Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest Draft ... - Cal Fire
Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest Draft ... - Cal Fire
Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest Draft ... - Cal Fire
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<strong>Boggs</strong> <strong>Mountain</strong> <strong>Demonstration</strong> <strong>State</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> <strong>Draft</strong> Management Plan, June 2008<br />
1. Introduction<br />
The <strong>Cal</strong>ifornia Department of <strong>Forest</strong>ry and <strong>Fire</strong> Protection (Department or CAL FIRE) manages<br />
approximately 71,000 acres of <strong>Demonstration</strong> <strong>State</strong> <strong>Forest</strong>s, on behalf of the public. <strong>Boggs</strong><br />
<strong>Mountain</strong> <strong>Demonstration</strong> <strong>State</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> (BMDSF) is a 3,493-acre mixed conifer forest located in<br />
Lake County between Clear Lake and <strong>Cal</strong>istoga (Figure 1).<br />
The majority of public wildlands in <strong>Cal</strong>ifornia are set aside as reserves and parks to preserve rare<br />
ecosystems and wild areas. <strong>Demonstration</strong> <strong>State</strong> <strong>Forest</strong>s, by contrast, are public lands that by<br />
legislative mandate have a unique and distinctly different purpose from parks and wilderness<br />
areas. <strong>Demonstration</strong> <strong>State</strong> <strong>Forest</strong>s are working landscapes that are mandated to conduct<br />
research, demonstration, and education on sustainable forestry practices using active forest<br />
management, including periodic timber harvests. Management of the <strong>Demonstration</strong> <strong>State</strong><br />
<strong>Forest</strong>s is required to protect values relating to recreation, watershed, wildlife, range and forage,<br />
fisheries, and aesthetic enjoyment.<br />
While still the number three timber-producing state in the nation, <strong>Cal</strong>ifornia is also home to a very<br />
large population with strong interests in environmental protection. Given the often controversial<br />
role of logging and timber production in <strong>Cal</strong>ifornia, the <strong>Demonstration</strong> <strong>State</strong> <strong>Forest</strong>s fill a unique<br />
niche to advance research, demonstration, and education on sustainable forestry practices. The<br />
<strong>Demonstration</strong> <strong>State</strong> <strong>Forest</strong>s fill an important role in helping maintain <strong>Cal</strong>ifornia’s leading role as<br />
an innovator in solutions to difficult resource management challenges.<br />
The concept of forest sustainability includes the sustainability of forest ecosystems, both<br />
terrestrial and aquatic. Important issues include stewardship of managed forest lands to maintain<br />
biodiversity and ecosystem functions. Maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem functions on private<br />
timberlands however, is not likely to succeed if it is not financially viable to implement them.<br />
Incentives for continued investment in forest land are needed to relieve economic pressures to<br />
convert to other land uses such as residential, with a higher and more immediate payoff. While<br />
these issues are in some ways beyond the scope of <strong>State</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> management, they also create<br />
an important area of research and demonstration for the <strong>Demonstration</strong> <strong>State</strong> <strong>Forest</strong>s, including<br />
BMDSF: testing a range of timber/ecosystem outputs for their economic and financial viability, as<br />
well as their environmental sustainability.<br />
<strong>Boggs</strong> <strong>Mountain</strong> <strong>Demonstration</strong> <strong>State</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> is a mixed conifer forest characteristics of the<br />
interior coast range. The entire <strong>Forest</strong> was logged just before transition to <strong>State</strong> ownership in<br />
1949. As a result, the <strong>Forest</strong> currently is dominated by densely stocked stands that are<br />
approximately 50-year old. Fuels treatment and enhancing forest productivity and health are<br />
cornerstones of the management of <strong>Boggs</strong> <strong>Mountain</strong>. Other important management goals include<br />
increasing the recreation potential of the <strong>Forest</strong>, and promoting research. The property is<br />
managed as a working forest which facilitates research and demonstrates diverse timber<br />
management practices to private timberland owners and the public at large. The forest will be<br />
managed over the long term for a dynamic mosaic of diverse forest structures and a high<br />
productive capacity. . This management approach aims to produce a sustainable harvest of high<br />
quality timber products, support biological diversity, and ensure opportunities for future forestry<br />
research. The knowledge gained from research and demonstration is shared with forest<br />
landowners and the public through a variety of outlets. Public use of the <strong>State</strong> <strong>Forest</strong> is<br />
encouraged so that visitors may experience a variety of outdoor recreational activities as well as<br />
educational opportunities. Having achieved a significant expansion of recreational facilities over<br />
the past 15 years, this plan proposes to maintain a rustic outdoor recreational experience within a<br />
working forest environment.<br />
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