California Code of Regulations
Title 14 - Natural Resources
Division 1.5 - Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Chapter 4 - Forest Practices
Subchapter 1 - Abbreviations and Definitions
Article 1 - Abbreviations and Definitions
Section 895.1 - Definitions
Universal Citation: 14 CA Code of Regs 895.1
Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024
The definitions contained in the Z'berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 as amended (commencing with PRC § 4511) shall apply to this chapter, as well as the following definitions, unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
| Defined word or phrase | PRC Sec. Containing Ref. Def. |
| "Abandoned Road" means a Logging Road on which proactive measures have been applied to effectively remove it from the Permanent Road network. | |
| "Abandonment" means implementing measures to effectively remove an existing Logging Road, Landing, or Logging Road Watercourse crossing from the Permanent Road network. | |
| "Act" means the Z'berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973 as currently amended. (Commencing with § 4511 of the Public Resources Code.) | 4511 |
| "Active Channel Width" means the width of a Watercourse channel at the height of the active channel. The Active Channel Width may be indicated by absence of vegetation or the presence of actively scoured sediment (see Figure 4). |
| Defined word or phrase | PRC Sec. Containing Ref. Def. | |
| "Active nest" means a bird Nest Site at which breeding efforts have recently occurred as determined by the CDFW, as specified below: | ||
| For the Great blue heron, Great egret, recently means within the last two years. | ||
| For the Golden eagle, Osprey, Goshawk, recently means within the last three years. | ||
| For the Bald eagle and Peregrine falcon, recently means within the last five years. | ||
| Nests that have not been used within this time period are considered abandoned. | ||
| "Activity Center" means a known northern spotted owl site documented from detections, pursuant to the USFWS document "Protocol For Surveying Proposed Management Activities That May Impact Northern Spotted Owls" revised January 9, 2012, hereby incorporated by reference. | ||
| (a) An Activity Center is established by: | ||
| (1) Resident Single Status is established by: | ||
| (A) The presence or response of a single owl within the same general area on three or more occasions within a breeding season, with no response by an owl of the opposite sex after a complete survey; | ||
| (B) Multiple responses over several years (i.e., two responses in year one (1) and one response in year 2, from the same general area). | ||
| (2) Pair Status Unknown is where the presence or response of two birds of the opposite sex is detected but pair status cannot be determined and where at least one member must meet the resident single requirements. | ||
| (3) Pair Status wherein a male and female are heard and/or observed (either initially or through their movement) in proximity (less than one-quarter mile apart) to each other on the same visit; or a male takes a mouse to a female; or a female is detected on the nest; or one or both adults are observed with young. | ||
| (4) Unoccupied Status where no responses have been obtained from a previously identified northern spotted owl Activity Center after three (3) years of survey, barring other evidence to the contrary. | ||
| An Activity Center with unoccupied status will not be considered an Activity Center when it has been evaluated and a determination made by the Director. The determination shall be based upon available information on survey history, habitat conditions within the home range, and changes to habitat that may have occurred since the northern spotted owl site was first identified. | ||
| "Adequate Site Occupancy" means the range of Stocking levels which provide a balance between the largest number of trees per acre capable of maximum individual tree growth on future crop trees and maximum overall stand growth. This balance is achieved when Stocking levels are within Zones 2 and 3 of the Langsaeter curve, as shown in "The Practice of Silviculture", by David Smith (1962). | ||
| "Alternative Prescription" means a written analysis of preharvest and postharvest timber stand conditions and a description of the silvicultural practices and systems to be used in lieu of the standard methods. | ||
| "Approved and Legally Permitted Structure" means only structures that are designed for human occupancy and garages, barns, stables, and structures used to enclose fuel tanks. | ||
| "Approved and Legally Permitted Habitable Structure" means a building that contains one or more dwelling units or that can be occupied for residential use. Buildings occupied for residential use include single family homes, multi-dwelling structure, mobile and manufactured homes, and condominiums. A habitable structure does not include commercial, industrial, or incidental buildings such as detached garages, barns, outdoor sanitation facilities, and sheds. | ||
| "Appurtenant Road" means a Logging Road under the ownership or control of the Timber Owner, Timberland Owner, Timber Operator, or Plan submitter that will be used for log hauling. | ||
| "Archaeological Coverage Map" means the map or maps required as part of a Confidential Archaeological Addendum or a Confidential Archaeological Letter pursuant to 14 CCR §§ 929.1 [949.1, 969.1](c)(9) and 1052(a)(10). The map(s) shall contain a north arrow, a scale, and accurately display the project boundary, the Site Survey Area showing survey intensity(ies), and specific location of all archaeological and historical sites identified within the Site Survey Area. The map(s) must be on a 1:1 scale copy of a USGS 7.5'quadrangle(s), or digitally generated topographical equivalent. Additional maps at other scales may be required to more accurately display required information or increase clarity. | ||
| "Average slope" means the arithmetic average of a sample of slopes taken systematically over the area to which the average is to be applied. | ||
| "Bankfull stage" means the stage that occurs when discharge fills the entire channel cross section without significant inundation of the adjacent floodplain, and has a recurrence interval of 1.5 to 2.0 years. | ||
| "Basal Area Per Acre", pursuant to PRC § 4528(a), means the sum of the cross-sectional areas at breast height of the tree stems of Commercial Species per acre. | 4528(a) | |
| "Beneficial Functions of Riparian Zone" means the specific role of the Riparian zone to provide protection for water temperature control, streambed and flow modification by large Woody Debris, filtration of organic and inorganic material, upslope stability, bank and channel stabilization and vegetative structure diversity for fish and wildlife habitat. | ||
| "Beneficial Use" means those uses of water as defined by § 13050(f) of the Water Code and as described in the applicable Water Quality Control Plan. | ||
| "Berm" means a curb, dike, or linear mound of earth that is constructed to control water and direct roadway runoff waters or that has developed through road grading activities. | ||
| "Board", pursuant to PRC § 4521.3, means the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. | 4521.3 | |
| "Broadcast Burning" means the use of fire to burn over a designated area to prepare it for regeneration, to reduce fuel hazard, or to achieve a management objective consistent with the Act and Rules. It does not include burning of organic matter which is piled during mechanical Site Preparation. | ||
| "Brood Material" as used in these Rules refers to any cut or downed portion of a tree's stem greater than three inches with intact undeteriorated bark. | ||
| "Buffer zone" means the area of protection surrounding a Nest Tree in which Timber Operations must be conducted in accordance with the provisions set forth in these regulations. A Buffer Zone does not constitute a Special Treatment Area. | ||
| "Cable roads" means the path followed by logs being yarded by a cable system. | ||
| "Cable Yarding" means that system of Skidding (transporting) logs by means of cable (wire rope) to the Yarding machine (yarder) or a Landing while the yarder remains stationary. | ||
| "CAL FIRE Review Team Office" means the office of the Director's representative(s) or Chairperson(s) as listed under 14 CCR § 1032. (ref. 14 CCR §§ 1037.5. and 1090.19). | ||
| "Canopy" means the more or less continuous layer of branches and foliage formed collectively by the crowns of adjacent trees and other woody Species. | ||
| "Channel Migration Zone" means the area where the main channel of a Watercourse can reasonably be expected to shift position on its floodplain laterally through avulsion or lateral erosion during the period of time required to grow forest trees from the surrounding area to a mature size, except as modified by a permanent levee or dike. The result may be the loss of beneficial Functions of the Riparian zone or Riparian habitat (see Figure 1). | ||
Figure 1. Plan view diagram of a simple Channel Migration Zone designation.
