RPF EXAM THE 462 QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE ANSWERS
Under the California Forest Practice Rules, a THP is reviewed by CDF first for
acceptance for filing and reviewed again before approval. Under the Forest Practice
Rules, what is the basic standard for a THP to be accepted for approval after second
review? - ANSWER-Educated Guess
no timber harvesting plan shall be approved by the Director until 35 days from the date
of filing of the plan unless the Director finds that the proposed timber operations will
cause no significant environmental damage or threat to public health and safety or the
environment or that the timber operations are necessary to reduce such a threat.
How do the Forest Practice Rules define "emergency"? - ANSWER-Emergency means
those conditions that will cause waste or loss of timber resources to the timber owner
that may be minimized by immediate harvesting of infected, infested or damaged timber
or salvaging down timber; or those conditions that will cause appreciable financial loss
to the timber owner that may be minimized by immediate harvesting of timber.
When preparing a THP, in general (it is not necessary to identify a specific practice,
what must a RPF do when the standard WLPZ (Watercourse and Lake Protection Zone)
width and/or standard protective measures (CCR 916.5, 936.5, 956.5) appear to not be
adequate to provide protection to the beneficial use of water? - ANSWER-The WLPZ
boundary can be extended. The protection and WLPZ widths for Class III and Class IV
waters shall prevent the degradation of the downstream beneficial use of water and
shall be determined on a site-specific basis.
Do trees ever give off carbon dioxide? If so, when? - ANSWER-When forests are cut
down, not only does carbon absorption cease, but also the carbon stored in the trees is
released into the atmosphere as CO2 if the wood is burned or even if it is left to rot after
the deforestation process.
What are the three (3) components required to have a forest fire? - ANSWER-Heat,
oxygen and fuel
What is a WUI and how do they affect fuel and fire management options? - ANSWER-
Wildland Urban Interface are areas are places where built structures bump up against
or intermingle with undeveloped natural areas. WUI areas may be especially vulnerable
to wildfire damage, non-native pest infestations, and other natural resource
disturbances.
What is Fuel Management? - ANSWER-The act or practice of controlling flammability
and reducing resistance to control of wildland fuels through mechanical, chemical,
biological, or manual means, or by fire in support of the land management.
,What is a Prescribed Fire? - ANSWER-A deliberately burn wildland fuels in either their
natural to their modified state and under specified environmental conditions, which
allows the fire to be confined to a predetermined area and produces the fireline intensity
and rate of spread required to attain planned resource management activities.
What is a Prescribed Fire Prescription? What physical elements does a Prescribed Fire
Prescription address? - ANSWER-Educated Guess
-Forest fuels
-The behavior of fire. Setting up a fuel break to prevent the spread of wildfire
-Weather. The weather on the day of the burn
-Ways to put it out if it gets out of control
What do the FPRs state the RPF must describe in a Fuelbreak/Defensible Space
prescription? - ANSWER-The RPF shall describe in the plan specific vegetation and
fuels treatment, including timing, to reduce fuels to meet the objectives of the
Community Fuelbreak area.
What is a Community Fuelbreak area? - ANSWER-community fuel break means a
shaded fuelbreak approved by a public fire agency as part of a fire prevention plan for
fire protection, ignition management, prefire management or other fire defense
improvements.
Anthropogenic effects on global climate include cultural practices associated with
agriculture and livestock, clearing and burning of forests, and burning fossil fuels each
of which in turn elevate carbon dioxide and methane far above natural levels. Describe
the effect of increased carbon dioxide on forest growth. - ANSWER-Educated Guess
1. Plants are unable to release water vapor decreasing their ability to cool the land
When plants allow CO2 to flow into the leaves, tiny amounts of water vapor being
released which cools the land surface.
2. Increased temperatures put more stress on the plants.
3. . the dense, overstocked condition of these forests place them at a higher liability for
carbon loss from wildfire and insects/pathogens.
