Yolo County Habitat/Natural Community Conservation Plan Joint Powers Agency ~ Partnering for Conservation ~ Member Agencies County of Yolo City of Davis City of Winters City of West Sacramento City of Woodland University of California, Davis To: Jim Provenza, Chair Members of the Board From: Petrea Marchand Executive Director Susan Garbini Research Associate Re: Receive and file Science and Technical Advisory Committee evaluations of five proposed properties for Swainson s hawk mitigation receiving sites and conservation easements, and approve recommendations for mitigation receiving sites and conservation easements. Date: May 18, 2015 REQUESTED ACTIONS: 1. Receive and file Science and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) evaluations of five proposed properties for Swainson s hawk mitigation receiving sites and conservation easements. (See Attachment A for a map of properties and Attachment B for the l evaluations.) 2. Approve the following three Swainson s hawk mitigation receiving sites and one conservation easement, with the associated conditions: Elliott Ranch Willow Point Ranch, if landowner specifies location of potential homes and location is consistent with conservation objectives Tule Ranch, if the landowner agrees to habitat enhancements Chickahominy Creek Ranch CCR2 3. Direct staff to seek approval from the wildlife agencies of JPA mitigation receiving site recommendations, per the draft Yolo HCP/NCCP. 4. Allow the JPA to stack Swainson s hawk habitat conservation easements on agricultural land conservation easements, as described in this staff report.
BACKGROUND The Board of Directors authorized the Executive Director to establish a Science and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) at the December 16, 2013 meeting. The STAC is an advisory group that provides expert guidance and recommendations to the Executive Director regarding proposed Swainson s hawk mitigation receiving sites and other conservation opportunities consistent with the Yolo HCP/NCCP. The STAC s work is conducted in accordance with operational guidelines developed by JPA staff and received by the Board of Directors on May 19, 2014. These guidelines establish a formal process for receiving and reviewing mitigation receiving site and conservation easement applications. The Executive Director convened the first meeting of the STAC, composed of four biologists, in June 2014. In September 2014, the JPA sent out application information and brochures to landowners in Yolo County, plus over 300 subscribers on the Yolo HCP/NCCP listserve. JPA staff received seven applications by the December 15 deadline: six applications for Swainson s hawk mitigation receiving sites and one application for a Swainson s hawk conservation easement. The STAC reviewed the applications and conducted site evaluations using its evaluation tool developed for the Swainson s hawk on five of the proposed mitigation receiving sites and the proposed conservation easement site between February 13 and March 17. The STAC and the JPA staff determined that two of the proposed mitigation receiving sites (Clarksburg 1 and Clarksburg 3) had insufficient acres to meet the minimum required for Swainson s hawk conservation and therefore the STAC did not evaluate them. The JPA currently does not have a policy on stacking of habitat conservation easements on agricultural land conservation easements. JPA staff recommend the Board allow stacking of conservation easements on agricultural land conservation easements because of the importance of preventing the conversion of agricultural land to orchard and vineyards on key habitat properties. This policy does not bind any of the member agencies that may have different policies, but is an important aspect of the selection of mitigation receiving sites. The following limitations on this policy will apply: A habitat conservation easement can be stacked with an existing agricultural easement if the easement was recorded voluntarily, and not as mitigation for the loss of farmland. Easements not purchased for mitigation purposes include agricultural conservation easements purchased by the City of Davis with Measure O funds. If an agricultural conservation easement was recorded as mitigation, the habitat conservation easement can be stacked with an agricultural conservation easement if approved by the agency that required the mitigation. (Each agency can decide on a caseby-case basis and may adopt fixed criteria for evaluating such requests.) With regard to the Cache Creek Area Plan, reclaimed sites that are protected by an agricultural conservation easement can be "upgraded" to a habitat conservation easement with the approval of Yolo County. Those easements were negotiated public benefits, not mitigation. For Cache Creek Area Plan reclamation sites approved in the future, Yolo County may require a habitat conservation easement instead of an agricultural land conservation easement on the reclaimed (non-mitigation) portions of the mining site. 2
