PRESS RELEASE: Bill to Improvement Management of State-Owned Forests Heads to Governor's Desk

Legislation Aligns Forest Management Objectives with Tribal Stewardship and Conservation Targets

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  Trees within timber harvest plan in Jackson Forest by Cecilia Rodriguez

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  100 year old stand marked for logging at JDSF by EPICStaff

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  Trees w/in recent proposed Timber Harvest Plan by EPICStaff

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  Trees w/in recent proposed Timber Harvest Plan at JDSF by EPICStaff

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  Trees marked for removal in Jackson Forest by CeciliaRodriguez

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  Crimson Wax cap w/in stand of 100 year old trees marked for logging by EPICStaff

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  Bananaslug_JacksonForest_Cecilia_Rodriguez

Sacramento, Calif. — On Thursday, August 27th, the California Assembly passed legislation that will shift the management of 14 different demonstration forests around the state to better align with existing state objectives. This legislation, which would affect roughly 85,000 acres of state-owned forests, would remove a previous mandate that they had to be commercially logged, and instead direct that these public lands be managed for biodiversity, carbon storage and sequestration, recreation, research, and tribal co-management. This bill comes at a time when the Trump administration is rolling back protections for our public lands, opening up our forests and rivers that serve as wildlife habitat and popular places to recreate for degradation to strip mining, oil drilling, roads, and logging. The bill now heads to the Governor's desk to either be signed into law or vetoed.

“The Governor has an opportunity to show the rest of the nation that while the federal administration refuses to defend our precious landscapes, California will keep moving forward in protecting our forests and advancing tribal co-management of sacred places.” said Melodie Meyer of EPIC, the organization sponsoring AB 2494.

In addition to directing that state-owned lands should be managed for modern public resource objectives, such as wildfire resilience, wildlife, recreation, and carbon sequestration, the bill also aligns our state demonstration forest system with our state-codified goals around climate and land conservation. In 2020, Governor Newsom set the target for California to protect 30% of land and coastal waters by the year 2030, and was the first state in the country to do so. With the shift in management priorities that this legislation directs, the 85,000-acres of forest would allow these lands to count towards that goal. 

“AB 2494 will protect 85,000 acres of forest in California, helping us to meet the critical goal of protecting 30% of our lands and coastal waters by 2030,” said Sandra Sanchez, Executive Director of Power in Nature, a statewide coalition of over 500 community groups, environmental and conservation organizations, land trusts, Indigenous organizations, and Tribal members dedicated to advancing California’s 30×30 commitment. “With the federal government rolling back so many environmental protections, it’s critical that California stand up to protect our forests.” 

Earlier this year, California announced a new goal to expand tribal stewardship for at least 7.5 million acres of lands and coastal waters. This new chapter of tribal-state partnerships is rooted in the recognition of the state’s hand in the displacement of Native American Tribes and peoples and environmental destruction that has harmed native foodways, cultural practices, and everyday livelihoods — and recognizes that returning the management of land to its original stewards is wholly beneficial. 

“Our hope is Governor Newsom chooses a path forward for Demonstration Forest systems inclusive of Tribal co-management and surveys, meaningful consultation and conservation plans,” Nikcole Whipple of the Round Valley Indian Tribes stated. “The Pomo and Yuki occupied and stewarded what is now known as the Jackson State Demonstration Forest in Mendocino County since time immemorial. The land yearns for the guidance learned over millennia that we call ‘traditional ecological knowledge’ from the Yuki and Northern Pomo.”

The legislation will also bring our state demonstration forests up to speed with the state’s climate goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions. California’s coast redwoods, the dominant species in the largest demonstration forest in the state, Jackson, sequester more carbon dioxide per acre than any other forest in the world. Climate scientists J.P. O’Brien and Evan Mills argue that given the climate emergency at present, the current management mandate for demonstration forests like Jackson increases vulnerability to the ravages of climate change. 

“Natural thinning in coast redwood forests reduces the density of small trees over time, creating a wildfire resilient landscape. In contrast, commercial logging operations can target larger fire-resilient trees, leading to a rapid increase in the density of smaller trees through clonal sprouting, thereby increasing fire hazard. Logging can also increase wildfire risk due to an increase in solar radiation on the forest floor, accompanied by the accumulation of fine fuels from discarded slash and woody debris. AB 2494 balances management priorities in order to safely manage 85,000-acres for wildfire resilience and the changing climate,” stated Will Russell, PhD, and Professor of Environmental Studies at San José State University.

By placing a heavy emphasis on restoration forestry and research, AB 2494 would also create economic stability for rural communities who have historically relied on commercial logging to provide jobs and tax revenue. 

“Rural economies have long been built on resource extraction, a model with a ceiling that keeps getting lower. AB 2494 offers something bolder: pursuing the highest and best use of our forests for the benefit of all Californians, while creating real, diversified economic opportunities that support greater self-sufficiency in rural communities. It keeps our existing forest workforce employed with more stable funding, while expanding research to meet the urgency of climate change,” said Ted Williams, Mendocino County Supervisor.

Tribes, environmentalists, and rural communities are hopeful that Newsom should sign the legislation. Not only does it align with several goals championed during his administration, it also demonstrates to voters across the nation that he values tribal sovereignty, stewarding healthy and resilient forests for future generations, and rural economies that rely on restoration and outdoor recreation economies to fuel the local workforce.

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