California Timber Regulation and Environmental Evaluation System (CalTREES)

Address: 

135 Ridgway Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA  95401

Phone Number:

(707) 576-2959

Counties Served:

Alameda, Colusa, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, western Trinity, Yolo

Address: 

6105 Airport Road
Redding, CA  96002

Phone Number:

(530) 224-2445

Counties Served: 

Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, eastern Trinity, Yuba

Address:

1234 East Shaw Avenue
Fresno, CA  93710

Phone Number:

(559) 243-4107

Counties Served:

Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Imperials, Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Mono, Monterey, Orange, Riverside, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Stanislaus, Tuolumne, Tulare, Ventura

What is CalTREES?
The California Timber Regulations and Environmental Evaluation System (CalTREES) is an online system that will streamline the submission and review processes for timber harvesting documents. The system will feature easy-to-use forms and real-time reporting and analytics.

Who will be impacted by CalTREES? 
The system impacts multiple State entities, including CAL FIRE and Review Team Agencies (i.e., the State and Regional Water Boards, Department of Fish and Wildlife, and California Geological Survey).  Additionally, Registered Professional Foresters (RPFs), Licensed Timber Operators (LTOs), and landowners can electronically submit, track, and update Emergency and Exemption timber harvesting documents online via CalTREES. The public has access to CalTREES to search and review timber harvesting documents,  submit comments online, and sign up for notification pertaining to timber harvesting plans.

What CalTREES features are currently available?

• Ability to search for timber harvesting documents and related information
• Run reports online and get the most up to date information

If you register for an account in CalTREES, these additional features are available:

• Submission of Notification Requests to receive email notification about timber harvesting documents
• Ability to submit Public Comments online
• Registered Professional Foresters, Licensed Timber Operators, and Landowners have the capability to electronically submit, track, and update Emergency and Exemption timber harvesting documents

What are the remaining CalTREES features and when can I begin using them? 

• The ability for Registered Professional Foresters and Licensed Timber Operators to submit THPs and NTMPs.

What training and support is available?
To ensure that new users have the tools and support they need during the onboarding process, the following are available:

• The CalTREES User Guide which includes step-by-step instructions.
• Access to pre-recorded training videos and webinars.
• Opportunities to practice and receive guided instruction in group sessions.
• Contact information for additional support (i.e., CalTREES Help Desk for technical support and CAL FIRE Regional Offices for Forest Practice Program and general timber harvesting questions.)

Why have the timber harvesting forms been updated?
To improve efficiency, CAL FIRE released revised harvesting document forms that both conform with the Forest Practice Act and Rules and align with the new CalTREES software. 

Where can I submit comments about the new timber harvesting forms?
Please send all technical and Board rule-related issues to Shawn Headley at Shawn.Headley@fire.ca.gov

Where can I find the CalTREES application to search for timber harvesting documents?
The CalTREES application is located at the following url: https://caltreesplans.resources.ca.gov/caltrees 

Am I able to search submitted timber harvesting documents?
Yes, CalTREES provides the ability to search for specific fields within the database, as well as review PDF timber harvesting documents that have been submitted.

How do I search for timber harvesting documents?
For detailed instructions, please refer to the CalTREES User Guide and/or training videos listed in the Training Materials section of this webpage.

What is a “wildcard” and how can this help me narrow my search criteria?
The CalTREES application has a wildcard character (%) that can be used to assist with searching for plans in CalTREES. The wildcard is used to take the place of any other character or string of characters in the field (e.g., the name of a Region or County). The wildcard can be used multiple times in a search field to assist in narrowing down the search results. Additional details can be found in the CalTREES User Guide.

Is there a dropdown list of Counties to help narrow my search?
Not currently within CalTREES, but you can use the “wildcard” feature and a three-letter identifier for each County.   A list of all counties and their abbreviations is listed in the CalTREES User Guide.

What criteria can I search by?
See Appendix A of the CalTREES User Guide for a complete list of Search Criteria.

Can I receive notifications about timber harvesting documents?
Yes, you can register to receive email notifications based on selected criteria (e.g., County, Watershed, Legal Description, Notice of Submission, Notice of Filing).

Am I required to submit timber harvest documents online?
Not at this time. Currently, CalTREES has the ability for Emergency and Exemption harvesting documents to be submitted online.  Hard copy submittal require the use of the updated timber harvesting forms.

What are the benefits of submitting timber harvest documents online?
CalTREES offers many benefits for Registered Professional Foresters, Licensed Timber Operators, and landowners:

• The system is designed to guide you through the process by using updated timber harvesting forms.
• The system will indicate required fields on each form and provide you with reminders about regulatory requirements.
• Because you can electronically track progress, there will be better transparency and accountability of review timelines.
• The system will provide electronic notifications and two-way communication between the State and document/plan submitters.
• The system improves the efficiency of the collaborative review process, to allow faster approvals of timber harvest documents.

When I  submit timber harvest documents online, where will the data be stored?
The CalTREES application and database are stored in a secure data center managed by California Natural Resources Agency. 

If I save my progress on a partially-completed timber harvest document in CalTREES, is my data visible to the public?
No; You will have an opportunity to save progress towards a completed document and preview the document prior to confirming your electronic submission. Emergency and Exemptions are only visible after they have been electronically submitted AND CAL FIRE has validated them.  THPs, NTMPs and Substantial Deviations are visible once they have been electronically submitted to CalTREES. 

How can I track the progress of my timber harvest document once submitted?
If you submit the document electronically via CalTREES, you can log in at any time to see the document status and designate how to receive correspondence from State reviewers (i.e., system notifications, email notifications, or mail).  For those who submit paper timber harvest documents, all correspondence and status notifications will be sent via mail and be available in CalTREES for review.

Will CAL FIRE and other Review Team Agencies collaborate online using CalTREES?
Yes; one of the main goals of CalTREES is to improve the collaborative review process for timber harvesting documents.  CalTREES will enable reviewers to communicate, expedite, and track comments from each State entity involved.