Name three (3) types of deductions (not defects) taken by log scalers for observable
defects. - ANSWER-Educated Guess
-Fire scar, bear damage, insect damage, Shake (separation between annual rings)
List four (4) types of defects that logs volumes will be deducted for by an scaler. -
ANSWER-Pitch Seams, cat faces, lightning scars, butt rot, sap rot, surface checks
List three of the key elements characterizing Defensible Space in the BOF General
Guidelines for Creating Defensible Space. - ANSWER-1. fuel modification
2. emergency water resreves
3. establish and maintain access for emergency vehicles
Here it is: https://bofdata.fire.ca.gov/media/7315/7-
copyof4291finalguidelines9_29_06.pdf
,Utilization of forest biomass for bioenergy can benefit the people of California in several
ways. List three major benefits. - ANSWER-Educated Guess
-Less fuel loading less fire risk
-better utilization of forest products
-Increased ability for regeneration of the stand
Give the scientific names of 3 genera of bark beetles common to California conifers. -
ANSWER-Engraver beetles: Ips ( infest pine) and scolytus ( infest doug fir)
Bark beetles= Dendroctonus
Name three important social issues that are impediments to increased use of prescribed
burning. - ANSWER-Air quality, fire is dangerous stigma, risk of escape, proximity to
urban areas, cultural decisions
What is a forest pest? - ANSWER-Forest pests and pathogens fall under biotic
disturbances, meaning that the source of illness to a tree or a forest is a living organism.
List three (3) life forms of forest pests. - ANSWER-Insects, fungus, parasite (dwarf
mistletoe)
Define integrated pest management. - ANSWER-The maintenance of destructive
agents, including insects at tolerable levels by the planned use of the variety of
preventative, suppressive or regulatory tactics and strategies are ecologically and
economically efficents and socially acceptable.
The Forest Practice Rules and regulations define "functional wildlife habitat" as having
three basic features. List these three features - ANSWER-Functional Wildlife Habitat
means vegetative structure and composition which function to provide essential
characteristics for
1. wildlife feeding
2. reproduction, cover
3. movement between habitats.
What ethical duty do you owe to the "real party of interest" in your agreement to prepare
a THP? - ANSWER-To disclose any known current or potential conflict of interest the
RPFs have with regard to the timber or land that is subject to operations under the Plan.
Failing to show known areas of landslides and unstable soils on THPs, could lead to a
RPF being charged with which disciplinary offense under the Foresters' Licensing Law?
- ANSWER-Gross negligence
According to the general definition in FPR 895.1, the Winter Period is defined as
occurring between which dates: - ANSWER-the period between November 15 to April 1,
except as noted under special County Rules
, List any four of the seven characteristics used to determine erosion hazard ratings
under the Calif. Forest Practice Rules. - ANSWER-1. The inherent characteristic of the
soil, including soil texture depth to restrictive layer of bedrock, and percent of coarse
surface fragments.
2. Slope of the land surface
3. Protective vegetative cover
4. Precipitation characteristics
In a THP, what does the term "Appurtenant" roads mean? - ANSWER-a logging road
under the ownership or control of the timber owner, timberland owner, timber operator,
or plan submitter that will be used for log hauling.
The California Forest Practice Rules (FPR) use Technical Addendums to convey certain
procedures used to prepare Timber Harvest Plans. Briefly define 4 areas covered by
Technical Addendums. - ANSWER-TA 1= Procedure for estimating surface soil erosion
hazard rating
TA 2= Cumulative impacts assessment
TA 3= Treatment of pine broad material and the Ips
TA 4= Ladder Fuels
TA 5= Hydrologic disconnect transportation network
The FPRs require that RPFs who prepare plans shall consider the range of feasible
silvicultural system, operating methods and procedures. How do the Forest Practice
Rules define "feasible"? - ANSWER-Feasible means capable of being accomplished in
a successful manner within a reasonable period of time, taking into account economic,
environmental, legal, social and technical factors.
economic feasibility is determined on if the plan as revised could be conducted on a
commercial basis within 5 (five) years of the submission of the plan and not solely on
the basis of whether extra cost is required to carry out the alternatives.
In the California Forest Practice Regulations, what is the minimum stand acreage for
defining "late successional stands"? - ANSWER-20 acres in size.
What other law was brought to bear on the Forest Practice Act by the court ruling in
Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. v. Arcata National Corp. (or "Broaddus
Decision") [Answer must be written out in its entirety, no abbreviations]? - ANSWER-
That court case ruled that the california environmental quality act applies to timber
harvest plans.
