Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Project
Summary
SCH Number
2024070978
Public Agency
California Department of Parks and Recreation
Document Title
Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
7/25/2024
Document Description
Project consists of forest restoration work in the Lodge Road area of Big Basin Redwoods State Park to restore damage caused by the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire. Extreme weather and other factors have led to vast numbers of hardwoods, Douglas-fir, and many small mid-diameter second growth redwoods (less than 18-inches in diameter) perishing. Forest Trend Plots identified prevalent mortality trends which helped conclude that the Lodge Road area is a priority location for forest management following the CZU Lightning Complex Fire.
Project goals include:
• Increase forest resilience by implementing forest health treatments to reduce forest density, which will accelerate growth of the remaining, larger second growth redwood trees;
• Develop later successional forest, with connectivity to existing old growth redwoods that support marbled murrelet;
• Promote structural diversity; and
• Increase public safety.
Associated work will:
• Remove second growth redwood trees with small to midrange diameters (=24-inches) exhibiting post-fire mortality;
• Use mechanized equipment and hand crews to remove dead hardwood trees; and
• Utilize prescribed fire in portions of project area as maintenance following initial treatments.
Contact Information
Name
Linda Hitchcock
Agency Name
Department of Parks and Recreation
Job Title
Senior Park and Recreation Specialist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Unincorporated Area
Counties
Santa Cruz
Regions
Unincorporated
Other Location Info
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
California Public Resource Code 21080.56
Reasons for Exemption
This project is exempt pursuant to CEQA guidelines section 15025 (a)(l), and this project meets all the requirements described in the California Public Resources Code, section 21080.56, because the project is exclusively a project to restore and enhance habitat for California native fish and wildlife. The project obtained concurrence from the Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, that the project qualifies as a statutorily exempt restoration project on July 24, 2024.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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