| Defined word or phrase | PRC Sec. Containing Ref. Def. | |
| "Channel Zone" means that area located between the Watercourse Transition Lines. | ||
| For the Coast Forest District: | ||
| "Coastal Commission Special Treatment Area" means an identifiable and geographically bounded forest area designated within the Coastal Zone that constitutes a significant wildlife and/or plant habitat area, area of special scenic significance, and any land where Timber Operations could adversely affect public recreation areas or the biological productivity of any wetland, estuary, or Stream especially valuable because of its role in a coastal ecosystem.1 (Reference: Section 31118.5, Public Resources Code.) | ||
| For the Southern Forest District: | ||
| "Coastal Commission Special Treatment Area" means an identifiable and geographically bounded forest area designated within the Coastal Zone that constitutes a significant wildlife and/or plant habitat area, area of special scenic significance, and any land where Timber Operations could adversely affect public recreation areas or the biological productivity of any wetland, estuary, or Stream especially valuable because of its role in the coastal ecosystem. Special Treatment Areas were adopted by the Coastal Commission on July 5, 1977. Maps or designations of "Coastal Commission Special Treatment Areas" are on file in the Department offices within the Southern Forest District.2 (Reference: Section 31118.5, Public Resources Code.) | ||
| "Codominants" means trees with crowns forming the general level of the forest Canopy and receiving full light from above, but comparatively little light from the sides. Codominants usually have medium-sized crowns, but are crowded on the sides. | ||
| For the Coast Forest District: | ||
| "Commercial Species" means those Species found in Group A and those in Group B that are found on lands where the Species in Group A are now growing naturally or have grown naturally in the recorded past. | ||
| Group A | --coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) | |
| --Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) | ||
| --grand fir (Abies grandis) | ||
| --western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) | ||
| --western redcedar (Thuja plicata) | ||
| --bishop pine (Pinus muricata) | ||
| --Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) | ||
| --incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) | ||
| --Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) | ||
| --California red fir (Abies magnifica) | ||
| --white fir (Abies concolor) | ||
| --Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi) | ||
| --ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) | ||
| --sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana) | ||
| --western white pine (Pinus monticola) | ||
| Group B | --tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus) | |
| --red alder (Alnus rubra) | ||
| --white alder (Alnus rhombilfolia) | ||
| --Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii) | ||
| --golden chinkapin (Chrysolepis chrysophylla) | ||
| --California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica) | ||
| --Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) | ||
| --California black oak (Quercus kelloggii) | ||
| --Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) | ||
| Defined word or phrase | PRC Sec. Containing Ref. Def. | |
| For the Northern Forest District: | ||
| "Commercial Species" means those Species found in Group A and those in Group B that are found on lands where the Species in Group A are now growing naturally or have grown naturally in the recorded past. | ||
| Group A | --sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana) | |
| --ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) | ||
| --Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi) | ||
| -- western white pine (Pinus monticola) | ||
| -- lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) | ||
| -- coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) | ||
| -- white fir (Abies concolor) | ||
| -- California red fir (Abies magnifica) | ||
| -- noble fir (Abies procera) | ||
| -- Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) | ||
| -- incense-cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) | ||
| -- Port Orford cedar (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana) | ||
| Group B | -- knobcone pine (Pinus attenuata) | |
| -- gray pine (Pinus sabiniana) | ||
| -- California black oak (Quercus kelloggii) | ||
| -- Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) | ||
| -- tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus) | ||
| -- mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) | ||
| -- Brewer spruce (Picea breweriana) | ||
| -- Englemann spruce (Picea englemanii) | ||
| -- giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) | ||
| -- golden chinkapin (Chrysolepis chrysophylla) | ||
| -- foxtail pine(Pinus balfouriana) | ||
| -- white alder (Alnus rhombifolia) | ||
| -- Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) | ||
| -- Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii) | ||
| -- California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica) | ||
| -- Western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) | ||
| For the Southern Forest District: | ||
| "Commercial Species" means those Species found in Group A and those in Group B that are found on lands where the Species in Group A are now growing naturally or have grown naturally in the recorded past. | ||
| Group A | --Coulter pine (Pinus coulteri) | |
| --Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi) | ||
| --ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) | ||
| --sugar pine (Pinus lambertiana) | ||
| --lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) | ||
| --western white pine (Pinus monticola) | ||
| --Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) | ||
| --California red fir (Abies magnifica) | ||
| --white fir (Abies concolor) | ||
| --incense cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) | ||
| --coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) | ||
| --giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) | ||
| --mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana) | ||
| Group B | --white alder (Alnus rhombifolia) | |
| --cottonwood (Populus fremontii) | ||
| --Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) | ||
| --Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii) | ||
| --California black oak (Quercus kelloggii) | ||
| --tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus) | ||
| Defined word or phrase | PRC Sec. Containing Ref. Def. |
| "Community Fuelbreak Area" means a shaded Fuelbreak approved by a Public Fire Agency as part of a fire prevention plan for fire protection, ignition management, prefire management or other fire defense improvements. Within a shaded Fuelbreak, vegetation is managed to reduce the potential for wildfire damage and provides a direct benefit to defensible space as defined in 14 CCR § 1271. Community Fuelbreak Areas include defensible space areas within 200 feet of Approved and Legally Permitted Structures, as defined in 14 CCR § 895.1, and those areas comprising systems of Fuelbreaks that are designed or approved by a Public Fire Agency as part of a fire prevention plan. | |
| "Compatible Use" means uses which do not significantly detract from the use of the property for, or inhibit, growing and harvesting timber, and shall include those specified in Government Code § 51104(h) unless in specific instances such use would be contrary to this definition. | |
| "Concentration" means an accumulation of Slash, limbs, tops, slabs or other logging debris that exceeds 30 inches (76.2 cm) in height above the ground and covers more than 100 square feet (9.29 m2) of surface area except that individual logs not associated with other logging debris which exceed these dimensions shall not be considered a concentration of slash or logging debris. | |
| "Confidential Archaeological Addendum" means the archaeological and historical resources survey and impact assessment report prepared for a proposed timber operation. The addendum is confidential to the extent permitted pursuant to Government Code §§ 6254(r) and 6254.10. It shall not be included in any document provided to the public. It shall contain all information required by 14 CCR §§ 929.1, 929.2, 929.3, 929.7, 949.1, 949.2, 949.3, 949.7, 969.1, 969.2, 969.3, 969.7. | |
| "Confidential Archaeological Letter" means the archaeological and historical resources survey and impact assessment prepared for an Emergency Notice covering three acres or more in size. It is included with the submittal of the Emergency Notice to the Director and contains all information required by 14 CCR § 929.1 [949.1, 969.1](c)(2), (3), (7), (8), (9), (10) and (11), including site records, as required pursuant to 14 CCR §§ 929.1 [949.1, 969.1](g) and 929.5 [949.5, 969.5]. The information may be presented in either a letter or report format. It is confidential to the extent permitted pursuant to Government Code §§ 6254(r) and 6254.10 and shall not be included in any document provided to the public. | |
| "Confined Channel" means a Watercourse with an incised channel that does not shift position on a floodplain, the channel has no contiguous flat, Flood Prone Areas, and the width of the valley floor is less than 2 times the channel width at Bankfull stage. | |
| "Connected Headwall Swale" means a geomorphic feature consisting of a concave depression with convergent slopes, typically of 65 percent or greater steepness that is connected to a Watercourse or Lake by way of a continuous linear depression and that has been sculpted over geologic time by shallow landslide events. The slope profile is typically smooth and unbroken by benches, but may be interrupted by recent landslide deposits or scars. Emergent groundwater and Wet Areas may exist at the base of the swale. Soil and colluvium depth is typically greatest at the axis of the swale, thinning to either side. | |
| "Countable Tree", pursuant to PRC § 4528(b), means a tree that can be used in calculating the degree of Stocking under the following criteria: | 4528(b) |
| (1) The tree must be in place at least two growing seasons. | |
| (2) The tree must be Live and Healthy. | |
| (3) The tree must have at least one-third of its length in live crown, except in pure stands of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) the tree must have at least one-fourth of its length in live crown. | |
| (4) The tree must be a Commercial Species from a local seed source or a seed source which the Registered Professional Forester determines will produce commercial trees physiologically suited for the area involved. | |
| "Critical Dip" means a constructed dip or low point across a Logging Road surface down grade from, or over, a Logging Road Watercourse crossing that functions to prevent crossing overflow from draining down the road and minimizes Fill erosion. | |
| "Critical Period" means the time of year when the special Timber Operations practices set forth in these regulations are required to minimize nesting disturbance to a Species of special concern. | |
| "Crop of Trees," within the meaning of PRC § 4526, means any number of trees which can be harvested commercially. | |
| "Crowning" means creating a road surface with a convex cross sectional profile that drains runoff toward both sides of the road. | |
| "Cumulative Impacts" means those impacts as defined in 14 CCR § 15355. | |
| "Current Archaeological Records Check" means a review of the State's archaeological and historical resource files conducted at the appropriate Information Center of the California Historical Resource Information System for the area which could be affected by Timber Operations. The Office of Historical Preservation, which is within the Department of Parks and Recreation, has the address for the regional Information Center a Person must contact. The records check must have been conducted within five years prior to the date a THP, NTMP, WFMP, or Emergency Notice of 3 acres or more is submitted to the Director. | |
| "Cutting Method" means silvicultural method within the Southern Subdistrict of the Coast Forest District. | |
| "Damaging Effects" means demolition, destruction, relocation, or significant alteration of an archaeological or historical site or resource before the significance of the site is determined. | |
| "Danger Tree" means any tree located on or adjacent to a utility right-of- way or facility that could damage utility facilities should it fall where (1) the tree leans toward the right-of-way, or (2) the tree is defective because of any cause, such as: heart or root rot, shallow roots, excavation, bad crotch, dead or with dead top, deformity, cracks or splits, or any other reason that could result in the tree or main lateral of the tree falling. See chapter VII, Hazardous Tree Identification, Powerline Fire Prevention Field Guide -- 1977, A joint Publication of the California Department of Forestry, U.S. Forest Service, and U.S. Bureau of Land Management. | |
| "Deactivated Road" means a Logging Road that is part of the Permanent Road network where measures have been implemented to prevent active use by logging trucks and standard production four-wheel drive highway vehicles. | |
