AB-442
Natural Resources & Water

Z’berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973: working forest management plans: harvest area.

Introduced
CA
2025-2026 Regular Session
1
0
Track

Key Takeaways

  • Removes the requirement for forest harvest areas to be contained within a single watershed boundary.
  • Applies to private forest owners with less than 10,000 acres of timberland.
  • Maintains requirements for sustainable forest management and environmental protection.
  • Requires forest management plans to balance long-term growth with periodic timber harvesting.

Summary

Assembly Member Hadwick's forestry management legislation aims to modify California's working forest management plan requirements by removing the mandate that harvest areas must remain within a single hydrological boundary. The measure, co-authored by Assembly Member Tangipa, amends the Z'berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973, which governs timber harvesting on nonindustrial private forestlands.

The bill maintains existing provisions that limit working forest management plans to timberland owners with less than 10,000 acres who are not primarily engaged in forest product manufacturing. These plans must continue to pursue objectives of maintaining or creating uneven-aged managed timber stands, achieving sustained yield, and protecting watersheds, fisheries, and wildlife habitats. The legislation preserves definitions for key forestry concepts including long-term sustained yield, management units, and working forest harvest notices.

Under current law, forest managers must restrict harvest operations to areas contained within individual watershed boundaries. By eliminating this geographic constraint, the amended code would allow timber harvesting activities to span multiple hydrological areas while retaining other environmental protection requirements. The change affects only the spatial limitations on harvest areas, leaving intact the act's broader forest stewardship mandates and sustained yield objectives.

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Natural Resources
Next Step
Assembly Committee
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Natural Resources
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Read first time. To print.
Assembly Floor
Read first time. To print.
Read first time. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Al MuratsuchiD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Ash KalraD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Heath FloraR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Buffy WicksD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Isaac BryanD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 17 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 4
Select All Legislators
Profile
Al MuratsuchiD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Ash KalraD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Heath FloraR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Buffy WicksD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Isaac BryanD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Matt HaneyD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Juan AlanisR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Damon ConnollyD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Josh HooverR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Gail PellerinD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Rick ZburD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Robert GarciaD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Heather HadwickR
Assembly Member
Bill Author
Profile
Alexandra MacedoR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Rhodesia RansomD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Nick SchultzD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
David TangipaR
Assembly Member
Bill Author

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Heather Hadwick
Heather HadwickR
California State Assembly Member
Co-Author
David Tangipa
David TangipaR
California State Assembly Member
10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (2/6/2025)

Key Takeaways

  • Removes the requirement for forest harvest areas to be contained within a single watershed boundary.
  • Applies to private forest owners with less than 10,000 acres of timberland.
  • Maintains requirements for sustainable forest management and environmental protection.
  • Requires forest management plans to balance long-term growth with periodic timber harvesting.

Get Involved

Act Now!

Email the authors or create an email template to send to all relevant legislators.

Introduced By

Heather Hadwick
Heather HadwickR
California State Assembly Member
Co-Author
David Tangipa
David TangipaR
California State Assembly Member

Summary

Assembly Member Hadwick's forestry management legislation aims to modify California's working forest management plan requirements by removing the mandate that harvest areas must remain within a single hydrological boundary. The measure, co-authored by Assembly Member Tangipa, amends the Z'berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act of 1973, which governs timber harvesting on nonindustrial private forestlands.

The bill maintains existing provisions that limit working forest management plans to timberland owners with less than 10,000 acres who are not primarily engaged in forest product manufacturing. These plans must continue to pursue objectives of maintaining or creating uneven-aged managed timber stands, achieving sustained yield, and protecting watersheds, fisheries, and wildlife habitats. The legislation preserves definitions for key forestry concepts including long-term sustained yield, management units, and working forest harvest notices.

Under current law, forest managers must restrict harvest operations to areas contained within individual watershed boundaries. By eliminating this geographic constraint, the amended code would allow timber harvesting activities to span multiple hydrological areas while retaining other environmental protection requirements. The change affects only the spatial limitations on harvest areas, leaving intact the act's broader forest stewardship mandates and sustained yield objectives.

10% progression
Bill has been formally introduced and read for the first time in its house of origin (2/6/2025)

Key Dates

Next Step
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Natural Resources
Next Step
Assembly Committee
Referred to the Assembly Standing Committee on Natural Resources
Hearing has not been scheduled yet
Read first time. To print.
Assembly Floor
Read first time. To print.
Read first time. To print.

Contacts

Profile
Al MuratsuchiD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Ash KalraD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Heath FloraR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Buffy WicksD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
Profile
Isaac BryanD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Not Contacted
Not Contacted
0 of 17 row(s) selected.
Page 1 of 4
Select All Legislators
Profile
Al MuratsuchiD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Ash KalraD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Heath FloraR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Buffy WicksD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Isaac BryanD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Matt HaneyD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Juan AlanisR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Damon ConnollyD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Josh HooverR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Gail PellerinD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Rick ZburD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Robert GarciaD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Heather HadwickR
Assembly Member
Bill Author
Profile
Alexandra MacedoR
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Rhodesia RansomD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
Nick SchultzD
Assembly Member
Committee Member
Profile
David TangipaR
Assembly Member
Bill Author