Under every scenario except the last, the landowner and easement holder must agree to any additional restrictions. The JPA may pay for the additional conservation easement or the landowner may donate the easement. The following table summarizes the recommendations of the Executive Director, based on the STAC evaluations. Please note that the JPA currently does not have funding for purchase of conservation easements other than the Woodland Regional Park, but will develop a waiting list of potential sites so the JPA is prepared in the event state or federal funding becomes available. Table 1: Summary of Swainson s Hawk Mitigation Receiving Site and Conservation Easement Recommendations Property Number Name Recommended? 1 Chickahominy Creek Ranch 2 Yes 2 Elliott Ranch Yes 3 Willow Point Ranch Yes, if landowner specifies location of homes and this location is consistent with habitat conservation objectives 4 Tule Ranch Yes, if landowner agrees to habitat enhancements 5 Clarksburg 2 (Post Separate Trust) No The Executive Director recommends approval of the Chickahominy Creek Ranch 2 property as a conservation easement to help meet conservation objectives for Swainson s hawk and other covered species. Approval will bring the entirety of the 1,042 acre Chickahominy Creek Ranch into a conservation easement to support HCP/NCCP habitat and natural community conservation targets. The property has been restored with wetlands, riparian areas, grassy hedgerows, and other features, which provide high value habitat to a variety of species including Swainson s hawk. The property also supports three traditional Swainson s hawk nest sites. The restored habitat on the property also compliments and enhances the value of the adjacent farmed parcels within the Chickahominy Creek Ranch, which are currently under or approved as conservation easement properties. While a portion of the property is farmed periodically in rice, which is not considered suitable foraging habitat for the Swainson s hawk, other values including the restored hedgerows and riparian areas were considered particularly important to the Swainson s hawk and other covered species and allowing the property to 3
achieve a moderate evaluation score despite the portion of the land farmed in rice. The STAC determined that the property has substantial value to the Swainson s hawk, but also will provide important habitat to help meet the conservation objectives of other covered species, including white-tailed kite, burrowing owl, tricolored blackbird, and valley elderberry longhorn beetle. Approval will also bring the entire intact and contiguous Chickahominy Creek Ranch under conservation easement with the JPA. The Executive Director recommends approval of the Elliott Ranch and Willow Point Ranch as Swainson s hawk mitigation receiving sites. The STAC evaluation resulted in high attribute scores for both properties. The properties are contiguous and together support 2,235 acres of suitable Swainson s hawk foraging habitat. Both properties also support habitat for several other covered species and other covered natural communities including mature riparian woodland (Babel Slough extends through both properties). These properties also occur within Planning Unit 15 in an area between increasing urbanization to the north (West Sacramento) and vineyard expansion to the south. Protection of these properties eliminates the risk of habitat loss in Planning Unit 15 because the large overall size of the properties will protect a large swath of land extending between the Sacramento River and the Deep Water Ship Channel (and contiguous with the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area to the west). These properties will continue to provide important habitat for the Swainson s hawk and other species. The Executive Director also recommends approval of the Tule Ranch as a Swainson s hawk mitigation receiving site. The property has been demonstrated to provide important foraging habitat for numerous Swainson s hawks and other raptors. While the overall scores for this property were moderate, there are opportunities for additional enhancement for which the landowner has expressed interest. The Executive Director recommends that establishment of a mitigation receiving site on this property is contingent on a firm commitment to implement these enhancements. This property may be particularly important for the management of burrowing owls, another covered species. The property is also part of a larger single-owner ranch, the remaining portion of which is currently under a Swainson s hawk conservation easement through the Yolo JPA. So the proposed addition will expand the extent of the protected property in Planning Unit 16. The