Oak Woodland Health Blue Oak Acorn Planting
Summary
SCH Number
2025020703
Public Agency
Yolo County Resource Conservation District
Document Title
Oak Woodland Health Blue Oak Acorn Planting
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
2/20/2025
Document Description
Yolo County Resource Conservation District (RCD) is working on private property, in partnership with the landowner, to plant blue oak (Quercus douglasii) acorns within existing fenced areas on oak woodland rangeland outside of Winters, CA. The project consisted of opening existing caged areas, hand pulling weeds, and planting blue oak acorns inside the cage. Cages and posts were installed previously and were not installed by RCD staff.
This project is part of an Oak Woodland Health block grant funded by the California Association of RCDs. Blue oak habitat has declined in the last century due to drought and wildfire. Because blue oaks have poor regeneration, there is a concern that blue oak woodlands are slowly changing into savannas and grasslands with not enough diversity of tree age throughout the woodland. Acorn planting helps with blue oak recruitment and is completed in the fall, before rains. Acorn planting sites are caged to protect from horses, cattle, rodents and deer herbivory. Blue oak woodlands
support a diversity of wildlife and insects and often serve as working rangeland.
Contact Information
Name
Heather Nichols
Agency Name
Yolo County Resource Conservation District
Job Title
Executive Director
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Winters
Counties
Yolo
Regions
Unincorporated
Parcel #
030190018000
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Regs. tit. 14 § 15333
Reasons for Exemption
This oak woodland enhancement project meets the requirements of Class 33 Categorical Exemption (small habitat restoration projects) Section 15333 as the project is under 5 acres. Project implementation will not result in significant adverse impact on endangered, rare or threatened species. The project will principally be carried out with hand tools and not mechanized equipment and will result in revegetation that will improve habitat for native wildlife and pollinators. It has been concluded that no significant adverse environmental impacts would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forest resources, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, energy, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use and planning, mineral resources, noise, populations and housing, public services, recreation, transportation and traffic, utilities and service systems, or wildfire.
County Clerk
Yolo
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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