Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 14, § 1572 - Eligibility Criteria

(a) Every application shall provide sufficient information to enable the Director to verify the parcel's eligibility for the Program and to understand the conservation objectives and the parcel's environmental value or potential to protect forest and aquatic resources.

(b) Proposed projects shall meet the eligibility criteria set forth in this section prior to review pursuant to the ranking criteria set forth in Section 1573.3. To be eligible for participation, private forest land parcels proposed for inclusion in the Program shall comply with all of the following:

(1) Be threatened by potential conversion.

(2) Be owned by landowners who are willing and interested in selling or donating lands or interests in lands.

(3) Be forested with at least 10-percent canopy cover by conifer or hardwood species, or be capable of being so forested under natural conditions.

(4) Possession of one or more environmental values of great concern to the public and the state:

(A) Important fish and wildlife habitat.

(B) Areas that can help maintain habitat connectivity across landscapes.

(C) Rare plants.

(D) Biodiversity.

(E) Riparian habitats.

(F) Oak woodlands.

(G) Ecological old growth forests.

(H) Other key forest types and seral stages that are poorly represented across California.

(I) Lands that directly affect water quality and other watershed values.

(5) Provision for continuity of one or more traditional forest uses, such as timber harvesting and rangeland livestock production which is utilized for economic purposes, or habitat maintenance and restoration that addresses fire hazard, mortality from pests and disease, carbon storage, restocking of underutilized forests, and reduction of non-native invasive species.

(6) Possession of environmental values that can be protected and managed effectively through conservation easements at reasonable costs.

(7) Be at least partially within or adjacent to a Forest Legacy Area.

(8) Be available for future timber harvesting, grazing or recreation (e.g. hunting, fishing, hiking and other similar uses) and not be prohibited from these activities by any statute, previous conservation easement, or other regulatory requirements.

Notes

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 14, § 1572

1. New article 3 (sections 1572-1572.2) and section filed 4-29-2011; operative 4-29-2011 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2011, No. 17).

Note: Authority cited: Section 12249, Public Resources Code. Reference: Sections 12250 and 12251, Public Resources Code.

1. New article 3 (sections 1572-1572.2) and section filed 4-29-2011; operative 4-29-2011 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4 (Register 2011, No. 17).