The Santa Cruz Tarplant Assessment Project
Summary
SCH Number
2021090568
Public Agency
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Habitat Conservation Planning
(CDFW)
Document Title
The Santa Cruz Tarplant Assessment Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
9/29/2021
Document Description
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is issuing a permit to LD Ford, Consultants in Rangeland Conservation Science (Permit No. 2081(a)-21-018-RP) pursuant to Fish and Game Code section 2081(a) for a project to contribute information for a Santa Cruz tarplant species status assessment, 5-year review, and recovery plan under the federal Endangered Species Act. The Project activities include two parts: (1) a seed bank analysis and (2) a residual dry matter analysis. The seed bank analysis involves collecting soil and evaluating the seed bank from selected population sites by performing germination experiments. The species composition of the seed bank and rate of germination will be examined and compared across sites. The second part of the project activities will investigate the residual dry matter at selected population sites to test the relationships between
ecological variables, vegetation, site management, and Santa Cruz tarplant presence and abundance. The residual dry matter experiment will evenly apply three treatments and a control to 1-m2 quadrats. The treatments are: (1) one quarter of 1-m2 quadrats will not be clipped to measure vegetation height (control), (2) one quarter will be clipped to 15 cm, (3) one quarter will be clipped to 5 cm, or (4) one quarter will be scraped to bare soil. In the spring and summer of 2022, the presence and abundance of Santa Cruz tarplant and all other plant species will be measured in each quadrat, and the percent cover of dominant three species, bare soil, and litter will be estimated.
Contact Information
Name
Jeb Bjerke
Agency Name
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Lawrence Ford, PhD
Agency Name
Consultants in Rangeland Conservation Science
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Phone
Location
Cities
Davis, Oakland, Santa Cruz
Counties
Alameda, Contra Costa, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Yolo
Regions
Northern California, San Francisco Bay Area, Southern California
Other Location Info
The Project will take place at selected population sites within Santa Cruz, Contra Costa, and Monterey counties. The perspective population sites include Arana Gulch, De Laveaga Santa Cruz Armory, Porter Ranch, Struv Slough/Tarplant Hill, Watsonville Airport, Santa Cruz Gardens, Upper Belgum/Belgum Cable/Belgum
Fence/Upper Mezue, and Lower Harvey/Mezue. Germination experiments will take place at the greenhouse facility located at 1116 16th street in Oakland, CA in Alameda County and the sub-soil samples will be analyzed at the UC Davis Analytical Laboratory at 480 Sprocket Bikeway in Davis, CA in Yolo County.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Sections 15306 and 15307, Classes 6 and 7
Reasons for Exemption
The Project consists of basic data collection, research, and resource
evaluation activities for Holocarpha macradenia, and will facilitate the recovery of Santa Cruz tarplant by controlling invasive species. The permit issued by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for the Project includes measures to ensure that existing populations of Holocarpha macradenia are not impacted
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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