Executive Director does not recommend the Clarksburg 2 (Post Separate Trust) property for a Swainson s hawk mitigation receiving site because the property scored relatively low during the STAC evaluation and its current value as Swainson s hawk foraging habitat may degrade over time with the potential to become isolated within a vineyard landscape. While it currently supports suitable Swainson s hawk foraging habitat, it did not score well for most other attributes, nor did it support habitat for other covered species. Since the JPA must also meet the conservation acreage targets for other covered species, it is essential that approved properties meet multiple species needs and contribute to meeting conservation acreage targets. In addition, with the approval of the Elliott Ranch and the Willow Point Ranch, the total protected acres within Planning Unit 15 is at the maximum recommended protected acres within this Planning Unit as described in the HCP/NCCP. Finally, the STAC has determined that conservation objectives in Planning Unit 15 are more appropriately met through protection of larger, contiguous habitats that would reduce the effect of increasing vineyards and urbanization. There is substantial potential for increasing isolation of the Clarksburg 2 property 4
within a vineyard landscape and thereby reducing its future ability to meet conservation objectives for the Swainson s hawk and other covered species. If the JPA approves the recommendations, the JPA must seek approval of the selection of these properties from the wildlife agencies per negotiated language in the draft Yolo HCP/NCCP. Without wildlife agency approval, the properties will not count towards the 8,000-acre requirement of the Yolo HCP/NCCP for pre-permit reserve lands. Once the JPA has secured approval to move forward with the easement acquisition, staff will work with landowners to place easements on the properties recommended for mitigation receiving sites. The JPA has established a deadline of June 30, 2015 for the third round of applications for Swainson s hawk mitigation receiving sites and conservation easements. The STAC will evaluate these sites in July and August. The Executive Director hopes to make additional recommendations to the JPA Board regarding candidate sites at the November 2015 meeting. The following is a detailed summary of the STAC evaluations (included in their entirety as Attachment A) for each of the eight properties submitted for consideration PROPERTY #1: Chickahominy Creek Ranch 2 (CCR2) APPLICATION FOR: Conservation Easement Landowners: Charles Tyson (Reynier Fund, LLC) Property Location: T: 9N R:1E Sec.: 32 APN No: 040-160-014 Planning Unit No.: 11 Size of Property (ac): 401.5 acres Property Description CCR2 is the centerpiece of the Chickahominy Creek Restoration Project with CCR1 and CCR3 on the west and DQ University lands to the south. CCR4 and CCR5 are to the east. CCR1 is permanently protected with a Swainson s hawk foraging habitat easement. In December 2014, the JPA Board approved Swainson s hawk mitigation receiving sites on CCR3, 4, and 5. CCR1 and 2 contain 552 acres and combined with CCR3, 4, and 5 will create a block of 1,042 acres of permanently protected land and habitat. CCR2 comprises 401.5 acres bordered by County Road 29 directly to the north and by County Road 31 one mile to the south. The property includes 60 acres of farmed uplands in the northern section of the property. This upland area also includes a 3-5 acre development envelope containing a residential dwelling, outbuildings, and farm trees. The southern portion of the property consists of 302 acres of irrigated row crop/alfalfa/rice in an integrated rotation (see Crop History below), 38 acres of restored/enhanced riparian, wetland and seasonal wetland habitats, 12 acres of wetlands, and 5 miles of native hedgerows. The riparian and wetland acreages provide habitat for a variety of covered and special-interest species. In addition to various dirt roads separating the farm fields, a gravel access road is maintained for 5
year-round access from County Road 29 at the northwest corner of the property, through the restored/enhanced riparian habitat, and terminating at the 12 acre wetland at the center of the property. County Road 29 is the only paved road immediately adjacent to the site. County Road 92E borders the neighboring parcels (CCR1 and CCR3) to the west. A rural residence occurs on the northwestern border of CCR3. Other rural residences occur in the surrounding area but no urban areas are present. Properties owned by DQ University lie to the south. Two miles of Chickahominy Creek and associated riparian areas traverse the Property, part of a network of irrigation canals and ditches, creeks, and sloughs connecting the delta with the eastern flank of the Blue Ridge and Berryessa Ranges. Two documented Swainson s hawk nesting sites occur onsite, one in a eucalyptus tree near the center of the site along the riparian corridor/hedgerow and one in a eucalyptus tree at the southern boundary of the Property along the riparian corridor. 