Improving California’s Forest and Watershed Management
February 18, 2019
LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE – February 13, 2019
Improving California’s Forest and Watershed Management
PRESENTED TO:
Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Resources and Transportation, Hon. Richard Bloom, Chair
Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, Hon. Laura Friedman, Chair
An Overview of California’s Forestlands
- Forests provide critical statewide benefits for water supply, climate change mitigation, and wildlife habitat.
- A changing climate increases the importance of maintaining this beneficial role.
- Most of the forests across the state are in an unhealthy condition. Forests display excessive vegetation density and unprecedented levels of tree mortality.
- Broad Consensus That a Suite of Activities Is Needed to Improve Forest Conditions. Management activities include mechanical thinning, prescribed burning, and meadow restoration.
The full report can be found here: Improving California’s Forest and Watershed Management