Oak Woodland Policies of 41 California Counties
In 1993, the California Board of Forestry and Fish and the Game Commission released the Joint Policy on Hardwoods, which determined there was no need for statewide regulation of hardwood resources. Instead, they strongly encouraged local governments to utilize the resources developed by the IHRMP to help create policies that address ecological, economic, and political issues affecting hardwood rangelands in their particular county. Below is a table of counties with significant hardwood rangeland acreage and the current policy approaches being used. These data were updated in 2025.
Hardwood Rangeland (acres) | Voluntary Guidelines | General Plan Language | Implementing ordinance | |
AlamedaArchived | 131,000 |
| scenic areas only |
|
AmadorArchived | 178,000 |
| scenic areas only |
|
ButteArchived | 230,000 |
|
| subdivisions only |
CalaverasArchived | 316,000 | X |
|
|
ColusaArchived | 149,000 | X |
|
|
Contra CostaArchived | 81,000 |
| discretionary projects with heritage trees | tree protection ordinance for all areas with 4 or more oaks >6.5” dbh |
El DoradoArchived | 178,000 | X | X | zoning and subdivision ordinance |
FresnoArchived | 493,000 | X | scenic areas and landmark trees |
|
GlennArchived | 133,000 | X |
|
|
KernArchived | 721,000 |
|
|
|
LakeArchived | 119,000 | X |
| waterway zoning only |
Los AngelesArchived | 70,000 |
|
| oak tree ordinance |
Madera | 283,000 | X | landmark trees only |
|
Marin | 62,000 | X | X | tree protection ordinance (zoning) |
MariposaArchived | 299,000 | X |
|
|
MendocinoArchived | 374,000 |
| landmark trees only |
|
MercedArchived | 96,000 |
|
|
|
MontereyArchived | 921,000 |
| including agriculture | zoning ordinance |
NapaArchived | 159,000 |
| X | erosion hazard and municipal watershed zoning only |
NevadaArchived | 139,000 |
| X | within land use code and site standards |
OrangeArchived | 40,000 |
|
|
|
PlacerArchived | 105,000 |
| X | tree ordinance |
RiversideArchived | 72,000 |
| on ½ parcels above 5,000’ only | tree removal ordinance |
SacramentoArchived | 23,000 |
| X | tree preservation ordinance |
San BenitoArchived | 437,000 |
| when removal approaches a canopy retention standard or on slopes >/ 30% | woodland management ordinance |
San BernardinoArchived | 18,000 |
| X | plant protection ordinance |
San DiegoArchived | 320,000 |
| on 5 acre lots only | grading ordinance |
San JoaquinArchived | 39,000 |
| X | tree ordinance |
San Luis ObispoArchived | 724,000 | X | in some zones | zoning ordinance |
Santa BarbaraArchived | 345,000 | X for agriculture | including agriculture | deciduous oak ordinance |
Santa ClaraArchived | 321,000 | X for golf courses | Heritage trees and 12” trees in hillside zones | tree protection ordinance |
ShastaArchived | 287,000 | X |
|
|
SolanoArchived | 45,000 |
|
|
|
SonomaArchived | 211,000 |
| valley oak district only | zoning ordinance |
StanislausArchived | 145,000 |
| all discretionary projects |
|
TehamaArchived | 633,000 | X |
|
|
TulareArchived | 536,000 |
| along scenic highway only |
|
TuolumneArchived | 234,000 | X | valley oak woodland only | mitigations designated in wildlife handbook |
VenturaArchived | 113,000 |
| X | both ministerial and discretionary |
YoloArchived | 99,000 |
| should adopt tree ordinance |
|
YubaArchived | 95,000 |
| valley oak only |
|