12-15 mature farm trees occur within the residential development envelope in the northern portion of the Property; these have not been documented as used for nesting. CCR1 is permanently protected with a Swainson s hawk foraging habitat easement. Swainson s hawk foraging habitat easements on CCR3, 4, and 5 are in the process of being developed as receiving sites through the Yolo Natural Heritage Program. CCR1 and 2 contain 552 acres and combined with CCR3, 4, and 5 will create a block of 1,042 acres of permanently protected land and habitat. Summary Description, Qualitative Assessment, and STAC Recommendation The STAC recommends approval of Chickahominy Creek Ranch 2 (CCR2) for a conservation easement consistent with the Yolo HCP/NCCP. CCR 2 provides a mosaic of habitats wetlands, riparian corridors, farmland and upland areas that, combined with the other protected parcels, is expected to maximize benefits for a wide variety of species. CCR2 includes restored riparian habitat and hedgerows that provide nesting and foraging habitat for Swainson's hawk and broad, uncultivated edges that serve as prey rodent and insect prey refuges. The farming and habitat restoration activities on the Chickahominy Creek Ranch have been designed to promote and enhance wildlife use, including the Swainson's hawk. The location of the ranch is also within a portion of Yolo County that supports numerous Swainson's hawk nest sites and valuable agricultural land needed to sustain this species. The entire 1,042 acre Chickahominy Creek Ranch also supports habitat for other covered species, including burrowing owl, whitetailed kite, and tricolored blackbird. While the onsite foraging habitat scores were low due to the periodic rice farming on a portion of the property, the other values to Swainson s hawk (hedge row creation, riparian restoration, the presence of three traditional nest sites), the value to other covered species, the enhancement value to adjacent farmed parcels within the ranch, and the potential to place the entire ranch under conservation easement with the JPA, are considered substantial benefits that contribute to the recommendation. PROPERTY #2: Elliott Ranch APPLICATION FOR: Mitigation Receiving Site Landowner: Linda Elliott Property Location: T: 7N R: 4W Sec.: 31,6, 7, 8 APN No.: 6
Planning Unit No.: 15 Size of Property (ac): 1,838.2 Property Description This 1,838.2-acre property is located between and is contiguous with the Sacramento River on the east and the Sacramento Deep Water Ship Channel (SDWSC) on the west. It has an irregular configuration fronting about 3.8 miles of the SDWSC and about 1.3 miles of the Sacramento River. The majority of the property is contiguous; however, there is one discontiguous parcel about 0.3 miles south. The ranch consists of approximately 25 individual fields rotated in hay and annually rotated irrigated crops. Recent crop types include alfalfa, wheat, corn, safflower, and ryegrass. There are no perennial crops such as orchards, vineyards, or rice. The ranch acreage includes two large barns, outbuildings, farmyards, and two residences, most located along the southern and eastern edges of the ranch. Jefferson Boulevard occurs along the far western edge of the ranch where it parallels the SDWSC. The ranch, however, extends west of this road to the edge of the SDWSC. Babel Slough Road also extends along a portion of the southeastern edge of the ranch. With the exception of River Road, which parallels the Sacramento River, these are the only paved roads associated with the ranch property. Over 1 mile of Babel Slough extends across the southeastern portion of the ranch. Supporting a dense and structurally diverse valley oak-dominated riparian corridor, Babel Slough is one of the most significant natural and wildlife resource areas in Planning Unit 15 and throughout this portion of the county. A manmade channel extends off of Babel Slough and forms the southern boundary of the ranch to the SDWSC. This area also supports mature riparian woodland, open water habitats, and other natural features. Another man-made channel extends from the point at which this channel meets the SDWSC (or more precisely, Jefferson Boulevard) and extends northeast for approximately 1.2 miles to the northern boundary of the ranch and then continues northward for another mile before connecting with another channel. This corridor also supports a dense and diverse riparian woodland. The ranch also supports of smaller irrigation channels, including several permanent channels, and numerous other native trees. Summary Description, Qualitative Assessment, and STAC Recommendation The STAC recommends that Elliot