| "Deactivation" means implementing measures necessary to prevent the active use of an existing Logging Road, Landing, or Logging Road Watercourse crossing. | |
| "Decadent and Deformed Trees of Value to Wildlife": Trees, either conifers or hardwoods, that are not countable per PRC § 4528 but which exhibit characteristics of substantial value to wildlife including but not limited to such features as broken tops, dead tops, forked tops, nests, mistletoe clumps, substantial decay and cavities. | |
| "Department" means the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). | |
| "Diameter" when measuring standing live trees, means the average Diameter of a tree measured outside the bark, at breast eight, a point 4.5 feet (1.37m) above the average ground level. | |
| "Director" means the Director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). | |
| "Diseased Trees" means trees which have abnormal physiological conditions or structural changes that result in a substantial adverse effect on the trees' health or threatens to spread the disease, thus threatening the sustained health of surrounding trees. These conditions or structural changes express characteristic signs or symptoms and are caused by identifiable biotic or abiotic agents including but not limited to fungi, bacteria, insects, parasitic plants, vertebrates, lightning, fire and mechanical wounds. | |
| "District" pursuant to PRC § 4523, means a forest District. 4523 | |
| "Ditch Drain" means a Drainage Structure or facility which will move water from an inside road ditch to an outside area. | |
| "Domestic Water Use" means the use of water in homes, resorts, motels, organization camps, developed campgrounds, including the incidental watering of domestic stock for family sustenance or enjoyment and the irrigation of not more than one half acre in lawn, ornamental shrubbery, or gardens at any single establishment. The use of water at a developed campground or resort for human consumption, cooking or sanitary purposes is a domestic use. | |
| "Dominants" means trees with well-developed crowns extending above the general level of the forest Canopy and receiving full light from above and partly from the sides. | |
| "Drainage Facilities" means facilities constructed to control water, including, but not limited to, Fords, inside ditches, Waterbreaks, Outsloping and Rolling Dips. | |
| "Drainage Structure" means a structure installed to control, divert or to cross over water, including, but not limited to, culverts, bridges and Ditch Drains. | |
| "Dunning's Classification" although initially devised exclusively for pine, here is intended to apply to all commercial coniferous Species and means a system of tree classification based on maturity of trees, age, position of tree crown in stand, shape of top, Diameter, density of foliage and risk or susceptibility of tree to insect and other mortality where trees are classed as follows: | |
| Class 1. Tree immature, 60 to 150 years of age, crown dominant or extending above general level of the crown cover, top pointed, d.b.h. up to 30 inches (76.2 cm), foliage dense and risk good. | |
| Class 2. Tree immature, 60 to 150 years of age, crown codominant or equal to general level of the crown cover, top pointed, d.b.h. up to 24 inches (61.0 cm), foliage dense and risk good. | |
| Class 3. Tree mature, 150 to 300 years of age, crown dominant or extending above general level of the crown cover, top rounded, d.b.h. 18 inches (45.7 cm) to 40 inches (101.6 cm), foliage moderately dense and risk fair to good. | |
| Class 4. Tree mature, 150 to 300 years of age, crown codominant or equal to general level of the crown cover, top rounded and risk poor to fair. | |
| Class 5. Tree overmature, over 300 years of age, crown dominant or extending above the general level of the crown cover, top flat, foliage thin, and risk poor. | |
| Class 6. Tree immature, 60 to 150 years of age, crown intermediate to or Suppressed by the general level of the crown cover, top pointed, d.b.h. 12 inches (30.5 cm) to 15 inches (38.1 cm), foliage moderately dense and risk fair to good. | |
| Class 7. Tree mature or overmature, over 150 years of age, crown intermediate or Suppressed by the general level of the crown cover, top flat, d.b.h. rarely over 18 inches (45.7 cm), foliage sparse and risk poor. (Reference: § 4531, Public Resources Code.) | |
| "Dying Trees" means trees which exhibit one or more of the following: fifty percent or more of the foliage-bearing crown is dead or fading in color from a normal green to yellow, sorrel, or brown, excluding normal autumn coloration changes; successful bark beetle attacks with indications of dead cambium and brood development distributed around the circumference of the bole; seventy-five percent or more of the circumference of the lower bole is girdled by wildlife; or trees designated by an RPF as likely to die within one year. | |
| "Effects" means Effects and Impacts as defined in 14 CCR § 15358. | |
| "Emergency" means those conditions that will cause waste or loss of timber resources to the Timber Owner that may be minimized by immediate harvesting of infected, infested or damaged timber or salvaging down timber, or those conditions that will cause appreciable financial loss to the Timber Owner that may be minimized by immediate harvesting of timber. | |
| "Energy Dissipator" means a device or material used to reduce the energy of flowing water. | |
| "Equipment Exclusion Zone (EEZ)" means the area, as explained in the THP, where heavy equipment associated with Timber Operations is totally excluded for the protection of water quality, the Beneficial Uses of water, and/or other forest resources. | |
| "Equipment Limitation" is the term used when the use of timber harvesting equipment is to be limited for the protection of water quality, the Beneficial Uses of water, and/or other forest resources. | |
| "Equipment Limitation Zone (ELZ)" means the area, as explained in the THP, where heavy equipment associated with Timber Operations is limited for the protection of water quality, the Beneficial Uses of water, and/or other forest resources. | |
| "Erosion Controls" means Drainage Facilities, soil stabilization treatments, road and Landing Abandonment, removal and treatment of Watercourse crossings, and any other features or actions to reduce surface erosion, gullying, channel erosion, and mass erosion. | |
| "Erosion Hazard Rating" means the rating derived from the procedure specified in 14 CCR § 912.5 [932.5, 952.5] designed to evaluate the susceptibility of the soil within a given location to erosion. | |
| "Excess Material" means excavated material that is not used as a functional part of the road or Landing. Excess Material is synonymous with spoils. | |
| "Executive Officer" means the Executive Officer of the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection authorized by PRC § 739. | |
| "Extended Dry Periods" means those periods during the Winter Period when saturated soil conditions do not exist. | |
| "Extended Wet Weather Period" means the period from October 15 to May 1. | |
| "Feasible" means capable of being accomplished in a successful manner within a reasonable period of time, taking into account economic, environmental, legal, social and technical factors. With regard to economic feasibility, the issue shall be whether the Plan as revised could be conducted on a commercial basis within 5 (five) years of the submission of the Plan and not solely on the basis of whether extra cost is required to carry out the alternatives. | |
| "Fill" means material that is mechanically placed and built up in compacted lifts to form a roadbed or Landing surface. Fill includes the material placed around culverts and related Drainage Structures at Logging Road Watercourse crossings. | |
| For the Coast Forest District: | |
| "Fire Protection Zone" means that portion of the Logging Area within 100 feet (30.48 m), as measured along the surface of the ground, from the edge of the traveled surface of all Public Roads and railroads; and within 200 feet (60.96 m), as measured along the surface of the ground, from permanently located structures currently maintained for human habitation. | |
| "Flood Flow" means that magnitude of peak flow that would, on the average, be equaled or exceeded once every specified period of years (e.g. once every 10 year, 50 years, 100 years). This flow shall be estimated by Flood Flow measurement records and by empirical relationships between precipitation, watershed characteristics, and runoff, and may be modified by direct channel cross-section measurements informed by local experience. | |
| "Flood Prone Area" means an area contiguous to a Watercourse Channel Zone that is periodically flooded by overbank flow. Indicators of Flood Prone Areas may include diverse Fluvial landforms, such as overflow side channels or oxbow Lakes, Hydric vegetation, and deposits of fine-grained sediment between duff layers or on the bark of hardwoods and conifers. The outer boundary of the Flood Prone Area may be determined by field indicators such as the location where valley slope begins (i.e., where there is a substantial percent change in slope, including terraces, the toes of the alluvial fan, etc.), a distinct change in soil/plant characteristics, and the absence of silt lines on trees and residual evidence of floatable debris caught in brush or trees. Along laterally stable Watercourses lacking a Channel Migration Zone where the outer boundary of the Flood Prone Area cannot be clearly determined using the field indicators above, it shall be determined based on the area inundated by a 20-year recurrence interval Flood Flow event, or the elevation equivalent to twice the distance between a Thalweg Riffle Crest and the depth of the channel a Bankfull stage. When both a Channel Migration Zone and Flood Prone Area are present, the boundaries established by the Channel Migration Zone supersedes the establishment of a Flood Prone Area. | |
| "Fluvial" means the processes associated with rivers and Streams and the deposits and landforms created by them. | |
| For the Northern Forest District: | |
| "Fire Protection Zone" means that portion of the Logging Area within 100 feet (30.48 m), as measured along the surface of the ground, from the edge of the traveled surface of all Public Roads and railroads, and 50 feet (15.24 m) as measured along the surface of the ground from the traveled surface of all private roads, and within 100 feet (30.48 m), as measured along the surface of the ground, from permanently located structures currently maintained for human habitation. (Reference: § 4561.6, Public Resources Code.) | |
| For the Southern Forest District: | |
| "Fire Protection Zone" means that portion of the Logging Area within 100 feet (30.48 m), as measured along the surface of the ground, from the edge of the traveled surface of all Public Roads and railroads; and within 200 feet (60.96 m), as measured along the surface of the ground from permanently located structures currently maintained for human habitation. | |
| "Ford" means a Logging Road Watercourse crossing where the road grade dips through the Watercourse channel. This includes but is not limited to one of the following construction types: | |
| - "Rock-armored crossing" means a Logging Road Watercourse crossing where fill is placed in the channel to establish a usable road grade and the outfall of the crossing and road surface are protected against scour by revetment composed of rock. | |
| - "Rock-fill crossing" means a Logging Road Watercourse crossing where rock that is free of fines is placed as fill in the channel to establish a usable road grade through the crossing. | |
| - "Vented crossing" means a Logging Road Watercourse crossing designed to allow low water flow in the stream channel to pass through the structure, usually through a culvert, and high water flow to pass over the roadway. | |
| - p road surface crosses at the natural grade of the channel and the channel surface is composed of stable native material sufficient to support crossing use. | |
| "Fuel break", pursuant to PRC § 4528(e), means a strip of modified fuel to provide a line from which to work in the control of fire. | 4528(e) |
| "Functional Wildlife Habitat" means vegetative structure and Composition which function to provide essential characteristics for wildlife feeding, Reproduction, cover and movement between habitats. The habitat components must be in sufficient quantities and arrangement to support the diverse assemblage of wildlife Species that are normally found on or use forestlands within that area. Within this definition the following terms mean: | |
| Function(al): Refers to ecological relationships between both the habitat components and needs of the Species which allows for all of the normal life cycle including, migration corridors, genetic pathways, food availability, temperature protection, moisture retention, nutrient cycling, denning, spawning, nesting, and other functions necessary to complete a life cycle. | |
