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Forest
Practices Review Program
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| Forest Practices Review Program | Sustainable
Forestry Initiative
| Pacific Lumber Company's
Mattole Watershed Analysis is currently on hold until the outcome of their Bankruptcy
process has been decided. To stay informed, read the latest issue of the Mattole
Restoration Newsletter and Hank Sims column as the Town Dandy in the Northcoast
Journal. Final decisions are due in April 2008. 
|
The
goal of the Forest Practices Program (FPP) is to keep abreast of forest management
issues for both small
timberland owners as well as industrial timberland owners
in the Mattole River watershed. We review all proposed
Timber Harvest Plans,
Non-Industrial Timber Management Plans, Habitat Conservation Plans, and Industrial
Timber's
Watershed Analysis in the watershed. It is the mission of the program
to protect watershed values through education,
advocacy, review, research,
and the development of economic incentives that encourage appropriate forest
management
while reducing the threat of subdivision development. In addition, because of
success with the Mattole
program, the FPP participates in forest management
issues within the larger north coast region.
TIMBER HARVEST PLANS
In the Mattole,
three industrial timber companies own approximately 18% of the landbase. The FPP
of the MRC
reviews all Mattole Timber Harvest and Management Plans to make
sure they both comply with applicable laws as well
as address potential impacts
to the integrity of the watershed. The program regularly interacts with
the regulatory agencies empowered to review forestland plans and policy.
These
agencies include: SWQCB
is responsible for enforcement of the Clean Water Act, and protecting the beneficial
uses of water for everyone. DFG reviews plans
for how they could potentially impact endangered or sensitive species, especially
fisheries, while CGS is responsible
for assuring that a proposed THP will not negatively affect soil and slope stability.
CDF ultimately approves or denies approval
to all Timber Harvest Plans. FOREST
PRACTICE RULES
CDF Forest Practice Rules govern how forestry is executed by all landholders,
and therefore has a significant impact on the outcome of logging. The
FPP of the MRC sometimes comments on proposed changes to the state Forest
Practice Rules. If the proposed change unduly burdens small
landowners, we urge the state to adopt special measures to encourage good forest
practices even for small landowners.
GET INVOLVED
The FPP of the MRC keeps residents
and landowners informed and educated about potential timber harvest activities
in their tributary neighborhood, and urges them to express their concerns through
the public comment process. The
spirit and power wielded by a focused community of concerned people can and does
have an effect on the outcome of timber harvesting activities. If you would like
more information on Timber Harvest Plans in the Mattole, would like to view THPs,
HCPs, NTMPs, or other related documents, call Ali Freedlund at 822-4477 or email
her:
ali@mattole.org. View
a Map
depicting the distribution of old growth Douglas Fir forest in 1947 and 1988. | |