Ranch be designated as a Swainson s hawk mitigation receiving site. The Elliot Ranch ranks relatively high in all four categories and evaluation attributes with the exception of offsite foraging habitat and achieves a total combined score of 78.8. At least 10 Swainson s hawk nest sites have been documented on the ranch, which provides an abundance of suitable nesting and foraging habitat. The ranch occurs within an area between the Deep Water Ship Channel and the Sacramento River that has been subject to significant conversion to vineyards from the south and urbanization to the north. Protection of this property would retain a large block of valuable cultivated land in this area and preventing development and conversion to unsuitable farming practices. The entire cultivated portion of the ranch, estimated at 1,509 acres is suitable Swainson s hawk foraging habitat, with approximately one-quarter of this area managed in high value alfalfa. Nesting habitat is also abundant and includes significant riparian habitats along Babel Slough, the Sacramento River, and other channels on the property. These areas provide important nesting habitat for Swainson s hawks and habitat for a variety of other species. The property is also contiguous 7
with the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, which further expands the extent of contiguous protected habitat in the panhandle of the county. The property also supports habitat for other covered species. Elderberry shrubs were identified during the survey along Babel Slough, white tailed kite was observed foraging on the site, and western pond turtles were observed in ponds within and adjacent to Babel Slough. While no burrowing owls were observed during the site visit, the property also supports habitat for burrowing owls, foraging habitat for tricolored blackbird, and possibly for giant garter snake. In general, the Elliot Ranch is considered a valuable wildlife resource in Yolo County. Protection of this property will contribute to the conservation of the Swainson s hawk in Yolo County, and is consistent with the Swainson s hawk conservation strategy and the goals of the HCP/NCCP. PROPERTY #3: Willow Point Ranch APPLICATION FOR: Mitigation Receiving Site Landowner: Kent Ramos Property Location: T: 7N R: 3/4E Sec.: APN No.: 044-100-45, 46, and 47; 044-110-37, 38, 39, 44, 45, and 46 Planning Unit No.: 15 Size of Property (ac): 726 acres Property Description The 882-acre Willow Point Ranch is located in the Yolo County panhandle south of West Sacramento and between the Deep Water Ship Channel (DWSC) and the Sacramento River. Jefferson Boulevard is the eastern border and the outer levee of DWSC is the western border. During the site visit on March 5, 2015, the landowner, Kent Ramos, elected to remove the portion of the property between the outer levee and the DWSC (106 acres) from the application because it is currently an olive orchard and would not be acceptable as habitat for the Swainson s hawk. The landowner further indicated an interest in constructing several rural residences sometime in the future along the extreme southern end of the property and estimated this area to be approximately 50 acres. The evaluation was therefore conducted on the remaining 726 acres of the property. The property consists of 11 separate contiguous fields extending along the west side of Jefferson Boulevard and east side of the DWSC for approximately 2 miles and ranging in width from Jefferson Boulevard to the DWSC from approximately 0.25 miles on the north end to 1.3 miles on the south end. With the exception of Babel Slough, which runs through the property between Jefferson Boulevard and the DWSC for approximately 0.6 miles, the entire property is farmed in hay and a rotation of grain and field crops. Babel Slough occupies a relatively broad corridor (between 837 feet on the east end and 384 feet on the west end) that includes a second parallel drainage. Mature valley oak riparian woodland occurs along each drainage separated by a savannah-like area between them also with many mature valley oak trees. The property is contiguous with the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area on the west and with the southern end of the Elliot Ranch, another proposed mitigation receiving site recommended by the STAC. Only rural residences are present in the area; however, none are on the property. Urbanization from the City of Sacramento, located east of the Sacramento River, is approximately 2.5 miles east of the property. 8
