Map of Historic Sonoma County Logging Plans
This page is intended to provide some background information and important links to the Calfire website that has logging plans. Calfire is the agency responsible for regulating logging on non-federal lands in California and their website can be difficult to navigate.
Public input is a critical part of the approval process for logging activities in California. Attendance at meetings and submitting public comments can be critical to prevent or delay destructive logging activities. Even if logging cannot be stopped, public scrutiny may result in more sustainable logging practices. In the past, unsustainable logging practices have done tremendous damage to California forests and watercourses. Often the best source of information about the impact of proposed logging comes from people who live close to the forests or watercourses.
Each commercial logging project has a plan associated with it, either known as a Timber Harvest Plan (THP), a Non-industrial Timber Management Plan (NTMP) or a Working Forest Management Plan (WFMP). These plans may cover a very large acreage, although large plans of these types are rare in Sonoma and Napa. All of these plans must comply with an extensive set of state and federal regulations. THPs are for a set duration. Both NTMPs and WFMPs get one review and run in perpetuity. NTMPs are for ownerships of no more than 2500 acres not for commercial ownerships and are limited to selective cutting. WFMPs are for ownerships of no more than 10,000 acres. There are somewhat different regulations for each type. NTMPs and WFMPs are intended for management of forests on land that is not primarily used for timber.
The regulations, approval and comment process for both types of plans is similar. Calfire is responsible for both promoting logging in the state and regulating it so is not always rigorous in applying it’s own Forest Practice Rules. That is why public involvement is critical. We must protect our forests ourselves, nobody else is going to do it for us.
The dates for reviews and public comments on the website may be incorrect. For example the date by which public comments must be received (End of Public Comment Date) is often earlier than the actual end of public comment date.
How do you tell if a plan is of concern to you? Plans will have a name like 1-12-040-SON which means it is in the coastal region (# 1) in 2012 and is the 40th plan of year and is for Sonoma County.
Cal Fire Links
Calfire is the state agency that manages logging in the state of California. Most of the material related to logging plans is online, along with comments submitted by the public.
Timber Harvest Plans (THPs) Status Page
Working Forest Management Plans (WFMPs)
Nonindustrial Timber Management Plans (NTMPs)
The NTMPs are categorized like the THPs, by region, year of filing and county.
Calfire Logging Review Process
Other Organizations
Several other organizations track logging and participate in the comment process.
Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC)