California's forests and woodlands are always changing, and it takes time for California's regulatory framework to catch up to what's happening. After years of fire suppression, it is now common to see encroaching conifers (e.g., Douglas-fir) trees moving into the deciduous woodlands of the Northern California and Coast Range.  In these situations, Oregon white oak and California black oak woodlands struggle for light, and within a few decades, they die from the competition of the conifers. Along with this is the loss of the herbaceous plant communities and shifts in wildlife species that can utilize these woodlands.

Oak woodlands support high levels of biodiversity, provide unique habitats for wildlife, and are deeply...