| Composition: Refers to the types, abundance, distribution, and ecological relationships of Species of terrestrial and aquatic vegetation within the forest stand including, dominance, richness, trophic levels and other population and community features at levels which affect the long-term survival of individual forest Species. | |
| Structure: Refers to the physical arrangement of and relationships between living and non-living terrestrial and aquatic components within the forest stand including, age, size, height and spacing of live vegetation in the forest in addition to seeps, spawning gravels, pools, springs, Snags, logs, den trees, meadows, Canopy coverage, levels of canopies and other physical features necessary to allow Species to function. | |
| "Good Cause is Shown" as used in PRC § 4590 means when: the Plan submitter presents facts which describe the factors beyond the control of the Plan submitter and his or her agents, such as market conditions, weather, technical difficulties or natural disaster, that have prevented Feasible completion of the timber operation within the effective period of the Plan. | |
| "Hard Frozen Conditions" means those frozen soil conditions where loaded or unloaded vehicles can travel without sinking into the road surfaces to a depth of more than six inches over a distance of more than 25 feet. | |
| "Harm" means an act where it actually kills or injures a federally listed wildlife Species. Such acts may include a significant habitat modification or degradation which actually kills or injures wildlife by significantly impairing essential behavior patterns, including breeding, feeding or sheltering. | |
| "Harass" means an intentional or negligent act or omission which creates the likelihood of injury to a federally listed wildlife Species by annoying it to such an extent as to significantly disrupt normal behavioral patterns which include, but are not limited to, breeding, feeding or sheltering. | |
| "Harvest Area" means the area where trees are felled and removed. | |
| "Harvesting Method" means the process used to cut and remove timber. It may have as its Silvicultural objective either stand regeneration or Intermediate Treatments. | |
| "Historic Road" means an existing road, including associated Landings and Watercourse crossings, that is not part of the Permanent Road network and that has not been maintained or proactively abandoned. | |
| "Hydric" means a soil that formed under conditions of saturation, flooding, or ponding long enough during the growing season to develop anaerobic conditions in the upper portions of the soil profile. | |
| "Hydrologic Disconnection" means the removal of direct routes of drainage or overland flow of road runoff to a Watercourse or Lake. | |
| "Impacts" means Effects and Impacts as defined in 14 CCR § 15358. | |
| "Inner Gorge" means a geomorphic feature formed by coalescing scars originating from landsliding and erosional processes caused by active Stream erosion. The feature is identified as that area beginning immediately adjacent to the Stream channel below the first break in slope. | |
| "Insloping" means shaping the Logging Road or Landing surface to drain toward a cutbank or inside ditch. | |
| "Intermediate treatments" means harvests conducted to modify or guide the development of an existing stand of trees, but not to replace (regenerate) the stand with a new one. The treatments involve the removal of trees to allow expansion of the crowns and root systems. | |
| "Intermediates" means trees with crowns below the general level of the forest Canopy and receiving little light from either above or the sides. Intermediates have minimally-developed crowns and are crowded on the sides. | |
| "Ladder Fuels" means vegetative fuels that can spread a fire vertically between or within a fuel type. | |
| "Lake" is a permanent natural body of water of any size, or an artificially impounded body of water having a surface area of at least one acre, isolated from the sea, and having an area of open water of sufficient depth and permanency to prevent complete coverage by rooted aquatic plants. | |
| "Lake Tahoe Region" means those portions of Placer and El Dorado Counties lying within the authority of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. | |
| "Lake Transition Line" means that line closest to the Lake where mesic vegetation is permanently established. | |
| "Landing" means that area where forest products are concentrated prior to loading for transportation to market. | |
| "Late Succession Forest Stands" means stands of Dominant and Predominant Trees that meet the criteria of WHR class 5M, 5D, or 6 with an open, moderate or dense Canopy closure classification, often with multiple Canopy layers, and are at least 20 acres in size. Functional characteristics of late succession forests include large decadent trees, Snags, and large down logs. | |
| "Layout" means a prepared bed into which a tree is felled. A Layout is generally constructed by tractor and is intended to reduce the breakage that occurs during the felling of trees. | |
| "License", pursuant to PRC § 4524, means a License to engage in Timber Operations issued pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with § 4571 of Chapter 8 of PRC). | 4524 |
| "Listed Species" means a plant or animal Species which is listed as rare, threatened or endangered under federal or state law, or a Sensitive Species by the Board. | |
| "Live and Healthy" as used in PRC § 4528(b)(2) means a tree that is a potential crop tree. | |
| "Log Culvert" means a Drainage Structure consisting of logs or logs and Fill material placed in a drainage in such a manner as to allow for the passage of water. Also commonly referred to as a "Humboldt crossing." | |
| "Logging Area" means that area on which Timber Operations are being conducted as shown on the map accompanying the Timber Harvesting Plan, and within 100 feet as measured on the surface of the ground, from the edge of the traveled surface of Appurtenant Roads owned or controlled by the Timberland Owner, Timber Operator or Timber Owner, and being used during the harvesting of the particular area. The traveled surface of such Appurtenant Roads is also part of the Logging Area. | |
| "Logging road" means a road other than a Public Road used by trucks going to and from Landings to transport logs and other forest products. | |
| "Logging Road Surface Drainage Network" means the system of Drainage Facilities and structures associated with Logging Roads, which are used to control, divert, or cross over water. | |
| "Long-term significant adverse effect on fish, wildlife, or Listed Species known to be primarily associated with Late Succession Forest Stands" means an effect that creates an identifiable trend or set of conditions which provide a substantial level of scientific evidence that a population of one or more Species of fish, wildlife, or Listed Species primarily associated with Late Succession Forest Stands will become extirpated from a significant portion of its current range in the Forest District within the planning horizon. | |
| "Long Term Sustained Yield" means the average annual growth sustainable by the inventory predicted at the end of a 100 year planning period. | |
| For the Coast Forest District: | |
| "Lopping" means severing and spreading of Slash so that no part of it remains more than 30 inches (76.2 cm) above the ground. | |
| For the Northern Forest District: | |
| "Lopping" means severing and spreading of Slash so that no part of it remains more than 30 inches (76.2 cm) above the ground. (Reference: § 4551.5, Public Resources Code.) | |
| For the Southern Forest District: | |
| "Lopping" means severing limbs from the exposed sides of the unutilized portions of trees so that portions of the severed limbs are in contact with the ground. (Reference: § 4551.5, Public Resources Code.) | |
| "Lopping For Fire Hazard Reduction" means severing and spreading Slash so that no part of it generally remains more than 30 inches above the ground except where a specific rule provides another standard. | |
| "Mainline Road" means roads on non federal lands that are used as the primary route for the transportation of forest products that are fed by arterial (secondary) haul roads. | |
| "Manmade Watercourse" means a Watercourse which is constructed and maintained to facilitate man's use of water and includes, but is not limited to ditches and canals used for domestic, hydropower, irrigation, and other Beneficial Uses (Manmade Watercourses as defined do not include roadside drainage ditches). | |
| "Marking" means a painted horizontal band or other distinguishing designation which is visible from two sides of a tree, and a stump designation, if required in the THP, which is visible after felling operations. | |
| "Meadows and Wet Areas" means those areas which are moist on the surface throughout most of the year and/or support aquatic vegetation, grasses and forbs as their principal vegetative cover. | |
| "Mechanical Site Preparation" means all Site Preparation activities undertaken by motorized heavy equipment to prepare an area for regeneration. | |
| "Minor Deviations" means any change, minor in scope, in a Plan which can reasonably be presumed not to make a significant change in the conduct of Timber Operations and which can reasonably be expected not to significantly adversely affect Timberland productivity or values relating to soil, water quality, watershed, wildlife, fisheries, range and forage, recreation, and aesthetic enjoyment. | |
| "Native Americans" means the Native American Heritage Commission and those local Native American tribal groups and individuals to be notified or consulted pursuant to the Forest Practice Rules as defined in the Native American Contact List. | |
| "Native American Archaeological or Cultural Site" means any archaeological or other cultural resource that is associated with Native Americans. These sites must be identifiable by a specific physical location containing specific physical attributes. Native American Archaeological or Cultural Sites include but are not limited to: village sites, camp sites, petroglyphs, prehistoric trails, quarries, milling stations, cemeteries, ceremonial sites or traditional cultural sites and properties. | |
| "Native American Contact List" means the list that identifies those Native Americans that must be notified or consulted pursuant to the Forest Practice Rules. The Department shall maintain this list utilizing information and advice provided by the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC). The list shall identify the appropriate contacts to be notified or consulted during preparation or review of Timber Harvesting Plans. The list shall be organized by counties or portions of counties and shall include all local federally recognized tribal governments. It shall also include other California Native American organizations or individuals that the Department places on the list based upon demonstrated knowledge concerning the location of archaeological or cultural resources within California. The NAHC shall also be included as a required contact for each county on the list to enable the NAHC to complete a check of their Sacred Lands File which is authorized by PRC §§ 5097.94(a), 5097.95, and 5097.96. The list shall be posted on the Department's internet site to make it readily available to RPFs and others needing the list to comply with these rules. The list shall also be available by mail through written request to the appropriate CAL FIRE Review Team offices. At least twice annually, the Department shall update the list to provide the most current information. Each update will reflect a new revision date, so users of the list may identify which version of the list they were using. | |
| "Nest Site" means the geographic area and surrounding habitat that includes the Nest Tree(s), Perch Tree(s), screening tree(s), and Replacement Tree(s) of a bird Species of special concern. | |
| "Nest Tree" means the tree, Snag, or other structure that contains the nest of a Sensitive Species. | |
| "Northern Spotted Owl Breeding Season" means the period February 1 through July 31 for the Coast Forest District and February 1 through August 31 for the Northern Forest District. | |
| "Northern Spotted Owl Evaluation Area" means the following counties: Marin, Napa, Del Norte, Mendocino, Colusa, Tehama (west of Interstate-5), Sonoma, Humboldt, Lake, Trinity, and Glenn (west of Interstate-5) and those portions of Siskiyou and Shasta counties west of the line indicated by the following descriptions: south from the California-Oregon border along the east boundary of Township 48N, Range 2W, MDB&M ; thence west along the south boundary of Township 48N, Range 2W, MDB&M ; thence south along Secret Spring Road; thence south and east along Meiss Lake Sams Neck Road; thence southwest along U.S. Highway 97; thence, at the southern end of the town of Macdoel, south along Old State Highway to due east of Orr Mountain; thence east and south along Tennant Road to about one half mile south of the town of Tennant; thence east along Forest Highway 77 (44N01) to its junction with Forest Highway 15; thence east along 44N01; thence south along the line dividing Ranges 4E and 5E, MDB&M ; thence west along the line dividing Townships 42N and 41N, MDB&M ; thence south along the line dividing Ranges 2E and 3E, MDB&M ; thence south along State Highway 89; thence west along the Pit River to Shasta Lake; thence west along the south shore of Shasta Lake to Interstate 5; thence south along Interstate 5 to the Shasta County line. | |
