Title PRC, California Pub. Res. Code

This article shall not be construed to authorize a registered professional forester to practice civil engineering as defined in Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 6700) of Division 3 of the Business and Professions Code or to practice land surveying as defined in Chapter 15 (comm…

The board may by regulation adopt such rules and regulations pursuant to Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 11371) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, as it determines are reasonably necessary to enable it to carry into effect the provisions of this artic…

The board shall consider matters pertaining to the registration of professional foresters at least once every six months at regular meetings and may, as necessary, meet solely for the purpose of considering matters to carry out the provisions of this article. (Added by Stats. 197…

The board may hire the clerical and secretarial employees, technical personnel, and other staff who are necessary and budgeted to properly assist the work of the board in carrying out the purposes of this article. This staff personnel shall be subject to the relevant system and p…

The board shall keep a complete record of all applications for registration and certification and the board’s action thereon. (Added by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1300.)

The board may by regulation provide for the issuance of certificates of specialization in such fields of specialization as the board may by regulation establish. (Added by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1300.)

(a) The board shall establish an examining committee of at least seven members composed of the following, who shall be appointed by the board and serve at its pleasure: (1) Two public members with one selected from the membership of the board. (2) At least four professional fores…

A person appointed to serve upon the examining committee shall receive, if requested, one hundred dollars ($100) for each day during which that person is engaged in the performance of their official duties, except that the compensation of each member shall not exceed in any one f…

The examining committee shall adhere to the rules and regulations of the board. An applicant for a license pursuant to this article who contends that they have been aggrieved by an action taken by the examining committee with respect to their qualifications may appeal to the boar…

On and after July 1, 1973, it shall be unlawful for any person to act in the capacity of, or to use the title of, a professional forester without being registered pursuant to this article, unless exempted from the provisions thereof. (Added by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1300.)

An applicant for a license pursuant to this article shall apply to the board. Such application shall be accompanied by the payment of a fee in an amount fixed by the provisions of this article. (Added by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1300.)

The board shall require an applicant to demonstrate such degree of experience and such general knowledge of the profession of forestry as the board deems necessary for the protection of the public. (Added by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1300.)

An applicant shall meet all of the following qualifications: (a) Be of good moral character and have a good reputation for honesty and integrity. (b) Furnish evidence of having completed seven years of experience in forestry work. Possession of a degree of bachelor of science, or…

(a) Examinations shall be given by the board as often as it is deemed necessary, but at least every six months. (b) The examination may consist of both written and oral portions. A grade of 75 percent shall be necessary for successful completion of the examination. (Added by Stat…

An applicant failing in an examination may be examined again upon filing a new application and paying the application fee. (Added by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1300.)

Instead of being registered as a professional forester, an applicant may request to be registered as a certified specialist in one or more fields of forestry. Nothing in this article shall authorize the board to certify or otherwise license wildlife biologists, fisheries biologis…

Licenses and specialty certificates issued pursuant to this article shall be valid for two years and shall expire on July 1 of each alternating year. (Amended by Stats. 1993, Ch. 784, Sec. 9. Effective January 1, 1994.)

(a) Issuance of a license may be denied if sufficient evidence is received by the board of the commission or doing by the applicant of an act that, if committed or done by a licensee, would be grounds for the suspension or revocation of the licensee’s license. (b) In a decision d…

The board may upon its own motion, and shall upon the verified complaint in writing of any person, cause investigation to be made of the actions of any person licensed pursuant to this article, and may temporarily suspend or permanently revoke the license of any person who is gui…

Any accusation against a registrant or a certificant shall be filed within five years after the act or omission alleged as the ground for disciplinary action. The proceedings under this article shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Par…

(a) If the board finds against the registrant, the board, in its decision, may terminate all operations of the registrant during the period fixed by the decision, except those operations the board determines that the person may complete. The board may impose upon the registrant c…

A registrant or certificant is subject to disciplinary action who: (a) Has been convicted of a felony substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a registered professional forester. A conviction within the meaning of this section means a plea or verdict o…

The board shall develop criteria to determine whether a felony is substantially related to the qualifications, functions, or duties of a registered professional forester in order to aid it when considering the denial, suspension, or revocation of a license. (Added by Stats. 1981,…

Any person who violates any of the provisions of this article is guilty of a misdemeanor. (Added by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1300.)

