The Conservation of Sensitive Plants on Private Redwood Timberlands in Northern California

Abstract

Redwood forests are not traditionally known for a diverse vascular plant flora or a large number of sensitive plant taxa. Approximately 90 percent of redwood forests are privately owned and most are managed for timber production. Historically, information on sensitive plants in the redwoods has been scarce because few sensitive plant surveys were conducted on public lands, botanists have typically not had access to private lands, and no botanical survey data was requested in the permitting process for projects on managed timberlands. Prior to 1999, most of the information available on sensitive plants in redwood forests was based upon early twentieth century herbarium specimens. In the late 1990s, state agencies began requesting sensitive plant survey data for projects conducted in managed redwood stands. Five years of plant surveys have resulted in an improved understanding of the ecology and distribution of many sensitive plant taxa. For taxa whose distribution and ecology have become better understood, landscape-level approaches to conservation are being developed. This paper presents an overview of the sensitive plant flora and management strategies used to conserve sensitive plants on privately-owned redwood forests.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the Redwood Region Forest Science Symposium: What does the future hold?

Citation

Golec, Clare; LaBanca, Tony; Leppig, Gordon. 2007. The Conservation of Sensitive Plants on Private Redwood Timberlands in Northern California. In: Standiford, Richard B.; Giusti, Gregory A.; Valachovic, Yana; Zielinski, William J.; Furniss, Michael J., technical editors. 2007. Proceedings of the redwood region forest science symposium: What does the future hold? Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-194. Albany, CA: Pacific Southwest Research Station, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture; p. 169-184