| "Northern Spotted Owl Habitat" means those areas which support the owl's biological needs for breeding, sheltering, or feeding. Plans may use regional information consistent with guidance provided by the listing agency(s) or Director, or may propose alternative standards based upon substantial site-specific information for review and approval by the Director. | |
| "Occupied Nest" means a nest currently being used by one or more adult birds with eggs or young present. | |
| "Outsloping" means shaping the road surface to drain toward the outside edge of the Logging Road or Landing. | |
| "Overhanging Bank" means a condition in which the upper portion of a cut slope projects (hangs) over the lower portion of a cut slope. | |
| "Overstory" means that portion of the trees, in a forest of more than one story, forming the upper Canopy layers. | |
| "Past Projects" means previously approved, on-going, or completed projects which may add to or lessen impact(s) created by the THP under consideration. These generally include, but may not be limited to, projects completed within the last ten years. | |
| "Perch Tree" means a tree or Snag identified and designated by the RPF or Supervised Designee in consultation with the CDFW as utilized periodically by a Species of special concern for nesting, territorial defense, or as an approach to its nest or feeding area. | |
| "Permanent Road" means a Logging Road that is part of the Permanent Road network and is designed for year-round use. These roads have a surface that is suitable for maintaining a Stable Operating Surface throughout the year. | |
| "Permanent Road Network" means the permanent, seasonal, temporary, and Deactivated Roads, including Appurtenant Roads, that provide the infrastructure necessary for Timber Operations and forest management. Abandoned Roads are not part of the Permanent Road network. | |
| "Permanent Watercourse Crossing" means a Watercourse crossing that will remain in place when Timber Operations have been completed. | |
| "Person", pursuant to PRC § 4525, includes any private individual, organization, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, city, county, District, or the state or any department or agency thereof. | 4525 |
| "Plan" means: | 4582 |
| (a) Timber Harvesting Plan (THP) as described in PRC § 4582. | |
| (b) Nonindustrial Timber Management Plan (NTMP) as described in PRC § 4593.2(e). | |
| (c) Program Timber Harvesting Plan (PTHP) as described in 14 CCR §§ 1092 and 1092.1. | |
| (d) Working Forest Management Plan (WFMP) as described in PRC § 4597.1 | |
| "To Plan" means examination of Feasible alternatives, field review of alternatives, and reflection of this examination and field review in choice of road or Landing locations, and other factors, together with associated mitigation measures in the harvest Plan. | |
| "Planning Watershed" means the contiguous land base and associated watershed system that forms a fourth order or other watershed typically 10,000 acres or less in size. Planning Watersheds are used in planning forest management and assessing impacts. The Director has prepared and distributed maps identifying Planning Watersheds Plan submitters must use. Where a watershed exceeds 10,000 acres, the Director may approve subdividing it. Plan submitters may propose and use different Planning Watersheds, with the Director's approval. Examples include but are not limited to the following: when 10,000 acres or less is not a logical planning unit, such as on the Eastside Sierra Pine type, as long as the size in excess of 10,000 acres is the smallest that is practical. Third order basins flowing directly into the ocean shall also be considered an appropriate Planning Watershed. | |
| "Predominant trees" are those whose crowns are above the general level of the Canopy and are significantly older than the surrounding stand. | |
| "Pre-existing Large Wood" means, for Class III Watercourses in Watersheds with Listed Anadromous Salmonids: | |
| (a) a log or tree segment that is (i) at least 12 inches or greater in Diameter outside bark when measured at the small end, (ii) at least six feet in length, (iii) in contact with the ground, and (iv) present prior to Timber Operations. | |
| (b) a root wad that is (i) at least 12 inches or greater in Diameter outside bark when measured at the base of the trunk, (ii) in contact with the ground, and (iii) present prior to Timber Operations. | |
| "Prescribed Maintenance Period" means the time period, beginning with filing of the work completion report, provided that the report is subsequently approved, during which Erosion Controls that are required and constructed as part of Timber Operations must be maintained in a functional condition. | |
| "Professional Archaeologist" means a Person who holds at least a Bachelor of Arts or Science degree in Anthropology or Archaeology from a college or university and has completed at least three years of professional experience in research, writing, or project supervision in archaeological investigation or cultural resource management and protection programs. | |
| Program Timberland Environmental Impact Report (PTEIR), means a Program Environmental Impact Report in compliance with CEQA for ongoing management of Timberlands, including timber operatrions and related land management practices which require permits from public agencies. Subsequent PTHPs shall be tied to a PTEIR. | |
| Program Timber Harvesting Plan (PTHP), means a Timber Harvesting Plan prepared by an RPF which relies upon a PTEIR for CEQA compliance and meets the standards of PRC § 4581. PTHPs must be within the scope of the PTEIR, the Rules of the Board and other applicable state laws. | |
| "Project" means an activity which has the potential to cause a physical change in the environment, directly or ultimately, and that is 1) undertaken by a public agency, or 2) undertaken with public agency support, or 3) requires the applicant to obtain a lease, permit, license or entitlement from one or more public agencies. This includes Timber Harvesting Plans. | |
| "Properly Functioning Salmonid Habitat" means the beneficial functions of the Riparian zone are suitable for all life-history stages of listed anadromous salmonid Species that would be expected to occur in specific geomorphic conditions considering spatial and temporal variability. | |
| "Public fire agency" means California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, United States Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and other federal fire protection agencies, counties providing fire protection pursuant to PRC § 4129, or city, county, or local fire agencies. | |
| "Public Road" means a road open to the general public which is (a) in the State or County road system, or (b) a road on which a public agency has a deeded, unlimited easement. | |
| "Quality of Water" means the level of water quality as specified by the applicable Water Quality Control Plan, including its water quality objectives, policies and prohibitions. | |
| "Reasonably Foreseeable Probable Future Projects" means projects with activities that may add to or lessen impact(s) of the proposed THP including but not limited to: | |
| (1) if the project is a THP on land which is controlled by the THP submitter, the THP is currently expected to commence within but not limited to, 5 years or, | |
| (2) if the project is a THP on land which is not under the control of the THP submitter the THP has been submitted or on-the-ground work including THP preparation has materially commenced, or | |
| (3) if the project is not a THP, and a permit is required from a public agency, and the project is under environmental review by the public agency, or | |
| (4) if the project is one which is undertaken by a public agency, the agency has made a public announcement of the intent to carry out the project. | |
| "Reconstructed Roads" means those existing roads that are to be restored or improved to make them useable for hauling forest products. | |
| "Reconstructed" does not include Road Maintenance or rehabilitation that does not require substantial change in the original prism of the road. | |
| "Reconstruction of Existing Tractor Roads" means restoring or improving the surface of pre-existing Tractor Roads or skid trails in a manner that requires substantial cutting or filling of soil or rock. | |
| "Regeneration Method" means the process used to secure replacement of a forest stand. 14 CCR § 895.1, Table 1, entitled | |
| "Relationship of Standard Silvicultural Treatments to Objectives and Stand Conditions" shows the general relationships of Regeneration Methods and Intermediate Treatments to even-aged and uneven-aged management. | |
| "Registered Professional Forester" means a Person who holds a valid license as a professional forester pursuant to article 3, chapter 2, division 1 of the Public Resources Code. | |
| "Replacement Tree" means a tree or Snag within the Nest Site of a Species of special concern identified and designated by the RPF or Supervised Designee in consultation with the CDFW as being suitable as a replacement for a nest or Perch Tree should the existing tree become unusable. | |
| "Reproduction" means young trees of Commercial Species that are less than 4 inches (10.2 cm) d.b.h., i.e., seedlings and saplings. | |
| "Resource Conservation Standards", pursuant to PRC § 4525.3, means the minimum acceptable condition resulting from Timber Operations. | 4525.3 |
| "Rigging" means the cable (wire rope), blocks, and hook equipment used in cable Yarding systems. | |
| "Riparian" means the banks and other adjacent terrestrial environs of Lakes, Watercourses, estuaries, and Wet Areas, where transported surface and subsurface freshwaters provide soil moisture to support mesic vegetation. | |
| "Riparian-Associated Species" means those plant, invertebrate, amphibian, reptile, fish, or terrestrial wildlife Species that require utilization of Riparian zones during any life history stage | |
| "Rip-rap" means rock or other suitable material placed to prevent or reduce erosion. | |
| "Road Approach" means the portion of the Logging Road surface that drains overland water flow to the Watercourse crossing. | |
| "Road Failure" means damage to the roadbed not permitting vehicular passage for hauling of forest products, but does not mean cut bank or Fill sloughing incidental to road settling. | |
| "Road Maintenance" means activities that do not require substantial change to the Logging Road Prism to maintain Stable Operating Surfaces, functioning Logging Road Drainage Facilities and structures, and stable cutbanks and Fill slopes. Examples of Road Maintenance may include rocking a road surface; localized shaping or Outsloping; installation and maintenance of rolling and Critical Dips; restoring functional capacity of inboard ditches, cross drains, or culverts; and repairing water bars. | |
| "Road Management Plan" means a document submitted as part of a plan that describes the long-term management of a road system in one or more Planning Watersheds on Timberlands. A RMP identifies, evaluates, and proposes approaches to avoid or mitigate significant environmental Effects that could result from the construction, reconstruction, use, maintenance, Abandonment, and management of roads related to forest resource management activities on Timberlands. | |
| "Road Management Unit" means the part or parts of Timberland ownership(s) that are analyzed together as part of an RMP and may include areas of one or more Timberland ownerships. A Road Management Unit shall be limited to one Forest District unless otherwise approved by the Director. The landowner has the option of including within the Road Management Unit the entire ownership(s) and any areas outside the ownership that the Director agrees are part of a logical Road Management Unit based upon regulatory and ecological factors. | |
| "Road Prism" means all parts of a road including cut banks, ditches, road surfaces, road shoulders, and road Fills. | |
| "Rolling Dip" means a drainage facility that is constructed to remain effective while allowing passage of motor vehicles at reduced road speed. | |
| "Rules", pursuant to PRC § 4525.5, means the District forest practice Rules adopted by the Board, pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act. | 4525.5 |
| "Sampling Area" means the area delineated on a map accompanying a report of Stocking showing the area sampled by one of the procedures specified in 14 CCR § 10172. | |
| "Saturated Soil Conditions" means that soil and/or surface material pore spaces are filled with water to such an extent that runoff is likely to occur. Indicators of Saturated Soil Conditions may include, but are not limited to: (1) areas of ponded water, (2) pumping of fines from the soil or road surfacing material during Timber Operations, (3) loss of bearing strength resulting in the deflection of soil or road surfaces under a load, such as the creation of wheel ruts, (4) spinning or churning of wheels or tracks that produces a wet slurry, or (5) inadequate traction without blading wet soil or surfacing materials. | |
