The project will utilize hand crews to create two conditions of modified fuels; a shaded fuel break in woodland formations and a residual mosaic in brush formations on up to 90 acres along road corridors and strategic ridgelines within the Lockheed Facility in Santa Cruz County. The width of the project area will be variable, depending on topography and fuel loading, but typically will range from 50 to 200 feet. The objectives will be to disrupt the horizontal continuity of surface fuels, vertical continuity resulting from ladder fuels, and increase shrub and understory crown spacing. Woodland formations will be treated with a "thin from below" approach reducing surface and ladder fuels and increasing understory crown spacing by removing a majority of trees up to 12 inches DBH.
See NOE for full details.
The work proposed is a minor alteration to vegetation which does not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees and is consistent with Categorical Exemption Class 4 - Minor Alterations to Land. No activity is proposed that is listed as a limitation under CCR 15300.2 (a-f).
See NOE for full details.
