MCRCD’s Registered Professional Foresters (RPFs) work with landowners to develop Forest Management Plans consistent with the California Cooperative Forest Management Plan template approved by NRCS, US Forest Service, CAL FIRE, and the American Tree Farm System. Forest Management Plans are long-term documents that are written in collaboration with landowners and helps organize and guide land management decisions. Forest Management Plans document landowner’s goals and objectives, document current conditions and capabilities of property resources, and identify potential resource improvement projects. Forest management plans are critical for the active management and stewardship of forest lands, outlining practical pathways for landowners to mitigate the risk of wildfire through fuel reduction treatments, improve forest health conditions, and enhance valuable wildlife habitat among many other objectives. They also address non-forest resource concerns including water resources, threatened species, roads, and invasive species. As a living document, forest management plans are meant to be amendable to changing environmental conditions and shifts in the landowner’s goals and objectives. Not just a tool for active stewardship, forest management plans can reaffirm a landowner’s connection to their land and represent a powerful legacy to be passed down to future generations.
Forest management plans are required for accessing California Forest Improvement Program (CFIP) cost-share incentive funds, however CFIP funding can be used to write a forest management plan. While not always required for accessing other cost-share incentives programs like NRCS’ Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or the North Bay Forest Improvement Program, forest management plans streamline the process and can increase the likelihood of securing funding. MCRCD staff are available to help forest landowners apply for funding to complete and implement plans. More detailed information on how these plans are developed and utilized can be found on the Forestry Resources page.
For further information please contact:
Bryce Hutchins, b.hutchins@mcrcd.org