As defined in the 2015 CA FPRs, what is a Deactivated Road? - ANSWER-Parts of the
permanent road network where measures have been implemented to prevent active use
of logging. Trucks and 4 wheel drive vehicles
In 2012, the Timber Regulation and Forest Restoration Fund was created. Explain how
this Fund is fiscally supported and give two uses for the dollars in this fund. - ANSWER-
COMPLETE ANSWERS
Under the California Forest Practice Rules, a THP is reviewed by CDF first for
acceptance for filing and reviewed again before approval. Under the Forest Practice
Rules, what is the basic standard for a THP to be accepted for approval after second
review? - ANSWER-Educated Guess
no timber harvesting plan shall be approved by the Director until 35 days from the date
of filing of the plan unless the Director finds that the proposed timber operations will
cause no significant environmental damage or threat to public health and safety or the
environment or that the timber operations are necessary to reduce such a threat.
How do the Forest Practice Rules define "emergency"? - ANSWER-Emergency means
those conditions that will cause waste or loss of timber resources to the timber owner
that may be minimized by immediate harvesting of infected, infested or damaged timber
or salvaging down timber; or those conditions that will cause appreciable financial loss
to the timber owner that may be minimized by immediate harvesting of timber.
When preparing a THP, in general (it is not necessary to identify a specific practice,
what must a RPF do when the standard WLPZ (Watercourse and Lake Protection Zone)
width and/or standard protective measures (CCR 916.5, 936.5, 956.5) appear to not be
adequate to provide protection to the beneficial use of water? - ANSWER-The WLPZ
boundary can be extended. The protection and WLPZ widths for Class III and Class IV
waters shall prevent the degradation of the downstream beneficial use of water and
shall be determined on a site-specific basis.
Do trees ever give off carbon dioxide? If so, when? - ANSWER-When forests are cut
down, not only does carbon absorption cease, but also the carbon stored in the trees is
released into the atmosphere as CO2 if the wood is burned or even if it is left to rot after
the deforestation process.
What are the three (3) components required to have a forest fire? - ANSWER-Heat,
oxygen and fuel
What is a WUI and how do they affect fuel and fire management options? - ANSWER-
Wildland Urban Interface are areas are places where built structures bump up against
or intermingle with undeveloped natural areas. WUI areas may be especially vulnerable
to wildfire damage, non-native pest infestations, and other natural resource
disturbances.
What is Fuel Management? - ANSWER-The act or practice of controlling flammability
and reducing resistance to control of wildland fuels through mechanical, chemical,
biological, or manual means, or by fire in support of the land management.
,What is a Prescribed Fire? - ANSWER-A deliberately burn wildland fuels in either their
natural to their modified state and under specified environmental conditions, which
allows the fire to be confined to a predetermined area and produces the fireline intensity
and rate of spread required to attain planned resource management activities.
What is a Prescribed Fire Prescription? What physical elements does a Prescribed Fire
Prescription address? - ANSWER-Educated Guess
-Forest fuels
-The behavior of fire. Setting up a fuel break to prevent the spread of wildfire
-Weather. The weather on the day of the burn
-Ways to put it out if it gets out of control
What do the FPRs state the RPF must describe in a Fuelbreak/Defensible Space
prescription? - ANSWER-The RPF shall describe in the plan specific vegetation and
fuels treatment, including timing, to reduce fuels to meet the objectives of the
Community Fuelbreak area.
What is a Community Fuelbreak area? - ANSWER-community fuel break means a
shaded fuelbreak approved by a public fire agency as part of a fire prevention plan for
fire protection, ignition management, prefire management or other fire defense
improvements.
Anthropogenic effects on global climate include cultural practices associated with
agriculture and livestock, clearing and burning of forests, and burning fossil fuels each
of which in turn elevate carbon dioxide and methane far above natural levels. Describe
the effect of increased carbon dioxide on forest growth. - ANSWER-Educated Guess
1. Plants are unable to release water vapor decreasing their ability to cool the land
When plants allow CO2 to flow into the leaves, tiny amounts of water vapor being
released which cools the land surface.
2. Increased temperatures put more stress on the plants.
3. . the dense, overstocked condition of these forests place them at a higher liability for
carbon loss from wildfire and insects/pathogens.
