California Bill Could End Logging in State Forests for Climate and Tribes

A new California bill could transform how 14 state demonstration forests are managed. Assemblymember Chris Rogers (D-Santa Rosa) introduced AB 2494 to shift priorities away from commercial logging. Instead, the focus would turn to climate resilience, biodiversity, and tribal involvement in forest oversight.

The proposal marks a rare collaboration between tribes and environmental groups in a region long divided by logging disputes. If passed, it would give Indigenous communities a formal role in managing these lands for the first time in over a century. The bill stems from a grassroots effort to protect North Coast redwoods and include tribal perspectives in forest management. Currently, logging in these demonstration forests brings in about £6.8 million (approximately $8.5 million) yearly for Cal Fire. The Jackson Demonstration State Forest, covering 50,000 acres, has historically been used for timber production but could now see a major shift in purpose.

Under the new plan, Indigenous practices like cultural burning would be integrated into forest management. Environmentalists have long opposed cutting old-growth redwoods, arguing they store vital carbon, while loggers defend their methods as sustainable. The bill seeks to move beyond this conflict by redefining the forests’ role in climate protection and tribal stewardship.

Supporters say the change is overdue. For decades, logging has dominated these public lands, but the proposal would redirect funding and management toward ecological health. Tribes would gain a seat at the table, ensuring their traditional knowledge helps shape future policies. The bill’s passage would end a century of logging-focused management in these forests. Tribes would finally have a direct say in how the lands are cared for, alongside a stronger emphasis on climate and biodiversity. The outcome could set a precedent for how public forests are managed across the state.