The resource conservation standards relating to stocking enumerated in Section 4561 shall constitute minimum requirements, and these shall be the standards to which all timber harvesting plans shall conform unless the board adopts higher stocking standards for each district. The board shall adopt standards for each district, after a public hearing, which are equal to or stricter than the standards of this chapter and shall report such standards to the Legislature.
It is not the intent of the Legislature in designating minimum standards that such standards shall be deemed to be preferred as the standards to be adopted by the board. The board may, by a majority vote as provided in Section 736, adopt higher minimum standards of stocking if, in the opinion of the board, growing conditions, tree species, site quality, or other factors justify such stricter standards and if such action is consistent with the purposes of this article.