Name three (3) types of deductions (not defects) taken by log scalers for observable
defects. - ANSWER-Educated Guess
-Fire scar, bear damage, insect damage, Shake (separation between annual rings)
List four (4) types of defects that logs volumes will be deducted for by an scaler. -
ANSWER-Pitch Seams, cat faces, lightning scars, butt rot, sap rot, surface checks
List three of the key elements characterizing Defensible Space in the BOF General
Guidelines for Creating Defensible Space. - ANSWER-1. fuel modification
2. emergency water resreves
3. establish and maintain access for emergency vehicles
Here it is: https://bofdata.fire.ca.gov/media/7315/7-
copyof4291finalguidelines9_29_06.pdf
,Utilization of forest biomass for bioenergy can benefit the people of California in several
ways. List three major benefits. - ANSWER-Educated Guess
-Less fuel loading less fire risk
-better utilization of forest products
-Increased ability for regeneration of the stand
Give the scientific names of 3 genera of bark beetles common to California conifers. -
ANSWER-Engraver beetles: Ips ( infest pine) and scolytus ( infest doug fir)
Bark beetles= Dendroctonus
Name three important social issues that are impediments to increased use of prescribed
burning. - ANSWER-Air quality, fire is dangerous stigma, risk of escape, proximity to
urban areas, cultural decisions
What is a forest pest? - ANSWER-Forest pests and pathogens fall under biotic
disturbances, meaning that the source of illness to a tree or a forest is a living organism.
List three (3) life forms of forest pests. - ANSWER-Insects, fungus, parasite (dwarf
mistletoe)
Define integrated pest management. - ANSWER-The maintenance of destructive
agents, including insects at tolerable levels by the planned use of the variety of
preventative, suppressive or regulatory tactics and strategies are ecologically and
economically efficents and socially acceptable.
The Forest Practice Rules and regulations define "functional wildlife habitat" as having
three basic features. List these three features - ANSWER-Functional Wildlife Habitat
means vegetative structure and composition which function to provide essential
characteristics for
1. wildlife feeding
2. reproduction, cover
3. movement between habitats.
What ethical duty do you owe to the "real party of interest" in your agreement to prepare
a THP? - ANSWER-To disclose any known current or potential conflict of interest the
RPFs have with regard to the timber or land that is subject to operations under the Plan.
Failing to show known areas of landslides and unstable soils on THPs, could lead to a
RPF being charged with which disciplinary offense under the Foresters' Licensing Law?
- ANSWER-Gross negligence
According to the general definition in FPR 895.1, the Winter Period is defined as
occurring between which dates: - ANSWER-the period between November 15 to April 1,
except as noted under special County Rules
, List any four of the seven characteristics used to determine erosion hazard ratings
under the Calif. Forest Practice Rules. - ANSWER-1. The inherent characteristic of the
soil, including soil texture depth to restrictive layer of bedrock, and percent of coarse
surface fragments.
2. Slope of the land surface
3. Protective vegetative cover
4. Precipitation characteristics
In a THP, what does the term "Appurtenant" roads mean? - ANSWER-a logging road
under the ownership or control of the timber owner, timberland owner, timber operator,
or plan submitter that will be used for log hauling.
The California Forest Practice Rules (FPR) use Technical Addendums to convey certain
procedures used to prepare Timber Harvest Plans. Briefly define 4 areas covered by
Technical Addendums. - ANSWER-TA 1= Procedure for estimating surface soil erosion
hazard rating
TA 2= Cumulative impacts assessment
TA 3= Treatment of pine broad material and the Ips
TA 4= Ladder Fuels
TA 5= Hydrologic disconnect transportation network
The FPRs require that RPFs who prepare plans shall consider the range of feasible
silvicultural system, operating methods and procedures. How do the Forest Practice
Rules define "feasible"? - ANSWER-Feasible means capable of being accomplished in
a successful manner within a reasonable period of time, taking into account economic,
environmental, legal, social and technical factors.
economic feasibility is determined on if the plan as revised could be conducted on a
commercial basis within 5 (five) years of the submission of the plan and not solely on
the basis of whether extra cost is required to carry out the alternatives.
In the California Forest Practice Regulations, what is the minimum stand acreage for
defining "late successional stands"? - ANSWER-20 acres in size.
What other law was brought to bear on the Forest Practice Act by the court ruling in
Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. v. Arcata National Corp. (or "Broaddus
Decision") [Answer must be written out in its entirety, no abbreviations]? - ANSWER-
That court case ruled that the california environmental quality act applies to timber
harvest plans.
As defined in the 2015 CA FPRs, what is a Deactivated Road? - ANSWER-Parts of the
permanent road network where measures have been implemented to prevent active use
of logging. Trucks and 4 wheel drive vehicles
In 2012, the Timber Regulation and Forest Restoration Fund was created. Explain how
this Fund is fiscally supported and give two uses for the dollars in this fund. - ANSWER-