Summary Description, Qualitative Assessment, and STAC Recommendation The landowner remains somewhat unclear on the future potential for the development of new homes on the ranch. They have determined that the most likely site for these new homes is along Willow Point Road on the extreme southern boundary of the ranch and that the total development footprint would be 50 acres. In consideration of this, the STAC has removed 50 acres from the total evaluated habitat acres and is assuming for purposes of this evaluation that the homes would be consolidated along Willow Point Road. This evaluation is therefore based on this scenario and would be considered void in the event the development envelope changed size or location. The conservation easement must therefore ensure that no additional development occur on the ranch north of a narrow development envelope that totals a maximum of 50 acres along the extreme southern boundary of the ranch. With the condition stated above, the STAC recommends that Willow Point Ranch be designated as a Swainson s hawk Mitigation Receiving Site. The property scores very high in all four categories and the majority of evaluation attributes, achieving a total combined score of 81. The property has been managed as moderate to high value foraging habitat for many years and includes substantial potential nest trees. There are also four Swainson s hawk nesting records from the property. In addition, the property is contiguous on the north end with the Elliot Ranch. Approval of the Elliot Ranch and the Willow Point Ranch would constitute a preserve of approximately 2,600 contiguous acres, all of which would also be contiguous with the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area. While the placement of up to seven rural residences on the southern boundary may have some effect on the use of adjacent foraging habitat, it is not considered a substantial disturbance effect given the overall size and quality of the foraging habitat on the ranch. The Willow Point Ranch also supports habitat for other covered species, including white-tailed kite, western pond turtle, and possibly giant garter snake. Protection of this property will contribute to the conservation of the Swainson s hawk in Yolo County, and is consistent with the Swainson s hawk conservation strategy and the goals of the HCP/NCCP. PROPERTY #4: Tule Ranch APPLICATION FOR: Mitigation Receiving Site Landowners: Scott and Karen Stone Property Location: T: 7N R: 3E Sec.: 19 APN No: 033-170-03 Planning Unit No.: 16 Size of Property (ac): 297 Property Description The 440-acre Tule Ranch is located on the east side of County Road 104, 5 miles south of the City of Davis on the western edge of the Yolo Bypass. There is an existing JPA Swainson s hawk 9
JPA mitigation receiving on the southern portion of the ranch. The landowner would like to include the remaining 297-acre northern portion as a mitigation receiving site and thus maintain the entire ranch as a protected property. The entire Ranch consists of grazed irrigated pasture. There are no residences or other structures on the ranch, with the exception of a small enclosed electrical panel for the irrigation well in the southern portion of the ranch. Three rural residences occur along CR 104/Levee Road (Solano County) adjacent to the Ranch, but otherwise no urban areas are present. The entire surrounding landscape is agricultural. A single agricultural well supplied water to the southern portion of the ranch. There is a return system and sump pump that picks up all the drain water from the Ranch and an additional 160 acres to the north to provide adequate water for the entire property. There is a 1.5-acre pond on the northeast portion of the property that is connected with the return system drainage slough that runs along the eastern edge of the ranch. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife s Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area is adjacent to the Tule Ranch along its eastern boundary. The property is somewhat triangular in shape and is typically farmed in 4 fields: Field 1 (155.6 acres) and Field 2 (122.5 acres) are in the evaluation property and Field 3 (102.4 acres) and Field 4 (36.1 acres) are in the southern portion of the ranch: each field is currently farmed as pasture. The moderately grazed pastures are planted with clover and grasses and are periodically hayed and flood irrigated. There are two willow trees in the evaluation property and one willow in the southern portion of the Ranch. CR 104/Levee Road is the only paved road adjacent to the ranch. Summary Description, Qualitative Assessment, and STAC Recommendation The STAC recommends that Tule Ranch be designated as a Swainson s Hawk Mitigation Receiving Site. The property consists entirely of high value grazed and hayed pasture. The planting of clovers and grasses enhances habitat for prey species. Harvesting and moderate grazing of the pasture maintains suitable vegetative height and periodic flood irrigation exposes prey and enhances foraging accessibility. The overall onsite scores were moderate (the property supports few onsite trees), but the landscape scores were very high. The property is surrounded by many suitable