The Purpose of State Forests: Boggs Mountain, and the other State Forests, demonstrates the productive and economic possibilities of good forestry practices toward maintaining forest land in a productive condition through harvesting. The management objectives and plans developed for each State Forest are subject to periodic review and approval by the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Legislative Mandate: §4631of the Public Resources Code states that it is in the interest of the welfare of the people of this state and their industries and other activities involving the use of wood and other forest products that desirable cutover forest lands be made fully productive and that the holding and reforestation of such lands is a necessary measure. Section 4631.5 provides that the state shall retain the existing land base of state forests in timber production for research and demonstration
purposes. The department, in accordance with plans approved by the board, may engage in the management, protection, and reforestation of state forests (PRC 4645) where "management: means the handling of forest crop and forest soil so as to achieve maximum sustained production of high quality forest products while giving consideration to values relating to recreation, watershed, wildlife, range and forage, fisheries, and aesthetic enjoyment (4639).
Recreational use of the forest is on the increase. The recreational facility infrastructure includes 25 miles of unimproved roads, over 21 miles of non-motorized use trails and two no-fee campgrounds with 19 campsites. Campground use is heaviest in the spring but summer use has increased in recent years.
In 1997 recreational use was estimated to be 10,000 user days, about double 1990 use. Campers accounted for less than 20% of the recreational use.
Boggs is an ongoing demonstration of forest management on the wildland-urban interface. Click here to view the urban pressures on the western edge of BMDSF.
Subdivisions are built to the forest’s boundaries on the south and west sides and its north side is the viewshed of the community of Loch Lomond which is located less than a mile north of the forest across Big Canyon.
Because of easy accessibility and small size, all management activities on Boggs are scrutinized by forest users. The public exposure has occasionally resulted in requests for more information about the forest and its management. Tours are periodically scheduled and are given on request to individuals or groups.
