SECTIONS 4681-4685 - California Statutes

PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE

SECTION 4681-4685

4681. State nurseries shall be maintained under the management of
the department for all of the following purposes:
(a) Operation of a state seed bank to provide facilities for the
processing and storage of adequate supplies of high-quality seed
necessary to protect the genetic integrity and diversity of forest
tree and plant species, giving emphasis to those native species
threatened with extinction.
(b) Reforestation of public and private lands, giving preference
to forest land which has been substantially damaged by fire, flood,
insects, disease, or other natural causes.
(c) Production for sale of tree seedlings planted for purposes of
meeting resource conservation standards required pursuant to Section
4561 and the rules and regulations of the board. For this purpose,
the department shall take whatever steps are necessary to ensure to
the maximum degree feasible that the seedlings are adapted to the
planting site, and represent an appropriate diversity of forest
species.
(d) Propagation and distribution of tree seedlings of the species
Taxus brevifolia (Pacific yew) for research related to taxol in the
treatment of cancer.

4682. The department shall construct and maintain such buildings,
improvements, and equipment, and shall employ and fix the
compensation of such employees as may be necessary to carry out this
article.

4683. The department may purchase nursery stock and seed, and may
distribute stock or seed for the following purposes:
(a) Public planting or reforestation of public lands, giving
emphasis to forest and watershed land which has been substantially
damaged by fire, flood, insects, disease, or other natural causes.
(b) Restoration of native tree and plant species threatened with
extinction.
(c) Establishment of experimental plantations of Taxus brevifolia
(Pacific yew) for the purpose of research related to taxol in the
treatment of cancer.
(d) Soil erosion control, watershed protection, or farm
windbreaks.
(e) The production of forest products and farm woodlot products on
private lands.

4684. Trees, plants, nursery stock, and seeds which are sold
pursuant to this article shall be sold at prices that are established
by the department and approved by the board.

4684.5. Notwithstanding Section 4684, the director may give such
forest seedlings or native plants for the purposes of reforestation
or soil erosion control at the end of each season's sales as are, in
his determination, surplus, to private persons or nonprofit
organizations for planting on state, federal, or other public
property. Any person or nonprofit organization requesting such
surplus forest seedlings or native plants shall provide such
information as the director determines is necessary to insure that
the forest seedlings or native plants will be planted on public
property and that they are sufficiently compatible with the proposed
planting area to have a reasonable chance for survival.

4685. The Governor, on behalf of the state, may receive all
conveyances or donations of real or personal property necessary to
vest in the state the title to any site for a state nursery and to
any equipment and supplies that are donated for a state nursery.