The fees received pursuant to this article shall be deposited in the Professional Forester Registration Fund in the State Treasury, which fund is hereby created. (Added by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1300.)

All fees received pursuant to this article shall be available, when appropriated by the Legislature, for the administration of this article; provided, that in the event that moneys need to be expended from the Professional Forester Registration Fund for emergencies for which no a…

The board shall establish by regulation the amount of fees within the following ranges, and based on a determination by the board of the amount of revenues reasonably necessary to carry out this article: (a) The application fee for registration or for each certificate of speciali…

In case a person defaults in payment of the renewal fee, the person’s registration may be revoked by the board on 60 days’ notice in writing from the board, unless within this time the fee is paid, together with penalty, not exceeding the amount fixed by this article. Upon paymen…

Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions in this chapter govern the construction of this division. (Added by Stats. 1972, Ch. 1154.)

(a) “Agricultural land” means prime farmland, farmland of statewide importance, or unique farmland, as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture land inventory and monitoring criteria, as modified for California. (b) In those areas of the state where lands have not b…

(a) “Bus rapid transit” means a public mass transit service provided by a public agency or by a public-private partnership that includes all of the following features: (1) Full-time dedicated bus lanes or operation in a separate right-of-way dedicated for public transportation wi…

“Emergency” means a sudden, unexpected occurrence, involving a clear and imminent danger, demanding immediate action to prevent or mitigate loss of, or damage to, life, health, property, or essential public services. “Emergency” includes such occurrences as fire, flood, earthquak…

“Distribution center” means a warehouse distribution center, as defined in Section 2100 of the Labor Code, that is 50,000 square feet or larger. (Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 24, Sec. 3. (SB 131) Effective June 30, 2025.)

“Environment” means the physical conditions which exist within the area which will be affected by a proposed project, including land, air, water, minerals, flora, fauna, noise, objects of historic or aesthetic significance. (Added by Stats. 1972, Ch. 1154.)

“Environmental impact report” means a detailed statement setting forth the matters specified in Sections 21100 and 21100.1; provided that information or data which is relevant to such a statement and is a matter of public record or is generally available to the public need not be…

“Feasible” means capable of being accomplished in a successful manner within a reasonable period of time, taking into account economic, environmental, social, and technological factors. (Added by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1312.)

“Land evaluation and site assessment” means a decisionmaking methodology for assessing the potential environmental impact of state and local projects on agricultural land. (Added by Stats. 1993, Ch. 812, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 1994.)

“Infill site” means a site in an urbanized area that meets either of the following criteria: (a) The site has not been previously developed for urban uses and both of the following apply: (1) The site is immediately adjacent to parcels that are developed with qualified urban uses…

“Local agency” means any public agency other than a state agency, board, or commission. For purposes of this division a redevelopment agency and a local agency formation commission are local agencies, and neither is a state agency, board, or commission. (Amended by Stats. 1975, C…

“Public agency” includes any state agency, board, or commission, any county, city and county, city, regional agency, public district, redevelopment agency, or other political subdivision. (Added by Stats. 1972, Ch. 1154.)

“Negative declaration” means a written statement briefly describing the reasons that a proposed project will not have a significant effect on the environment and does not require the preparation of an environmental impact report. (Added by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1312.)

“Major transit stop” means a site containing any of the following: (a) An existing rail or bus rapid transit station. (b) A ferry terminal served by either a bus or rail transit service. (c) The intersection of two or more major bus routes with a frequency of service interval of …

“Mitigated negative declaration” means a negative declaration prepared for a project when the initial study has identified potentially significant effects on the environment, but (1) revisions in the project plans or proposals made by, or agreed to by, the applicant before the pr…

“Oil and gas infrastructure” means a facility used for the production, processing, transmission, storage, or distribution of petroleum or natural gas. (Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 24, Sec. 4. (SB 131) Effective June 30, 2025.)

“Project” means an activity which may cause either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and which is any of the following: (a) An activity directly undertaken by any public agency. (b) An activity un…

“Project-specific effect” means all the direct or indirect environmental effects of a project other than cumulative effects and growth-inducing effects. (Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 1039, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2003.)