| "Scattered Parcel" means a Timberland ownership within a Planning Watershed is less that 10% of the area of the watershed and does not adjoin a Planning Watershed where the Timberland ownership is greater than 20% of the watershed. | |
| "Screening Trees" means those trees or Snags identified and designated by the RPF or Supervised Designee in consultation with the CDFW as necessary to protect Nest Trees of Species of special concern from the impacts of human activities and natural elements. | |
| "Seasonal Road" means a Logging Road that is part of the Permanent Road network that is not designed for year-round use. These roads have a surface that is suitable for maintaining a Stable Operating Surface during the period of use. | |
| "Seed Tree" a thrifty vigorous tree of Commercial Species of seed bearing age, with full crown, and free from damage caused by Timber Operations and hazard abatement which would impair seed productivity. | |
| "Sensitive Species" means those Species designated by the Board of Forestry pursuant to 14 CCR § 898.2(d). These Species are the Bald eagle, Golden eagle, Great blue heron, Great egret, Northern goshawk, Osprey, Peregrine falcon, California condor, Great gray owl, Northern Spotted Owl, and Marbled Murrelet. | |
| "Sidecast" means excess earthen material pushed or dumped over the side of a road or Landing. | |
| "Significant Adverse Impact on the Environment" means a substantial, or potentially substantial, adverse change in any of the physical conditions within the area affected by the project including land, air, water, minerals, flora, fauna, ambient noise, and objects of historic or aesthetic significance. An economic or social change by itself shall not be considered a significant effect on the environment. A social or economic change related to a physical change may be considered in determining whether the physical change is significant. | |
| "Significant Archaeological or Historical Site" means a specific location which may contain artifacts, or objects and where evidence clearly demonstrates a high probability that the site meets one or more of the following criteria: | |
| (a) Contains information needed to answer important scientific research questions. | |
| (b) Has a special and particular quality such as the oldest of its type or best available example of its type. | |
| (c) Is directly associated with a scientifically recognized important prehistoric or historic event or Person. | |
| (d) Involves important research questions that historical research has shown can be answered only with archaeological methods. | |
| (e) Has significant cultural or religious importance to Native Americans as defined in 14 CCR § 895.1. | |
| "Significant Existing or Potential Erosion Site" means a location where soil erosion is currently, or there are visible physical conditions to indicate soil erosion may be in the future, discharged to Watercourses or Lakes in quantities that violate Water Quality Requirements or result in significant individual or cumulative adverse impacts to the Beneficial Uses of water. | |
| "Significant New Information" means substantial changes in the Plan or environmental setting, as well as additional data or other information. New data or information added to a Plan is not "significant" unless the Plan is changed in a way that deprives the public of a meaningful opportunity to comment upon a substantial adverse environmental effect of the Plan or a Feasible way to mitigate or avoid such an effect (including a Feasible project alternative) that the Plan's proponents have declined to implement. "Significant New Information" requiring recirculation includes, for example, a disclosure showing that: | |
| (1) A new significant environmental impact would result from the Plan or from a new mitigation measure proposed to be implemented. | |
| (2) A substantial increase in the severity of an environmental impact would result unless mitigation measures are adopted that reduce the impact to a level of insignificance. | |
| (3) A Feasible project alternative or mitigation measure considerably different from others previously analyzed would clearly lessen the significant environmental impacts of the Plan, but the Plan's proponents decline to adopt it. | |
| (4) The Plan was so fundamentally and basically inadequate and conclusory in nature that meaningful public review and comment were precluded. | |
| "Significant Sediment Discharge" means soil erosion that is currently, or, as determined based upon visible physical conditions, may be in the future, discharged to Watercourses or Lakes in quantities that violate Water Quality Requirements or result in significant individual or cumulative adverse impacts to the Beneficial Uses of water. One indicator of a Significant Sediment Discharge is a visible increase in turbidity to receiving Class I, II, III, or IV waters. | |
| "Silviculture" is the theory and practice of controlling the establishment, Composition and growth of forests. | |
| "Silvicultural System" is the planned program of forest stand treatments during the life of a stand. It consists of a number of integrated steps conducted in logical sequence leading to maintaining a forest stand of distinctive form for the level of management intensity desired. | |
| "Silvicultural Methods" in Public Resources Code § 4852(d) is referred to as "Silvicultural Systems" for purposes of these regulations. | |
| "Site Classification", pursuant to PRC § 4528(d), means the classification of productive potential of Timberland into one of five classes by Board regulation, consistent with normally accepted forestry practices. Site I shall denote sites of highest productivity, site II and site III shall denote sites of intermediate productivity potential, and site IV and site V shall denote sites of lowest productivity potential. | 4528(d) |
| "Site Preparation" means any activity involving mechanical disturbance of soils or burning of vegetation which is performed during or after completion of timber harvesting and is associated with preparation of any portion of a Logging Area for artificial or natural regeneration. | |
| "Site Preparation Addendum" means an addendum to the THP which describes proposed Site Preparation areas, Site Preparation practices, and related measures. | |
| "Site Preparation Area" means any portion of a Logging Area in which Site Preparation is conducted. | |
| "Site Survey Area" means: the area where a field survey is conducted for archaeological and historical sites which includes the entire Logging Area except Appurtenant Roads and those portions of the 100 foot strip along such roads unless there are Timber Operations to remove commercial wood products that could affect an archaeological or historical site. | |
| "Skidding" (see "Yarding" in this section). | |
| "Slash", pursuant to PRC § 4525.7, means branches or limbs less than four inches in Diameter, and bark and split products debris left on the ground as a result of Timber Operations. | 4525.7 |
| "Slide Areas" are areas indicated by the following characteristics: | |
| 1. Shallow-seated Landslide. An area where surface material (unconsolidated rock colluvium, and soil) has moved downslope along a relatively steep, shallow failure surface. The failure surface is generally greater than 65% in steepness and less than 5 feet in depth. It is usually characterized by: (1) a scarp at the top; (2) a concave scar below the scarp, where surface material has been removed; and sometimes (3) a convex area at the bottom where slide material is deposited. Vegetation is usually disturbed (tilted trees), anomalous (younger, even-aged stand), or absent (bare soil). Minor bank slumps are excluded from this definition. | |
| 2. Deep-seated Landslide. An area where landslide material has moved downslope either as a relatively cohesive mass (rotational slides and translational block slides) or as an irregular, hummocky mass (earthflow). The failure surface is generally deeper than five feet and is usually well-exposed at the head scarp. Complex failures with rotational movement at the head and translational movement or earthflows downslope are common. Vegetation on rotational and translational slides is relatively undisturbed, although trees and shrubs may be pistol-butted or tilted. Deep-seated landsides may have intermediate tension cracks, scraps, and shallow slides superimposed throughout the slide mass. | |
| Deep-seated landslide risk is usually associated with cohesive soils. | |
| "Small Group" means groups of trees in areas up to 2 1/2 acres. | |
| "Snag" means a standing dead tree or standing section thereof, regardless of Species. | |
| "Southern Subdistrict" of the Coast Forest District is comprised of the Timberlands in the Counties of Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco and Marin situated within the boundaries of the Coast Forest District. | |
| "Special Treatment Areas" are specific locations which contain one or more of the following significant resource features which may be at risk during Timber Operations. | |
| a. Within 200 feet of the Watercourse Transition Line of federal or state designated wild and scenic rivers; | |
| b. Within 200 feet of national, state, regional, county or municipal park boundaries; | |
| c. Key habitat areas of federal or state designated threatened, rare or endangered Species; | |
| d. Coastal Commission Special Treatment Areas; | |
| e. Within 200 feet of state designated scenic highways or within scenic corridors established pursuant to Article 2.5 (commencing with § 260) of Chapter 2 of Division 1 and § 154 of Chapter 1 of Division 1 of the Streets and Highways Code. | |
| "Species" means a native Species or subspecies of animal or plant in California. | |
| "Specific Forest" means the area delineated under a timber management Plan. | |
| "Spotted Owl Expert" means a Person with at least a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Biology, Biology, Forestry, Zoology or related field and a minimum of five field seasons of verifiable northern spotted owl survey and biological evaluation work. The SOE shall possess sufficient experience, knowledge and education in order to analyze data from field conditions and present written information which substantiates why Harm and Harassment of the northern spotted owl associated with Timber Operations will be avoided. The individual shall be able to verify such experience, knowledge and education upon the Director's request. The Director shall refer all SOE qualifications received to the USFWS and CDFW for evaluation of qualifications. | |
| "Spotted Owl Resource Plan" means a plan that demonstrates an approach to preventing a taking of the northern spotted owl while conducting Timber Operations. A Spotted Owl Resource Plan involves Timber Operations conducted under Notices of Timber Operations for an NTMP, Working Forest Harvest Notices under a WFMP, and/or more than one THP. | |
| "Stable Operating Surface" means a road or Landing surface that can support vehicular traffic and has a structurally sound road base appropriate for the type, intensity and timing of intended use. | |
| "Stand Vigor" is a measure of stand health. A measure of good Stand Vigor is an exhibition of characteristics which include large live crowns or leaf surface area, high needle retention, pointed tops, crown dominance relative to other trees in the same age or size class, and disease-free. | |
| "Stocking" | 4528(c) |
| For the Coast Forest District: | |
| "Stocking Standards" mean the Resource Conservation Standards established in 14 CCR § 912.7 defining minimum acceptable Stocking of an area with commercial tree Species (Ref. 14 CCR § 912) after the harvesting of timber therefrom. | |
| For the Northern Forest District: | |
| "Stocking standards" mean the Resource Conservation Standards established in 14 CCR § 932.7 defining minimum acceptable Stocking of an area with commercial tree Species (Ref. 14 CCR § 932) after harvesting timber therefrom. (Reference: § 4561, Public Resources Code.) | |
| For the Southern Forest District: | |
| "Stocking standards" mean the Resource Conservation Standards established in 14 CCR § 952.7 defining minimum acceptable Stocking of an area with commercial tree Species (Ref. 14 CCR § 952) after harvesting timber therefrom. (Reference: § 4561, Public Resources Code.) | |
| "Stream" | 4528(f) |
| "Stream Order" means a classification method based on the branching pattern of Watercourses in a watershed. As Watercourses of equal order meet, they combine to form a Watercourse of the next higher order. A first order Watercourse is defined as the smallest unbranched Watercourse in the headwaters of a watershed (usually an ephemeral channel). When two first order Watercourse channels join, they form a second order Watercourse. Similarly, when two second order Watercourses join, they form a third order Watercourse (See Figure 2). |
Figure 2: Plan view of Stream order delineation
| Defined word or phrase | PRC Sec. Containing Ref. Def. |
| "Substantial Adverse Change" means demolition, destruction, relocation, or alteration such that the significance of an archaeological or historical site would be impaired. | |
