberland Productivity Act of 1982, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) of 1970, the Porter Cologne Water Quality Act, and the California Endangered Species Act. The provisions of these rules shall be followed by Registered Professional Foresters (RPFs) in preparing Timber Harvesting Plans, and by the Director in reviewing such plans to achieve the policies described in Sections 4512, 4513, of the Act, 21000, 21001, and 21002 of the Public Resources Code (PRC), and Sections 51101, 51102 and 51115.1 of the Government Code.

It is the Board's intent that no THP shall be approved which fails to adopt feasible mitigation measures or alternatives from the range of measures set out or provided for in these rules which would substantially lessen or avoid significant adverse impacts which the activity may have on the environment. The THP process substitutes for the EIR process under CEQA because the timber harvesting regulatory program has been certified pursuant to PRC Section 21080.5. In recognition of that certification and PRC Section 4582.75, these rules are intended to provide the exclusive criteria for reviewing THPs. If the Director believes that there are significant adverse environmental impacts not covered in existing rules, matters should be referred to the Board as otherwise specified in these rules.

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