(a) Under policy guidance from the board and in consultation with the Secretary of the Resources Agency, the director shall prepare and submit to the board and the Secretary of the Resources Agency, a preliminary forest and rangeland resource assessment and analysis not later than July 1, 1979, and shall present a full and updated assessment by January 1, 1987, and by January 1 of each fifth year thereafter. The assessment and analysis shall recognize distinct differences in ownership and management of forest and rangeland resources in California between the various public and the various private owners and shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(1) An assessment and analysis of the supply and availability of the various present and potential forest and rangeland resources of the state, including limits to those supplies imposed by natural site conditions, such as slope stability and erosion hazard, or by governmental restriction, such as special zoning. Among resource potentials to be evaluated are opportunities to accomplish any of the following:

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(A) Improve and rehabilitate the understocked timberland in California and to more fully utilize the productive potential for growing and harvesting timber.

(B) Improve wood fiber utilization and wood product recycling.

(C) Salvage trees infested with insects and diseases on timberland.

(D) Improve the management of forest wildlife and wildlife habitat within the state.

(E) Increase the quantity and quality of recreation available in the state.

(F) Improve and rehabilitate rangeland areas within the state.

(G) Increase the potential to use wood fiber from timberland as an economically viable source of fuel for energy production.

(H) Improve the potential for rangeland forage for domestic livestock production.

(2) An assessment and critique of federal policies with respect to rangeland and timberland. The assessment and critique shall include (A) as to timberlands, a review of the federal government’s national forest revenue sharing program administered pursuant to Section 500 of Title 16 of the United States Code, and (B) as to rangelands, a review of grazing fee charges and revenue sharing policies affecting national forest lands administered by the United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. The timber sale revenue sharing and grazing fee policies of the Department of the Interior shall also be reviewed. In conducting the review, the director shall consult with the State Board of Equalization, and with local governments and school districts affected by the federal government’s revenue sharing programs.

(3) An analysis of present and anticipated demand for various forest and rangeland resources in the state.

(4) A description and evaluation of current state programs and responsibilities in cooperative state-federal forest and rangeland resource programs, and management of state and local public forest, range, and related lands.

(5) A discussion of important policy considerations, laws, regulations, management responsibilities, and other factors expected to influence and significantly affect the use, ownership, and management of forest and rangeland resources.

(6) When assessing various resource potentials which could be obtained from forest lands and rangeland, the director shall include an evaluation of probable direct and indirect economic and environmental benefits and costs, including opportunity costs, associated with realizing those potentials.

(b) In preparing the assessment, the director, under policy guidance of the board, shall solicit the cooperation of, and information collected by, public and private organizations, federal forest and rangeland resource agencies, state agencies concerned with forest and rangeland resources, county planning and taxation agencies, and state-supported forest and rangeland resource research agencies.

(c) For the purpose of assisting the director and the board in preparing the assessment and its revisions, the board may appoint advisory committees it deems necessary. The committees shall consist of individuals with expertise in forest and rangeland resource fields, with particular emphasis on survey and program analysis, and shall include representatives of state agencies concerned with the use of forest and rangeland resources.

(d) In preparation of the assessment, the director shall do all of the following:

(1) Analyze the need to develop and maintain an effective system for the collection, analysis, and display of that data in forms that contribute to the achievement of the purposes of this chapter.

(2) Identify high-priority needs for completing the data base and analytical framework essential to improving the quality of future assessments.

(3) Evaluate the accuracy and completeness of existing data and of steps needed to improve the accuracy and completeness of data for future assessments.

(Amended by Stats. 1985, Ch. 352, Sec. 1.)