Developing alternative land use planning and range management strategies to ensure multiple use of hardwood rangelands while improving oak regeneration and maintaining diverse wildlife habitat.

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ORIGIN: Established in 1986 to ensure sustainability of the State's 10 million acres of hardwood rangelands.

MISSION: To maintain, and where possible, increase acreage of California's hardwood range resources to provide wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, wood and livestock products, high quality water supply, and aesthetic value.

OBJECTIVES:

• Develop methods to sustain hardwood rangeland ecosystems and landscapes;
• Maintain wildlife habitat on hardwood rangelands;
• Restore degraded hardwood rangelands;
• Ensure land use planning utilizing available information to conserve hardwood rangeland ecosystems;
• Maintain economically viable private hardwood rangeland enterprises;
• Maintain statewide information base about trend, condition, and extent of hardwood rangelands; and
• Help focus public awareness about the importance of hardwood rangeland habitats.

Regional cooperative extension specialists are located throughout the State to develop applied research and outreach programs addressing conservation of hardwood rangelands with local Cooperative Extension offices and various agencies and interest groups. The Extension program also develops newsletters and educational materials.

A competitive grants research program is available for both UC and non-UC researchers to develop multi-year projects addressing ecological processes, management applications, and policy instruments to conserve hardwood rangelands.

Projects of the Program include:

• Workshops on Guidelines for Managing Hardwood Rangelands -- 10 workshops were presented in FY 97-98 to extend the concepts in the recently revised handbook, "Guidelines for Managing California's Hardwood Rangelands." Presented in collaboration with local county Cooperative Extension offices. Over 450 ranchers, homeowners, local conservation groups, and resource management professionals participated.
• Development of Local-Based Oak Woodland Conservation Policies -- The State Board of Forestry has adopted a hardwood rangeland policy to encourage local or regionally-based conservation strategies, rather than statewide regulations. IHRMP and county CE staff have helped facilitate development of these local policies. During FY 97-98, Sonoma, Fresno, and El Dorado counties implemented new hardwood rangeland policies. These add to the other 27 counties that have already adopted local hardwood rangeland conservation policies.
• Monitoring of Hardwood Rangeland Resources -- Provide local feedback into state-level monitoring carried out by USDA Forest Service (USFS) and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF). Change detection evaluation of seven counties in the southern Sierra Nevada was completed in cooperation with local CE advisors. Work on monitoring sources of hardwood rangeland change started in the central and northern Sierra Nevada regions.
• Develop and Extend Restoration Efforts -- Educational programs were held with restoration professionals, native plant nurseries, and landowners on IHRMP-developed hardwood rangeland restoration technologies. Over 150 professionals were reached directly with educational workshops dealing with this topic.
• Vineyards in an Oak Landscape ? Conversion of hardwood rangelands to vineyards identified as key area for new program thrust. Leaflet developed to describe hardwood rangeland conservation strategies in areas being developed for new vineyards. Local regulatory restrictions proposed in Sonoma, Napa, and Santa Barbara counties, and IHRMP and county CE advisors worked closely in developing educational opportunities to present research-based information in this policy debate. Five educational workshops were held this fiscal year on this topic. A pilot GIS mapping project started in Sonoma County.
• Economic Value of Hardwood Rangelands ? Concerns about validity of Williamson Act appraisal processes used in the Southern Sierra Counties led to contract with Tulare County Assessor's Office to determine a scientifically defensible appraisal process. This work completed, and extended to southern Sierra Nevada county assessors in a workshop and through printed case studies. Work has helped quantify amenity and conservation value of hardwood rangelands to support developing interest in conservation easements and land trusts to conserve habitat values of hardwood rangelands.

The Integrated Hardwood Range Management Program's staff includes a manager, one assistant manager, four specialists working full time and three advisors assigned on a partial basis to carry out regional assignments. Administrative staff includes two staff research associates, and one administrative assistant.

Program Director: Douglas McCreary
Address: UCB, IHRMP, 160 Mulford Hall, Berkeley CA 94720-5438
Phone Number: (510) 643-5428 Fax: (510) 643-5438
E-Mail Address: ddmccreary@ucdavis.edu