Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve Enhancement Project
Summary
SCH Number
2021120181
Public Agency
California State Coastal Conservancy
(SCC)
Document Title
Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve Enhancement Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
12/9/2021
Document Description
Notice of exemption for Coastal Conservancy Approval of Grant Funding: Nature Collective will remove invasive plant species on 14.5 acres of coastal wetlands within the Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve in San Diego County. The Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve (Batiquitos Lagoon) is a 544-acre coastal wetland in North San Diego County. The proposed project sites are estuarine and wetland-upland transitional habitats that are home to over 19 special-status species and provide important wetland functions within the Lagoon. The lagoon suffers from invasion by multiple invasive plant species and these invasive plants have degraded the habitat of the lagoon. The project consists of treatment of invasive plant species followed by offsite disposal. The treatment consists of destroying the vegetation by either mechanical removal, hand removal, and/or application of chemicals and periodic re-treatments until invasive species control is established.
Contact Information
Name
Katie Nichols
Agency Name
State Coastal Conservancy
Job Title
Project Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Carlsbad
Counties
San Diego
Regions
Southern California
Cross Streets
Gabbiano Lane and Batiquitos Drive
Zip
92011
Total Acres
14.5
State Highways
5
Other Location Info
Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation Address: 7380 Gabbiano Ln, Carlsbad, CA 92011
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 15304
Reasons for Exemption
The proposed project is categorically exempt under CEQA Guidelines at California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 15304, which exempts minor alterations in the condition of land and/or vegetation that do not involve removal of mature, healthy trees. The examples in Section 15304 include minor alterations in land and vegetation in officially designated wildlife management areas that will improve habitat for fish and wildlife resources (14 CCR Section 15304(d)). The proposed project will not remove any trees and will improve wildlife habitat in an officially designated wildlife management area (i.e., a CDFW ecological reserve) by removing invasive plant species that have a deleterious effect on native habitat.