CAL FIRE's mission is to protect the people and property of California from the effects of devastating wildfires, promote ecosystem resilience, and enhance forest health through sustainable management practices that address threats like climate change, forest overcrowding, and pest infestations. This mission extends to safeguarding watersheds, promoting carbon storage, and supporting land management strategies that mitigate the impact of extreme disturbance events on forests.
The CAL FIRE Forest Legacy Program aims to support landscape-scale conservation projects that conserve working forests and forested landscapes. It focuses on projects that align with the goals of the California Forest Legacy Program Act of 2007, emphasizing the conservation of forests under threat of subdivision and conversion to non-forest uses. The program offers funding for the purchase of conservation easements or fee titles on forest lands, with a strong preference for projects that protect landscapes possessing significant environmental values, such as ecological importance, species protection, and water source protection. To qualify, landscapes must be forested, primarily consisting of conifer or hardwood species, and meet specific canopy and forest cover criteria. The program encourages long-term conservation efforts, including the management of the forest for both commercial and noncommercial uses and allowing public access, while ensuring the conservation values of the land are preserved through legal and monetary mechanisms.