trees and numerous nesting records, and therefore is likely to be regularly used by foraging Swainson s hawks. The property will also expand an existing Swainson s hawk easement and ultimately include 440 acres of protected land under the same ownership, all of which is also contiguous with the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Refuge. So while the overall evaluation score for this property was only moderate at 65.2 points, the STAC recognizes other values, opportunities for enhancing value (e.g., tree planting), and the opportunity to increase the size of the existing conservation easement. The Executive Director recommends approval of this mitigation receiving site if the landowner agrees to implement habitat enhancements recommended by the STAC. The Tule Ranch also supports habitat for other covered species, including burrowing owl, whitetailed kite, tricolored blackbird, western pond turtle, and giant garter snake. There is one burrowing owl nesting record for the site; two records within 1 mile of the property; and 19 more records from 2 to 4 miles of the property. There is also excellent potential to enhance habitat for burrowing owls, particularly along the berm that borders the eastern boundary and 10
other locations on the Ranch (e.g., southern area). There are two white-tailed kite nesting records within 2 to 4 miles of the property. Planting additional trees will enhance nesting opportunities for kites, Swainson s hawks, and other raptors. There are also three giant garter snake records southeast of the property, within 2 to 4 miles of the property. Protection of this property will contribute to the conservation of the Swainson s hawk and other covered species in Yolo County, and is consistent with the Swainson s hawk conservation strategy and the goals of the HCP/NCCP. The strategy recommends up to 2,400 acres of new protected habitat in Planning Unit 16. PROPERTY #5: CLARKSBURG 2 APPLICATION FOR: Mitigation Receiving Site Landowner: Judith Post Judith Post Trust Property Location: T: 6N R: 2E Sec.: 2, 3, 10, 11 APN No.: 043-180-005-000 Planning Unit No.: 15 Size of Property (ac): 194.96 acres Property Description This 195-acre rectangular-shaped property is located between Z-Line Road and the Deep Water Ship Channel (DWSC) levee. Z-line Road borders the property on the east, Central Avenue on the north, Hamilton Road on the south, and the DWSC on the west. The property extends for approximately 1-mile north-south and one-quarter mile east-west. There are no rural residences or any other structures on the property. The entire property is farmed in four equally-sized fields separated by irrigation canals. One half of the property is currently planted with alfalfa and the other half in row/grain crops. There is also an approximately 80-foot-wide strip on the top of the levee that consists of grass/ruderal vegetation. Only 2 trees occur on the property, one at the northeast corner of the property and one along the DWSC. No urbanization is present in the vicinity of the property. Clarksburg is approximately 5 miles to the northeast. Summary Description, Qualitative Assessment, and STAC Recommendation The STAC does not recommend that the Judith Post Clarksburg Property 2 be considered as a mitigation receiving site. While the property provides high value foraging habitat for the Swainson s hawk, it lacks other onsite values, including trees. Only two small trees occur on the property providing limited nesting and perching opportunities. In addition to onsite foraging, the property achieved moderate scores for surrounding nesting and foraging habitat attributes. However, the lack of other onsite habitat features drove the overall score to a relatively low level, achieving a combined score of just 45.5 points. Several other factors contribute to the recommendation. The property is within an agricultural landscape increasingly dominated by vineyards and could be subject to future isolation within 11
an otherwise unsuitable landscape for the Swainson s hawk. The property also provides limited habitat for other covered species. While the evaluation focused on Swainson s hawk habitat values, it is essential that the majority of properties participating in the easement process provide multiple values to meet the conservation objectives of the HCP/NCCP and to stay within the estimated acreage needed to meet those objectives. While this property would provide moderate to high value foraging habitat for the Swainson s hawk, it would not otherwise significantly contribute to covered species habitat objectives. Finally, the STAC has recommended two other properties in Planning Unit 15 for participation. The total acreage of these properties, if approved, will meet the total recommended Swainson s hawk acreage for Planning Unit 15. ATTACHMENTS: A. Map of properties B. Property Evaluations 12