Valentine Reserve Fuels Reduction
Summary
SCH Number
2018128552
Public Agency
University of California, Santa Barbara
Document Title
Valentine Reserve Fuels Reduction
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
12/24/2018
Document Description
The UC Santa Barbara's Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserves (Reserve) is proposing to reduce hazardous fuels on 50 acres of the 154-acre Valentine Camp Reserve, a unit of the University of California's Natural Reserve System. Valentine Camp Reserve sits at the urban/wildland interface between the Town of Mammoth Lakes, CA, a resort community with very high property values, and the Inyo National Forest. The purpose of this project is to reduce potential future wildfire severity, improve forest health and protect developed infrastructure in the Town of Mammoth Lakes, and research/educational facilities within the Reserve in the wildland-urban interface. Valentine Reserve has not experienced a fire in over 170 years. Before this time, average fire recurrence intervals ranged from 15-25 years depending on the slope and aspect. As a result of fire suppression, forest health has deteriorated, forest density is unnaturally high, and fuel loading is very high. From a detailed fire history of the site, historic fire recurrence intervals were ~20 years depending on aspect. Forest density is as high as 900/stems/acre which is very, very high for Eastern Sierra Nevada mixed conifer (activity) surface fuels during fuels reduction operations. The Valentine Reserve is surrounded by the Town of Mammoth Lakes, which has a full time population of approx 8,300 and a peak population of 40,000 people in approx 12,000 unites/homes. Mammoth Lakes is zoned with commercial, high and low density residential, industrial, institutional public, resort, national forest and open space zones. Immediately bordering Valentine Camp Reserve, there are approx 500 habitable structures in the Juniper Springs Resort Development, and adjacent areas. The beneficiaries of this project include the research and educational users of the UC Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserves, Town of Mammoth Lakes, the Inyo National Forest and the Mammoth Lakes Basin, which is a very high use recreation area, southwest of the Town of Mammoth Lakes.
Contact Information
Name
Shari Hammond
Agency Name
University of California, Santa Barbara
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Counties
Modoc
Other Location Info
Town of Mammoth Lakes
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15301 class 1
Reasons for Exemption
There would be no ground disturbance for the proposed project and the project would have a beneficial outcome in facilitating the research and education mission of the Coal Oil Point Reserve.
Disclaimer: The document was originally posted before CEQAnet had the capability to host attachments for the public. To obtain the original attachments for this document, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. You may also contact the OPR via email at state.clearinghouse@opr.ca.gov or via phone at (916) 445-0613.