San Francisco Garter Snake Recovery Phase I
Summary
SCH Number
2025040547
Public Agency
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
Document Title
San Francisco Garter Snake Recovery Phase I
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
4/10/2025
Document Description
The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (District) is partnering with the National Park Service - Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) to implement phased recovery actions for San Francisco garter snake (SFGS) to increase the population size and genetic diversity in San Mateo County. Implementation of specific actions towards these goals will be phased over time. Phase I of recovery actions would occur at GGNRA’s Mori Point and the District’s Cloverdale Ranch Open Space Preserve and Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve and would be undertaken in accordance with NPS’s Partnership to Save SFGS Detailed Implementation Plan (Implementation Plan).
Phase I activities would occur over approximately two (2) years, beginning in Spring 2025. USGS and District staff would collect SFGS from Cloverdale Ranch in Spring 2025. A second donor site would be used for collections in Spring 2026 with the site choice dependent upon the most recent population and genetic data. A maximum total of 8 female SFGS would be collected per year for two years and temporarily housed at the San Francisco Zoo for rearing activities. Captured female SFGS would be released back to Cloverdale Ranch following birth of young snakes in fall (2025 and 2026). One-third of the juvenile SFGS would be released in the summer or earlier back to Cloverdale Ranch, and the remaining two-thirds would be split between Mindego Ranch and Mori Point. Population monitoring would be carried out during and after recovery activities to estimate SFGS abundance each year following augmentation.
Contact Information
Name
Jared Hart
Agency Name
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District
Job Title
Senior Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Pacifica, unincorporated area
Counties
San Mateo
Regions
San Francisco Bay Area, Unincorporated
Other Location Info
Mori Point and Cloverdale Ranch Open Space Preserve
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 33; California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 15333
Reasons for Exemption
The proposed project entails recovery actions on land less than five acres in size that would increase the population size and genetic diversity of San Francisco garter snake in San Mateo County. No hazardous materials are present at the sites where recovery activities would take place, and the project would not result in significant impacts in connection with past, current, or probable future projects.
County Clerk
San Mateo
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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