In blow to tribes, Newsom vetoes bill that would have remade little-known state forests

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Set us as preferred Gov.Gavin Newsom has vetoed a bill aimed at deprioritizing commercial logging in a unique state forest system, arguing the measure would jeopardize the ability to test best management practices.At issue are the state’s 14 demonstration forests — managed by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire — which are billed as “living laboratories” for forest management practices.

Under existing law, they’re directed to produce as much timber as can be sustained over time, while considering factors like recreation and wildlife.Assembly Bill 2494 would have eliminated what’s often characterized as a logging mandate in favor of prioritizing values such as carbon storage, wildfire resilience and biodiversity conservation.It also would have directed state officials to seek agreements with Native American tribes to integrate their traditional knowledge into managing the land.

Climate & Environment Assembly Bill 2494 aims to pivot state demonstration forests away from commercial logging toward ecotourism and Indigenous stewardship.It now heads to Newsom’s desk.In Newsom’s veto message, he said the forests “produce cutting-edge strategies that inform forest management on public and private lands across California,” which is key for fighting climate change and improving wildfire resilience.“By narrowing the management of these forests to a limited set of public benefits, this bill risks the state’s ability to fully demonstrate the best science-based practices,” he wrote Friday.

“At a time when California is racing to keep pace with a rapidly changing climate, we cannot afford to lose the flexibility needed to safeguard our forests for future generations.”The move deals a blow to a grassroots coalition that included tribes, environmentalists and mountain bik...