Forestry Program

Timber Harvest Plan Program

Timber harvesting on private land in California is governed by the Forest Practice Act (FPA) and the Forest Practice Rules (FPR) as established by the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (BOF) and enforced by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF).

The THP process is a certified regulatory program (CRP) under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) serves as the CEQA lead agency for the THP program. The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) serves as the trustee agency for botanical resources impacted by THPs. The Forest Practice Act (FPA) is implemented through the Forest Practice Rules (FPR) written by the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (BOF).

As a CRP under CEQA, the THP program is designed to be CEQA equivalent. In theory, the THP program should provide as much protection for botanical resources as does CEQA. In practice, it is unclear that the THP program actually achieves this goal. The THP review process is designed to provide input from trustee agencies and the public.

For more information on the THP Process, updates to the California Forest Practice Act, and current THP Status Information, visit CDF’s Forest Practice.