Forests in the California's Sierra Nevada and Southern Cascades are at risk due to a changing climate and compounding factors such as extreme wildfire, drought, insect outbreaks, and disease. Both individually and combined, these factors can pose severe risk to these forested areas. However, forest managers can manage for many of these factors through climate-smart adaptive management. The USFS Pacific Southwest Research Station has created a Forest Management Handbook to help landowners achieve this goal.
Created with small-parcel landowners in the Sierra Nevada and Southern Cascade range in mind, the Forest Management Handbook guides landowners through a step-by-step process with accompanying worksheets to help landowners assess the condition of their property and make a science-based management plan. After completing the Handbook steps, landowners will have a management plan to determine:
- What, if any, management action(s) is needed
- How to obtain technical and financial support
- What, if any, permits may be necessary
Follow the links below to access the Handbook and view a summary and two-page fact sheet:
Forest Management Handbook for Small-Parcel Landowners