(a) The Legislature finds and declares that a substantial acreage of timberlands of the state are held by private nonindustrial owners and that it is the policy of the state to increase the productivity of these timberlands under prudent management plans to serve the public’s need for timber and other forest products.
(b) The Legislature further finds and declares that minimal environmental harm is caused by prudent management of nonindustrial timberlands because low volume production and dispersion around the state of these small tracts reduces damage to aesthetics, air quality, watersheds, and wildlife.
(c) The Legislature further finds and declares that it is the policy of the state to encourage prudent and responsible forest resource management of nonindustrial timberlands by approving nonindustrial timber management plans in advance and withdrawing governmental discretion to disapprove nonindustrial timber harvest notices submitted pursuant to the approved nonindustrial timber management plans.
(d) It is not the intent of the Legislature by the enactment of this article to limit the penalties and enforcement provisions of this chapter.
(Added by Stats. 1989, Ch. 1290, Sec. 9. Operative January 1, 1991, or sooner, by Sec. 18 of Ch. 1290.)