Surveys and nest searches will be conducted incorporating the guidelines set forth in The Handbook of Field Methods for Monitoring Landbirds (Ralph, Geupel, Pyle, Martin, DeSante 1993).
Pre-construction surveys, along the project area for California Horned Lark will occur during the breeding season every 10 days.
If detected, Park staff or trained volunteers will monitor Horned Larks to establish breeding status.
Project activities will be minimized in areas where Horned Larks are found to be breeding.
Mitigation Measure Bio-11 American Badger
Project activities will occur during daylight hours and are unlikely to impact badgers outside of a burrow.
In the event that a badger is found using a burrow in the active project area, work will cease until the badger has relocated to an area outside the project area.
If a badger burrow is found to be in use as a nursery, efforts to relocate the young will occur if needed.
In the event that the young are unable to safely relocate, foster care arrangements will be made with an area wildlife rehabilitation center, with the young badgers to be reintroduced into the dunes once self-sufficient.
In the event a Steller Sea Lion/s, Northern Fur Seal or any other marine mammal hauls out onto the coastal strand, project activities will be minimized within 250 meters.
Travel along the wet sands below the tide-line will cease within 100 meters of the Steller Sea Lion/s until it has returned to the ocean.
All activity within 100 meters will halt until the sea-lion has returned to the sea.
Plants As indicated in the Environmental Setting above, several sensitive plant species exist in the park. Activities conducted as part of this plan such as EBG removal and excavation of the pavement and haul road prism have the potential to cause a significant impact to one or more of these sensitive species. Implementation of the mitigation measures listed below will reduce any potential impact to a less than significant level.
Mitigation and Avoidance Measures – Bio 1 (plants)
General
All people engaged in restoration activities that could harm rare plants will be instructed by State Park personnel in the identification of such rare plants and how to avoid them.
Rare plant stands have been surveyed and mapped. Prior to work in these areas, rare plant boundaries will be identified in the field at the beginning of the work day and instruction on how to operate in these areas to avoid plants will be given to workers.
Where there is a risk of herbicide being accidentally applied to rare plants, the beachgrass will be pulled by hand or sprayed with a low-emitting spray nozzle used in conjunction with cardboard shields against the rare plants. Care will be given to ensure that root systems of rare plants are not dislodged.
Work in new areas will commence only after seasonally-appropriate rare plant surveys are completed.
A mitigation plan (Appendix XX) for seed propagation is proposed in the designated areas of the foredunes in the project area. Plants near the haul road that can be avoided will be flagged. Execution of the mitigation plan and avoidance measure is expected to reduce project-related impacts to a less-than-significant level.
Chorizanthe howellii – Howell’s spineflower
A mitigation plan (Appendix XX) for seed propagation, habitat improvement by retreating EBG, modified treatment of the pavement, and avoidance of key areas is expected to reduce project-related impacts to a less-than-significant level.
A mitigation plan (Appendix XX) for seed propagation, habitat improvement by removing iceplant, and avoidance of key areas is expected to reduce project-related impacts to a less-than-significant level.
Horkelia marinensis – Point Reyes Horkelia
A mitigation plan (Appendix XX) for seed transplanting, habitat improvement by removing iceplant, and avoidance of key areas is expected to reduce project-related impacts to a less-than-significant level.
A mitigation plan (Appendix XX) for seed transplanting and habitat improvement by removing iceplant.
Mitigation and Avoidance Measures – Bio 2 (Vegetation Communities)
General
All people engaged in restoration activities that could harm rare vegetation communities will be instructed by State Park personnel in the identification of such rare plants and how to avoid them.
Rare vegetation communities have been surveyed and mapped. Prior to work in these areas, rare plant boundaries will be identified in the field at the beginning of the work day and instruction on how to operate in these areas will be given to workers.
Where there is a risk of herbicide being accidentally applied to rare vegetation communities, the EBG will be sprayed with a low-emitting spray nozzle. EBG will only be sprayed according to the manufacturer’s label to ensure drift does not come in contact with non-target plants or vegetation.
Coastal dune willow thickets (Salix hookeriana)
Where dune willow may be need to be removed during culvert removal it will be replanted in the same areas and where appropriate in those areas where the road berm currently precludes it from growing.
Dune mat (Abronia latifolia - Ambrosia chamissonis)
After the removal of the haul road, habitat will be created where it previously did not exist. Where dune mat will be impacted to remove the road ballast, the recovering dune mat will be monitored for 3 years to ensure no EBG, ice plant, or other invasive weeds become established. Additionally, all areas in the project will be surveyed for iceplant and a biennial schedule for treatment will occur for three years after the completion of the project.
Horsetail (Equisetumhyemale ssp. affine)
It is expected that any small areas (<2,000 ft2) of removal of this vegetation community will become reestablished with the same species composition, and transplanting would not be necessary. However, undesirable weeds may become established after the ground is disturbed. Any disturbance of this vegetation community will be monitored for exotic plants and they will be removed.
Pacific silverweed marshes(Argentina egedii) and Three-square bulrush marsh (Schoenoplectus pungens)
Some removal of these vegetation communities will occur through the removal of the culverts at Inglenook and Fen Creeks. Once the road berm is removed, these species will be transplanted in the creek beds to allow for establishment of creek bed vegetation.
Mitigation and Avoidance Measures – Bio 3 (Wetlands)
General
Any fill from road berm that is currently in the creek channel will be removed from the creek bed and channel unless it is otherwise part of the engineering plans that reestablish native topography.
Any herbicides applied to invasive plants in wetlands shall be only with an aquatic-safe herbicide.
Wetland vegetation will be replanted in areas where the culvert is removed or where the vegetation is denuded. (See Bio 2 Vegetation Communities, Pacific silverweed marshes and Three-square bulrush marsh.)