| "Substantial Deviation" means changes that are not "Minor Deviations" as defined in § 895.1 and are presumed to be Substantial Deviations because they could significantly affect the conduct of Timber Operations and potentially could have a significant adverse effect on timber productivity or values relating to soil, water quality, watershed, wildlife, fisheries, range and forage, recreation and aesthetic enjoyment. Such actions include, but are not limited to: | |
| (1) Change in location of timber harvesting operations or enlargement of the area to be cut. | |
| (2) Change in the silvicultural method and cutting system on any portion of the Plan area. | |
| (3) Change in type or location of logging (Yarding) system or basic type of equipment. | |
| (4) Change in location, nature or increase in length of proposed Logging Roads incorporating one or more of the following criteria: | |
| (A) Any road in the Watercourse and Lake Protection Zone or where Sidecast will extend into the Watercourse and Lake Protection Zone. | |
| (B) Any road located in an extreme Erosion Hazard Rating area in the Coast or Northern Forest District, or a high Erosion Hazard Rating area in the Southern Forest District. | |
| (C) Any road where the average side slope exceeds 50%. | |
| (D) Any road where Unstable Areas, active soil movement, or Slide Areas must be traversed. | |
| (E) Any increase in gradient allowed by the District Rules as an exception and not provided for in the original Plan. | |
| (F) Any road extension of more than 600 feet (182.9 m). | |
| (5) Any use of existing roads not shown in the original Plan when reconstruction work to allow for vehicle travel will be substantial. Substantial work on an existing road means more than minor repair and dressing of the travel surface and removal of vegetation to allow for vehicle passage. | |
| (6) Use of any roads not shown in the Plan which would affect the key habitat of rare or endangered Species or other critical wildlife habitat. | |
| (7) Enlargement of Landings where such enlargement was not justified in the original Plan. | |
| (8) Any change of operation in, or designation of, the Watercourse and Lake Protection Zone. | |
| (9) Any downgrading of Stream classification. | |
| (10) A change to winter operation where summer operations was previously specified. | |
| "Substantially Damaged Timberlands" means areas of Timberland where wildfire, insects, disease, wind, flood, or other blight caused by an act of God occurs after January 1, 1976 and the damage reduced Stocking below the requirements of PRC § 4561 or other higher minimum Stocking requirements that may be applicable under Articles 3 and 11 of Subchapter 4, Article 3 of Subchapter 5, and Articles 3 and 11 of Subchapter 6. | |
| "Supervised Designee" means a Person who need not be an RPF, acting as an assistant under the supervision of an RPF pursuant to Article 3, Chapter 2, Division 1 of the Public Resources Code. For the purposes of this definition, "supervision" means the RPF must perform regular and timely quality control, work review and inspection, both in the office and in the field, and be able to take, or effectively recommend, corrective actions where necessary; the frequency of review, inspection and guidance shall take into consideration the experience of the non-RPF and technical complexity of the job, but shall be sufficiently frequent to ensure the accomplishment of work to professional standards. | |
| "Suppressed" trees are those which have their crowns in the lower layers of the Canopy. They receive virtually no direct sunlight, and they are generally growing very slowly. | |
| "Surface Cover" means the cover of litter, downed woody material (including Slash, living vegetation in contact with the ground, and loose rocks (excluding rock outcrops)) that resist erosion by raindrop impact and surface flow. | |
| "Surface Fuel" means loose surface litter on the soil surface normally consisting of fallen leaves or needles, twigs, bark, cones and small branches that have not yet decayed enough to lose their identity. | |
| "Sustained Yield" means the yield of commercial wood that an area of commercial Timberland can produce continuously at a given intensity of management consistent with required environmental protection and which is professionally planned to achieve over time a balance between growth and removal. | |
| "Take" for federally Listed Species means to Harass, Harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct as stated in 16 United States Code § 1532(19). | |
| "Take" for state Listed Species means to hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, or attempting to do so, pursuant to Fish and Game Code § 86. | |
| "Temporary Road" means a Logging Road that is to be used only during Timber Operations and that will be deactivated or abandoned upon completion of use. | |
| "Tethered Operations" means those Tractor Operations which utilize synchronized (here meaning a mode in which a traction aid winch is operated automatically with pre-set pulling and braking forces to maintain cable tension with the forward or reverse speed of the machine) cable winch systems which have been specifically designed or modified by the manufacturer or a Professional Engineer, as described within the Professional Engineers Act (Chapter 7 of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code), to assist equipment in felling or Yarding during Timber Operations. | |
| "Thalweg Riffle Crest" means the upstream end of a riffle feature and can be identified as the area where the surface water flow changes from smooth to turbulent. The thalweg is found at the deepest part of the channel. Where the thalweg is measured in a pool, the riffle crest is a high point on a longitudinal profile and the shallowest place at the downstream end of a pool. | |
| "THP" means Timber Harvesting Plan as described in PRC § 4582. | |
| "Through Cut" means a section of road that lies below the adjacent ground level on both sides of the road. | |
| "Tight-Lining" means to move Rigging from one tailblock location to another and tightening the main line to pull the cable to the new position. | |
| "Timberland", pursuant to PRC § 4526, means land, other than land owned by the federal government and land designated by the Board as experimental forest land, which is available for, and capable of, growing a Crop of Trees of a Commercial Species used to produce lumber and other forest products, including Christmas trees. Commercial Species, on a District basis, is defined in 14 CCR § 895.1. | 4526 |
| "Timber Falling Limitation" is the term used when special falling techniques and falling practices are required for the protection of water quality and Beneficial Uses, and/or other forest resources. | |
| "Timber Operations" | 4527 |
| "Timber Operator", pursuant to PRC § 4526.5, means a Person who is engaged in Timber Operations or who contracts with others to conduct the operations on his or her behalf, except a Person who is engaged in Timber Operations as an employee with wages as his or her sole compensation. | 4526.5 |
| "Tractor Operations" means any activity which is associated with Timber Operations and is performed by wheel or track mounted ground-based equipment, including, but not limited to, tractors or skidders. | |
| "Tractor Roads" means constructed trails or established paths used by tractors or other vehicles for Skidding logs. Also known as "skid trails". | |
| "Tractor Yarding" means the system of Skidding (transporting) logs by a self-propelled vehicle, generally by dragging the logs with a grapple or chokers. | |
| "Understory"--Generally, trees and woody Species growing under an Overstory. | |
| "Unevenaged Management" means management of a Specific Forest, with the goal of establishing a well stocked stand of Various Age Classes and permits the periodic harvest of individual or Small Groups of trees to realize the yield and continually establish a new crop. | |
| "Unique Area" means Special Treatment Areas defined in the 14 CCR §§ 895.1, 912, 932, and 952. | |
| "Unstable Areas" are characterized by Slide Areas or Unstable Soils or by some or all of the following: hummocky topography consisting of rolling bumpy ground, frequent benches, and depressions; short irregular surface drainages begin and end on the slope; tension cracks and head wall scarps indicating slumping are visible; slopes are irregular and may be slightly concave in upper halt and convex in lower half as a result of previous slope failure; there may be evidence of impaired ground water movement resulting in local zones the surface by sag ponds with standing water, springs, or patches of wet ground. Some or all of the following may be present: hydrophytic (wet site) vegetation prevalent; leaning, jackstrawed or split trees are common; piltol-butted trees with excessive sweep may occur in areas of hummock topography (note: leaning and pistol butted trees should be used as indicators of slope failure only in the presence of other indicators). | |
| "Unstable Soils" may be indicated by the following characteristics: | |
| 1. Unconsolidated, non-cohesive soils (coarser textured than Loam, as defined in Appendix I.A.1a of Board of Forestry Technical Rule Addendum No. 1 dated December 15, 1981) and colluvial debris including sands and gravels, rock fragments, or weathered granitics. Such soil are usually associated with a risk of shallow-seated landslides on slopes of 65% or more, having non-cohesive soils less than 5 feet deep in an area where precipitation exceeds 4 inches in 24 hours in a 5-year recurrence interval. | |
| 2. Soils that increase and decrease in volume as moisture content changes. During dry weather, these materials become hard and rock-like exhibiting a network of polygonal shrinkage cracks and a blocky structure resulting from desiccation. Some cracks may be greater than 5 feet in depth. These materials when wet are very sticky, dingy, shiny, and easily molded. | |
| "Utility Contact List" means the list that identifies those utilities that must be notified pursuant to the Forest Practice Rules. The Department shall maintain this list utilizing information and advice provided by utilities. Each utility shall identify one (1) appropriate contact to be notified or consulted during preparation or review of THPs. The list shall be posted on the Department's internet site to make it readily available to RPFs and others needing the list to comply with these Rules. The list shall also be available by mail through written request to the appropriate CAL FIRE Review Team Offices. The utility shall be responsible for providing accurate contact information. Should an update be required, each update will reflect a new revision date, so users of the list may identify which version of the list they were using. | |
| "Various Age Classes" means a stand with at least three distinct layers of tree crowns. | |
| "Vegetation Protection" is the term used when special measures are required to prevent damage to vegetation for the protection of water quality, the Beneficial Uses of water, and/or other forest resources. | |
| "Water Quality Requirements means a water quality objective (narrative or numeric), prohibition, TMDL implementation plan, policy, or other requirement contained in a water quality control plan adopted by the Regional Board and approved by the State Water Board. | |
| "Waterbreak" means a ditch, dike, or dip, or a combination thereof, constructed diagonally across Logging Roads, Tractor Roads and firebreaks so that water flow is effectively diverted therefrom. Waterbreaks are synonymous with waterbars. | |
| "Watercourse" means any well-defined channel with distinguishable bed and bank showing evidence of having contained flowing water indicated by deposit of rock, sand, gravel, or soil, including but not limited to, Streams as defined in PRC § 4528(f). Watercourse also includes Manmade Watercourses. | |
| "Watercourse Bank" means the portion of the channel cross-section that confines the normal high water flow | |
| "Watercourse and Lake Protection Zone (WLPZ)" means a strip of land, along both sides of a Watercourse or around the circumference of a Lake or spring, where additional practices may be required for protection of the quality and Beneficial Uses of water, fish and Riparian wildlife habitat, other forest resources, and for controlling erosion. | |
| "Watercourse Transition Line" | |
| Watercourse Transition Line for a Watercourse without a CMZ, means the line defined by one or more the following features: 1) a change of vegetation from bare surfaces or annual water tolerant Species to perennial water tolerant or upland Species at least 25 years in age at breast height, 2) physical indicators of scour such as undercut banks, moss lines on rocks, the top of exposed roots along the channels, and 3) a change in the size distribution of surface sediments from gravel to fine sand. See Figure 3 and 3A. |
Figure 3. Indicators for determining a Watercourse Transition Line
Figure 3A. Indicators for determining a Watercourse Transition Line
| Defined word or phrase | PRC Sec. Containing Ref. Def. |
