Title PRC — California Pub. Res. Code

Notwithstanding any other provision of this code or of law, and except as provided in the State Building Standards Law, Part 2.5 (commencing with Section 18901) of Division 13 of the Health and Safety Code, on and after January 1, 1980, the Director of Forestry and Fire Protectio…

The department is responsible for the fire protection, fire prevention, maintenance, and enhancement of the state’s forest, range, and brushland resources, contract fire protection, associated emergency services, and assistance in civil disasters and other nonfire emergencies. De…

The department is responsible for all of the following: (a) Providing fire protection, fire prevention, pest control, and forest and range protection and enhancement implements and apparatus as necessary. (b) Maintaining an integrated staff to accomplish fire protection, fire pre…

The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, in cooperation with the Office of Emergency Services, shall develop a program to certify active duty military pilots to engage in firefighting in the state.

(a) Upon approval by the Department of Finance, the department may exercise the same authority granted to the Division of the State Architect and the Real Estate Services Division in the Department of General Services, to plan, design, construct, and administer contracts and prof…

(a) The Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency shall establish a working group on expanding wood product markets that can utilize woody biomass, especially biomass that is removed from high hazard zones, as determined by the department. These markets include, but are not limit…

(a) There is in the department a State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection consisting of nine members appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. (b) (1) On and after January 1, 1998, wherever any reference is made in any law to the State Board of Forestry…

All members of the board shall be appointed and shall be selected and approved for appointment on the basis of their educational and professional qualifications and their general knowledge of, interest in, and experience with, problems relating to watershed management (including …

The Legislature declares that some individuals appointed as members of the State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection are required to be chosen from backgrounds in the forest products and range livestock industries in order to represent and further the interests of those industr…

Each member of the board shall hold office for four years from the expiration of the term of his or her predecessor. Vacancies shall be immediately filled by the Governor.

Each member of the board shall receive compensation for each day during which the member engaged in the performance of official duties, except that the total number of days for which a member, other than the chairperson, may be compensated shall not exceed 80 days in any one fisc…

The board shall maintain its headquarters in Sacramento and shall hold meetings at such times and at such places as shall be determined by it. Five members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of transacting any business of the board. A majority affirmative vote…

(a) A member of the board shall not participate in a board action pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 4601) or Article 9 (commencing with Section 4621) of Chapter 8 of Part 2 of Division 4 that involves the board member or a person with whom the board member is connect…

The Governor shall designate the chair of the board from among the members of the board. The person designated as the chair shall hold the office at the pleasure of the Governor. The board shall annually elect a vice chair from among its members.

The board may appoint an executive officer who shall be exempt from civil service pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 4 of Article VII of the California Constitution.

The board shall represent the state’s interest in the acquisition and management of state forests as provided by law and in federal land matters pertaining to forestry, and the protection of the state’s interests in forest resources on private lands, and shall determine, establis…

(a) The board shall appoint a Range Management Advisory Committee and shall consult with the advisory committee on rangeland resource issues under consideration by the board. (b) The advisory committee shall consist of 11 members, who shall be selected as follows: (1) Three membe…

(a) On or before July 1, 2025, the Range Management Advisory Committee, established pursuant to Section 741, in consultation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, fire ecologists with expertise in the full range of California’s vegetation communities, and the University of Ca…

State agencies shall submit to the board plans for, and the results of, all investigations that relate to, or have an effect upon, forest resource utilization for review and comment. The board may, at its expense, contract with any state or local agency to investigate and report …

The board shall implement a public information program on matters involving forest management and shall maintain an information file on forest management research and other pertinent matters.

This article may be known and cited as the Professional Foresters Law.

The purpose of this article is to declare the existence of a public interest in the management and treatment of the forest resources and timberlands of this state and to provide for the regulation of persons who practice the profession of forestry and whose activities have an imp…

(a) “Professional forester,” as used in this article, means a person who, by reason of their knowledge of the natural sciences, mathematics, and the principles of forestry, acquired by forestry education and experience, performs services, including, but not limited to, consultati…

“Forestry,” as used in this article, refers to the science and practice of managing forested landscapes and the treatment of the forest cover in general, and includes, among other things, the application of scientific knowledge and forestry principles in the fields of fuels manag…

“Forested landscapes” means those tree dominated landscapes and their associated vegetation types on which there is growing a significant stand of tree species, or which are naturally capable of growing a significant stand of native trees in perpetuity, and is not otherwise devot…

“Person” as used in this article means any natural person.

Nothing in this article prohibits any person from engaging in those activities otherwise restricted to professional foresters, certified specialists, or qualified but exempt certificants, provided a registrant is in charge of the professional practice or work of that person and a…

This article does not apply to a landowner who is a natural person and who personally performs services of a professional forester, when those services are personally performed on lands owned by that person.

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.

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.

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.

(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.

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.

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.

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.

An applicant failing in an examination may be examined again upon filing a new application and paying the application fee.

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.

(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…