Impact of firewood harvesting on hardwood rangelands varies with region

• Main Authors: Richard Standiford, Douglas McCreary, Sheila Barry, Larry Forero, Ron Knight
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources 1996-03-01
• Series: California Agriculture
• Online Access: http://calag.ucanr.edu/archive/?article=ca.v050n02p7

Aerial monitoring of hardwood rangelands over a 4-year period revealed that almost 70,000 cords of firewood ware harvested annually on approximately 6,000 acres. This represents less than 0.1% of the total hardwood rangeland in the state. Over 50% of the firewood volume harvested during these 4 years was in Shasta and Tehama counties, although these two counties represent less than 10% of the hardwood rangeland acreage in the state. In Tehama County, tree growth outpaced harvest, but in Shasta County, harvest exceeded growth by 30%. Both counties' governments adopted resolutions calling for a retention of 30% crown cover following firewood harvest. This retention level attempts to balance the needs for profitable livestock management with wildlife habitat needs.