Daybreak Fuel Reduction Project
Summary
SCH Number
2020060533
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Daybreak Fuel Reduction Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/24/2020
Present Land Use
Rural
Document Description
Up to 77 acres of brush removal and understory fuel reduction, using mastication and hand crews to remove brush and understory trees (generally under 10” DBH). Mastication will generally occur on slopes less than 40% with handwork on steeper slopes. Treated material from handwork will be lopped-and-scattered, chipped or stacked for burning into piles. Two to three acres of French broom will be removed with a brush rake and later disked and seeded with grass to limit broom regrowth. Targeted spot application of herbicide in accordance with recommendations by a licensed Pest Control Advisor may be utilized on invasive broom and acacia as well. Spot application will not occur over more than 2 acres of the project area. The project is being conducted to lessen fire spread and intensity adjacent to nearby residences and improve emergency access along Mt Herman Rd during a wildfire.
Vegetation in the upslope area of project is predominately mixed evergreen forest, dominated by Douglas-fir, tanoak, California bay, bigleaf maple, redwood and madrone. The lower slope of the project is better characterized as oak woodland. Understory vegetation throughout is primarily shrubs, including toyon, coffeeberry, poison oak, California blackberry, hazelnut and honeysuckle. Some areas of dense shrub cover without overstory vegetation exist, and are heavily dominated by coyote brush. Grassland habitat exists in the lower slopes; however, no work will occur in that habitat type. One small ephemeral stream is present in the project area. Several areas of invasive French broom and acacia occur in pockets throughout the project area.
Contact Information
Name
Andrew Hubbs
Agency Name
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Address
Phone
Email
Name
Agency Name
Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Location
Counties
Santa Cruz
Regions
Unincorporated
Total Acres
77
Township
10S
Range
2W
Section
Var.
Base
MDBM
Other Information
Portions of unsurveyed Rancho Zanyanta T10S, R2W, MBDM
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4, minor alterations to land
Reasons for Exemption
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).
Field review by CAL FIRE staff confirmed that no exceptions apply which would preclude the use of a Notice of Exemption for this project. The Department has concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use planning, mineral resources, noise, population and housing, public services, recreation, transportation/traffic, or to utilities and service systems. Documentation of the environmental review completed by the Department is kept on file at San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit Headquarters, 6059 Highway 9, Felton, CA 95018.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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