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 -
The IHRMP regularly hosts workshops throughout California to extend
the concepts in the handbook Guidelines for Managing California's
Hardwood Rangelands. These are presented in collaboration with local
county Cooperative Extension offices and are targeted to ranchers,
homeowners, local conservation groups, and resource management professionals.
Three workshops are scheduled for June 2005 in San Luis Obispo,
Alameda and El Dorado Counties to extend the concepts in the Guidelines.
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 the development of local policies and recently
contacted all counties to determine what policies are currently
in place. The results of this assessment are now posted on this
Web Site. Hopefully this information will be used to help local
residents better understand what policies are currently in place,
as well as to assist those who are developing them.
Monitoring of Hardwood Rangeland Resources
The IHRMP has been a cooperator on the ퟙChange Detection Programퟘ
-- a state-level monitoring carried out by USDA Forest Service (USFS)
and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF)
to identify changes in woodland cover throughout the state over
5-year intervals The IHRMP has assisted in identifying the causes
of various changes in canopy cover. Such information is critical
for local policy makers trying to determine what types and causes
of changes in hardwoods are occurring in their jurisdiction.
Develop and Extend Restoration Efforts
Educational programs are regularly conducted to teach restoration
professionals, native plant nursery operators and landowners the
latest techniques for successfully restoring hardwood rangelands.
In addition, a 62-page pamphlet was recently produced by the IHRMP
titled Regenerating Rangeland Oaks in California .This document
outlines recommended procedures for successful oak regeneration.
Vineyards in an Oak Landscape
Conversion of hardwood rangelands to vineyards has been identified
as key area for the IHRMP to address. A publication titled Vineyards
in an Oak Landscape was produced by the IHRMP that describes how
to conserve hardwood rangeland values in areas being developed for
new vineyards. IHRMP personnel have also worked closely with local
planners in wine-growing regions of the state to provide research-based
information in this policy debate. Educational workshops for both
vineyard operators and policy makers have also been held and GIS
mapping technologies are being tested and reported on.
Economic Value of Hardwood Rangelands
IHRMP research about the Williamson Act appraisal process in the
Southern Sierras has helped identify defensible appraisals for hardwood
rangelands. Other IHRMP work has helped quantify amenity and conservation
values of hardwood rangelands. This information is extremely useful
for land trusts that are seeking to conserve habitat values on these
properties through conservation easements.
The Integrated Hardwood Range Management Program's
staff includes a Program Director, a Research Program Manager,
three Specialists working full time and six Advisors assigned on a partial
basis to carry out regional assignments. Administrative support includes
an Administrative Manager and a Grants Coordinator.
Program Director: Douglas McCreary
Address: UCB, IHRMP, 8279 Scott Forbes Road, Browns Valley, CA 95918
Phone Number: (530) 639-8807 Fax: (530) 639-2419
E-Mail Address: mccreary@nature.berkeley.edu
Administrative Manager: Joni Rippee
Address: UCB, IHRMP, 145 Mulford Hall, Berkeley CA 94720-5438
Phone Number: (510) 643-5428 Fax: (510) 643-5438
E-Mail Address: rippee@nature.berkeley.edu
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IHRMP Purpose: 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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