SECTIONS 1930-1940 - California Statutes

FISH AND GAME CODE

SECTION 1930-1940

1930. The Legislature finds and declares that:
(a) Areas containing diverse ecological and geological
characteristics are vital to the continual health and well being of
the state's natural resources and of its citizens.
(b) Many habitats and ecosystems that constitute the state's
natural diversity are in danger of being lost.
(c) Connectivity between wildlife habitats is important to the
long-term viability of the state's biodiversity.
(d) Increasingly fragmented habitats threaten the state's wildlife
species.
(e) There is insufficient incentive for private landowners to
maintain and perpetuate significant local natural areas in their
natural state.
(f) Efforts to preserve natural areas have been fragmented between
federal, state, local, and private sectors.
(g) Analysis of the state's habitat connectivity benefits from the
consideration of all relevant data, including information from
private and public landowners.
(h) The Department of Fish and Game's existing mapping activities
and products should be developed and sustained.

1930.5. (a) Contingent upon funding being provided by the Wildlife
Conservation Board from moneys available pursuant to Section 75055 of
the Public Resources Code, or from other appropriate bond funds,
upon appropriation by the Legislature, the department shall
investigate, study, and identify those areas in the state that are
most essential as wildlife corridors and habitat linkages, as well as
the impacts to those corridors from climate change, and shall
prioritize vegetative data development in these areas.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Wildlife
Conservation Board use various funds to work with the department to
complete a statewide analysis of corridors and connectivity to
support conservation planning and climate change adaptation
activities.

1931. The Legislature further finds and declares that it is the
policy of this state to encourage the cooperation of federal, state,
local, and private sectors, including private organizations and
individuals, in efforts to maintain the state's most significant
natural areas.

1932. There is hereby established the Significant Natural Areas
Program which shall be administered by the department. The
department, in administering this program, shall do all of the
following:
(a) Obtain access to the most recent information with respect to
natural resources. In order to accomplish this, the department shall
maintain, expand, and keep current a data management system,
designated the California Natural Diversity Data Base, designed to
document information on these resources. That data shall be made
available to interested parties on request.
(b) Develop and maintain a spatial data system that identifies
those areas in the state that are most essential for maintaining
habitat connectivity, including wildlife corridors and habitat
linkages. This data should include information essential for
evaluating the needs of wildlife species, as defined in Section
711.2, that require habitat connectivity for their long-term
conservation, including distribution and movement patterns.
(c) As appropriate, develop and maintain the database by
incorporating mapping products and data developed by other state
agencies.
(d) Make all of the data sets, and associated analytical products,
available to the public and other government entities.
(e) Ensure cost sharing by all who use the data management system
and develop an appropriate schedule of compensation to be paid by
individuals using the data management system, not to exceed the
actual costs for use of the data management system.
(f) Ensure recognition of the state's most significant natural
areas, including those affected by climate change. The department
shall, after consultation with federal, state, and local agencies,
education institutions, civic and public interest organizations,
private organizations, landowners, and other private individuals,
identify by means of periodic reports those natural areas deemed to
be most significant.
(g) Seek the maintenance and perpetuation of the state's most
significant natural areas for present and future generations in the
most feasible manner. The department shall consider alternative
approaches for that maintenance, including alternatives to fee
acquisition such as incentives, leasing, and dedication.
(h) Reduce unnecessary duplication of effort. The department shall
provide coordinating services to federal, state, local, and private
interests wishing to aid in the maintenance and perpetuation of
significant natural areas.
(i) Actively pursue grants and cost-sharing opportunities with
local, state, or federal agencies, or private entities that use the
data sets and benefit from their creation and maintenance.

1932.5. (a) In carrying out its responsibilities pursuant to this
chapter, the department shall solicit and utilize all relevant
results of existing studies and information from local government,
state, and federal agencies, academic institutions, nonprofit
organizations, certified environmental documents, private and public
landowners, and agricultural and rangeland information developed by
the Department of Conservation and agriculture associations.
(b) The department shall seek input from representatives of other
state agencies, local government, federal agencies, nongovernmental
conservation organizations, landowners, agriculture, recreation,
scientific entities, and industry in determining essential wildlife
corridors and habitat linkages. Private and public landowners shall
be given a reasonable opportunity to review and comment on the
wildlife characteristics of their land if it is identified pursuant
to this chapter. The department shall utilize all relevant
information when developing data sets and associated analytical
products pursuant to this chapter.
(c) This chapter does not require, mandate, or authorize, under
state or federal law, any state or local planning, zoning, or other
land use action or decision.
(d) This chapter does not alter any legal rights and privileges,
under state or federal law, of ownership or use of privately or
publicly owned property.
(e) The Legislature finds and declares that the data sets and
associated analytical products required pursuant to this chapter are
for inventory and planning purposes and may not be suitable to
support regulatory actions without additional specificity or
information.

1933. No authority or responsibility provided for in this chapter
shall, of itself, change or prevent the change of the use of any area
identified pursuant to the Significant Natural Areas Program.

1940. (a) The Department of Fish and Game shall undertake the
development of a vegetation mapping standard for the state.
(b) The development of a state vegetation mapping standard by the
department shall be done in consultation with interested
stakeholders, including, but not limited to, government agencies,
nongovernmental conservation organizations, landowners, agriculture,
recreation, scientific entities, and industry. Components of the
standard shall include the following:
(1) A published classification system for all natural and
seminatural vegetation communities present in California with
sufficient detail to meet the analytical needs of government and
nongovernment entities. The classification shall be consistent with
national standards adopted by the Federal Geographic Data Committee.
(2) Methods for field data collection, image interpretation, and
digital map production and attribution.
(3) Manuals, training materials, tools, and database structures
for use by parties interested in performing vegetation mapping
according to the standard.
(4) Documented methods for performing postproject accuracy
assessments to quantify that validity of the work. Private and public
landowners shall be given reasonable opportunity to review, and
comment on the accuracy of, the data collected on their lands.
(5) Mechanisms for integrating new map products that meet the
standard into a cohesive database with the intent of eventually
completing statewide coverage.
(c) The department shall submit a report to the budget committee
of each house of the Legislature no later than January 10, 2008,
providing its mapping standard and advising how the department will
ensure that its standard will be updated to reflect changing
technology and serve as the state's center of expertise on vegetation
mapping.
(d) The department may adopt regulations to implement this
section.