| "Watersheds in the Coastal Anadromy Zone" means any Planning Watershed(s) in the Central California Coast coho salmon Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESU), South Central Steelhead Distinct Population Segment (DPS), Central California Coast steelhead DPS, Northern California steelhead DPS, California Coastal Chinook salmon ESU, and Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast coho salmon ESU, as defined in 70 Federal Register 37160, dated June 28, 2005, where salmonids listed as threatened, endangered, or candidate under the State or Federal Endangered Species Acts are currently present or can be restored. | |
| "Watersheds with Coho Salmon" means any Planning Watershed(s) where coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) have been documented by the CDFW to be present during or after 1990. In Watersheds with Coho Salmon, the following definitions apply: | |
| "Road Maintenance" means activities used to maintain and repair roads involving minor manipulation of the Road Prism to produce a Stable Operating Surface and to ensure road Drainage Facilities, structures, cutbanks and Fillslopes are kept in a condition to protect the road, minimize erosion, and to prevent sediment discharge into a Watercourse or Lake. Examples of Road Maintenance include shaping and/or rocking a road surface; installation and maintenance of rolling and Critical Dips; restoring functional capacity of inboard ditches, cross drains, or culverts; and repairing water bars. | |
| "Road Prism" means all parts of a road including cut banks, ditches, road surfaces, road shoulders, and road Fills. | |
| "Stable Operating Surface" means a road or Landing surface that can support vehicular traffic and that routes water off of the road surface or into Drainage Facilities without concentrating flow in ruts (tire tracks), pumping of the road bed, or ponding flow in depressions. A Stable Operating Surface shall include a structurally sound road base appropriate for the intended use. The number, placement, and design of Drainage Facilities or Drainage Structures on a Stable Operating Surface prevents the transport of fine-grained materials from the road or Landing surface into Watercourses in quantities deleterious to the Beneficial Uses of water. | |
| "Watersheds with Listed Anadromous Salmonids" means any Planning Watershed where populations of anadromous salmonids that are listed as threatened, endangered, or candidate under the State or Federal Endangered Species Acts, are currently present or can be restored. This definition does not apply to those portions of watersheds that are upstream of barriers, including large dams (where removal and/or fishway construction has been determined by NMFS and California Department of Fish and Wildlife to not be Feasible) and natural barriers, such as long term bedrock falls or large static ancient slides with high-gradient or high-velocity barriers, that NMFS and California Department of Fish and Wildlife have determined are permanent and preclude anadromous fish passage. | |
| "Wet Meadows and Other Wet Areas" mean those natural areas which are moist on the surface throughout most of the year and support aquatic vegetation, grasses and forbs as their principal vegetative cover. | |
| "While Giving Consideration" means the selection of those Feasible Silvicultural Systems, operating methods and procedures which substantially lessen Significant Adverse Impact on the Environment and which best achieve long-term, maximum sustained production of forest products, while protecting soil, air, fish and wildlife, and water resources from unreasonable degradation, and which evaluate and make allowance for values relating to range and forage resources, recreation and aesthetics, and regional economic vitality and employment. | |
| "Winter Period" means the period between November 15 to April 1, except as noted under special County Rules at 14 CCR, Article 13 §§ 925.1, 926.18, 927.1, and 965.5. | |
| "Woody Debris" means woody material four inches and greater in Diameter and no less than two feet long left on the ground as the result of Timber Operations. | |
| "Yarding" means the movement of forest products from the point of felling to a Landing. | |
| ____________ | |
| 1 All Coastal Commission Special Treatment Areas were adopted by the Coastal Commission on July 5, 1977, and they include several specially identified areas, Buffer Zones adjacent to designated highways within Coastal Scenic View Corridors, and Buffer Zones adjacent to publicly owned preserves and recreation areas. Maps or designations of Coastal Commission Special Treatment Areas are on file in department offices in the Coast Forest District. Coastal Commission Special Treatment Areas have been designated according to the following criteria: | |
| A. Scenic View Corridors | |
| B. Sites of significant scenic value | |
| C. Wetlands, lagoons, Streams, estuaries, and marine environments | |
| D. Significant animal and plant habitat areas | |
| E. Recreation areas | |
| The Coastal Commission has also set forth in its designations special management objectives considered essential by the Coastal Commission for the protection of public values within the Coastal Zone. | |
| The following is a listing of the Coastal Commission Special Treatment Areas. In parentheses following the name of each area are capital letters indicating the specific criteria as listed above. The letters referencing the criteria are listed in order of priority of the significance of the various criteria applicable to the area. | |
| (a) Del Norte County. Elk Creek Valley (C), Sitka Spruce Grove (D,A), False Klamath Cove (B,A), Klamath River (B,A,C). | |
| (b) Humboldt County. Freshwater Lagoon (B,C,E), Stone Lagoon (A,B,C,E), Big Lagoon (A,C,B), Big Lagoon Bog (B,C,E), Agate Beach Bluff (B,A), Mattole River (B,C). The King Range National Conservation Area forestlands that parallel the beach: All private inholdings that are within view of the beach trail that are in the recreational zoned western slopes. | |
| (c) Mendocino County. Usal Creek (A,C), Rockport Beach (B), Hardy Creek Knoll (B), Westport (B), Ten Mile River (B,C), Noyo River (A,B,C), Caspar and Doyle Creeks (A), Big River (A,B,C,E), Albion River (A,B,C,D), Navarro River (B,C,A), Navarro to Irish Beach Terrace (A,B), Elk Creek (C,B), Gualala River (B,C). | |
| (d) Sonoma County. Gualala River (B,C), Sea Ranch Area (A), Stewarts Point Area (A), Horseshoe Cove Area (C,B,E), Stockoff Creek and Kolmer Gulch (B,C,D), Fort Ross (A,B), Mill Gulch (A,B), Timber Gulch (A,B), Russian Gulch (A), Sawmill Gulch (A), Sheephouse Creek (A,C,D), Duncan Mills Marsh (A,C,D), South Side of the Russian River (A,B,C,D,E), Willow Creek Headwaters (C,D), Jenner Gulch (C,D), Slaughterhouse Gulch (A,D), Furlong Gulch (A,D), Scotty Creek (C,D), Rough Creek (C,D). | |
| (e) San Mateo County. San Pedro Valley (A), South Montara Mountain (A,B), Butano Panorama (B,E), Ano Nuevo Uplands (A,B,E). | |
| (f) Santa Cruz County. Ano Nuevo Uplands (A,B,E), Waddell Creek (A,B,C,E), Bonny Doon Botanic Area (B,D), Molino Creek (A,B). | |
| (g) Buffer Zones within Coastal Scenic View Corridors in Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino Counties. | |
| (1) Del Norte County. Highway 101 from Crescent City to Smith River town along the west side of the highway. | |
| (2) Humboldt County. | |
| (A) Highway 101 from the Moonstone-Westhaven Exit to Big Lagoon Bridge along both sides of the highway. | |
| (B) Old Highway 101 from Trinidad north to Patrick's Point State Park entrance along both sides of the road. | |
| (3) Mendocino County. Highway 1 from Ten Mile River to Sonoma County line along both sides of the highway. | |
| (h) Buffer Zones adjacent to all publicly owned preserves and recreation areas, including national, state, regional, county, and municipal parks. | |
| 2 Coastal Commission Special Treatment Areas have been designated according to the following criteria: | |
| A. Scenic View Corridors | |
| B. Sites of Significant Scenic Value | |
| C. Wetlands, Lagoons, Streams, Estuaries, and Marine Environments | |
| D. Significant Animal and Plant Habitat Areas | |
| E. Recreation Areas | |
| The Coastal Commission has also set forth in its designations special management objectives considered essential by the Coastal Commission for the protection of public values within the Coastal Zone. | |
| The following is a listing of the Coastal Commission Special Treatment Areas. In parentheses following the name of each area are capital letters indicating the specific criteria as listed above. The letters referencing the criteria are listed in order of priority of the significance of the various criteria applicable to the area. | |
| (a) Monterey County. Del Monte Forest (A,B,D,E), Pt. Lobos Uplands (A,B,D), Malpaso Creek (B), Doud Creek (B), False Sur (B), Little Sur (A,B,C,E), Molera Uplands (A,B,C,E), Big Sur Valley (A,B,C,E), Sycamore Canyon (A), Post Creek (A,B,C,E), Grimes Canyon (A), Toree Canyon (B), Partington Canyon (B,E) McWay Canyon (B), Anderson Canyon (A,B), Burns Creek (A), Hot Springs Canyon (B,E), Lucia Area Canyonmouths (B,E), Mill Creek (B,E). | |
| (b) San Luis Obispo County. Cambria Monterey Pines (A,B) | |
| (c) Publicly Owned Preserves and Recreation Areas. Coastal Commission Special Treatment Areas include those forested areas within the Coastal Zone within 200 feet (60.96 m) of all publicly owned preserved and recreation areas including national, state, regional, county, and municipal parks. | |
Table 1. RELATIONSHIP OF STANDARD SILVICULTURAL TREATMENTS TO OBJECTIVES AND STAND CONDITIONS
(Refer to "Regeneration Method")
| Regeneration Method | GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF EACH METHOD AND INTERMEDIATE TREATMENTS | ||
| Patch | Stand is of harvestable size and savable understory is absent. Cutting unit boundaries are dictated by stand boundaries or other considerations where stand boundaries are not identifiable. All trees in unit are cut. Unit is normally regenerated artificially. | ||
| Clearcutting | Strip | Stand is harvestable and savable understory is absent. Most appropriate for large, even-aged stands of true fir. Strips are long and normally not over 1 1/2 times the average height of the stand in width, in contouring shapes. All trees are cut. Unit is normally naturally regenerated. | |
| Even-aged Management | Shelterwood | Preparatory Step | Overstory is well stocked and is of harvestable size, savable understory is absent. Regeneration not immediately scheduled. Stand needs to have wind firmness and seed producing ability improved before seed cut is made. |
| Seed Step | Salvable understory is not present or unsatisfactory. Sufficient suitable seed trees must be left after harvest to provide shade for new seedlings. All trees other than shelter trees are cut. Unit usually regenerated naturally. | ||
| Removal Step | Timber stands normally consist of an adequately stocked savable understory with sheltering overstory. All overstory trees are cut. Some additional regeneration may follow the timber operation. | ||
| Seed Tree | Seed Tree Step | Overstory is harvestable and savable understory is absent. Suitable seed trees are left after harvest. Aside from scattered seed trees, cutover areas may be similar to clearcut in appearance. Unit is naturally regenerated. | |
| Seed Tree Removal Step | Timber stands consist of an adequately stocked savable understory with an overstory of scattered seed trees. | ||
| Uneven-aged Management | Selection | Stands are uneven-aged or converted to uneven-aged condition. Some trees in all size classes are generally cut. Regeneration is usually obtained naturally. Shade tolerant trees are usually harvested individually and intolerant trees in small groups. Best suitable to economic conditions which make possible frequent entry into stand for small volumes, ground cover and vegetation conditions that will tolerate repeated logging, to maintain control of the site, and when natural regeneration is likely. An intensive road system is normally necessary. | |
| Intermediate Treatments | |||
| Commercial Thinning | It is the adjustment of stocking prior to harvest at rotation age. The overstory consists of young growth-type trees. Understory may or may not be present. | ||
| Sanitation-salvage | To be used in the cutting and removal of only those trees that are dead, dying or deteriorating because of damage from fire, wind, insects, disease, flood, or other injurious agents, and to prevent the spread of insects or diseases. | ||
| Special | These methods are used to achieve land management objectives not necessarily associated with regeneration or stand tending. | ||
Note: Authority cited: Sections 4551, 4551.5, 4553, 4561, 4561.5, 4562, 4562.5, 4562.7 and 4591.1, Public Resources Code. Reference: Sections 4511, 4512, 4512.5, 4513, 4521.3, 4523, 4524, 4525, 4525.3, 4525.5, 4525.7, 4526, 4526.5, 4527, 4527.5, 4528, 4551, 4551.5, 4561, 4562, 4562.5, 4562.7, 4583.2, 4584, 4591.1, 4597.1, 21001(f), 21080.5, 21083.2 and 21084.1, Public Resources Code; CEQA Guidelines Appendix K (printed following Section of Title 1415387 of Title 14 Cal. Code of Regulations), Laupheimer v. State (1988) 200 Cal.App.3d 440; 246 Cal. Rptr. 82; and Joy Road Area Forest and Watershed Association v. California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection, Sonoma County Superior Court No. SCV 229850.
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