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Strawberry Canyon by John Martinez Pavliga
FEMA will hold two public meetings on August 26th, 2010 at the Trudeau Center in Oakland (11500 Skyline Blvd). The meetings will be held at 2 pm and 630 pm. The purpose of the meeting is to “evaluate the environmental impacts of funding a combination of hazardous fuel reductions projects within the East Bay Hills are in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, California.” [Federal Register Docket ID FEMA-2010-0037] The currently published documents are here.
This is an important meeting to attend as CNPS members can contribute their knowledge and perspective on vegetation management in the East Bay Hills. The East Bay has certainly enjoyed some “fuels and habitat” management successes, but there are many poorly planned projects that have impacted wildlands and increased the spread of invasive species – thus accentuating fire danger, rather than suppressing it. Native coyote bush shrublands have been converted to weedy annual grasslands and thistle fields in some cases, causing a net loss in biodiversity and not achieving the goal of making an area more “fire safe”. It’s a lose-lose, if not planned and executed properly. The only way a sustainable plan for fuels can be created is by understanding the ecology and vegetation dynamics of the local area.
Additionally, we want to make sure rare and unusual local plant resources aren’t impacted adversely where “fuels” projects are being undertaken. Please attend the meeting and help add to the depth of the Environmental Review process by presenting important considerations for making the proposed project a success.
Please send in formal comments to FEMA via email or snail mail at:
EBH-EIS
P.O. Box 72391
Oakland, CA 94612
and/or
EBH-EIS-FEMA-RIX@dhs.gov
EBCNPS has been working on understanding and analyzing the Fuels and Habitat management plan with the Park District, as well as a group of interested individuals. One of our main goals is to understand how the implementation of this plan will effect the environment, and the Parks as we’ve come to know and love them. We argue that certain plan elements need to be amended, such as, the “fire” road up Claremont Canyon, habitat conversion of Northern Coastal Scrub to weedy grassland, and monitoring techniques for changes in vegetation.
The plan and the DEIR are large documents. Even with the 30 day extension, EBCNPS was not able to digest all elements of the plan. We hope we have covered the most important elements.
We present our findings about this plan in the followingletter: EBCNPS comments on VMP and DEIR.
Coast Live Oak Woodland of the East Bay Hills - Lech Naumovich
Eelgrass -by Jude Stalker
EBCNPS prides itself on bringing science-based analysis to projects that have impact to native vegetation and habitats. Often, the effect of our comments and educational efforts are difficult to identify. On October 15th, the San Francisco Chronicle covered three projects in which EBCNPS has supported the local communities efforts to support, improve, or oppose a specific project. We think this is good news, and we’re certain there’s even more to come. Please continue to support our efforts with a small donation to the EBCNPS Conservation Analyst Fund (see information at bottom of this post) so that we can continue to employ one part-time staff to help coordinate the work of our community.
1. Editorial opposing the poorly planned Pt. Molate Casino:
A bad bet - SF Chronicle Editorial on Pt. Moalte Casino
2. Oak Grove development in Pleasanton: “Voters in Pleasanton will have a chance to block a proposed 51-home hillside subdivision that preseervation groups have been battling since 1992, the state Supreme Court decided Wednesday. The court denied review of an appeal that developers Jennifer and Frederick Lin filed after a lower court reinstated a referendum on the Oak Grove project. The issue will go before the voters next year…”
3. Chabot-Dunsmuir Property Acquisition in one of EBCNPS’ Priority Plant Protection Areas: (This article appeared on the inside of the cover of the EBRPD’s Activity Guide–an insert that comes with the Chronicle). “The East Bay Regional Park District Board has partnered with the City of Oakland to purchase the 64-acre Chabot-Dunsmuir property located on a prominent ridgeline in southeast Oakland. This is the first acquisition using Measure WW funds…”
Conservation Analyst Appeal - Please consider supporting our program - click on picture for a larger image
Fritillaria agrestis by John Game
The East Bay Chapter of CNPS has been working on a publication that will help communicate the value of our local botanical resources to a greater general public. This project, the Botanical Priority Protection Areas (or BPPA), outlines 15 of the most important landscapes in the East Bay that convey a “sense of place”. Many of these areas will have development proposals in the next decade and we hope that our project will help communicate the importance of these areas.
There is a team of individuals that is helping make this project a success. Please feel free to email Lech Naumovich (conservation@ebcnps.org) with comments and suggestions on this project. Thanks for your everyone’s generosity and support!!!
Here’s a sneak peak at a DRAFT layout of the 4 Valleys area near Antioch, CA.
Serpentine Prairie after Treatment
After careful deliberation about the impacts and benefits of restoring the Serpentine Prairie of Redwood Regional Park, the East Bay Park District has taken the courageous first step to increase the extent of serpentine grasslands. The first phase of the project has removed a number of planted Monterey pines and invasive Acacia trees in the central prairie area. We believe this treatment marks the beginning of a renewed commitment to well-planned resource management at the Park District.
The Stewardship branch of EBRPD have renewed their commitment to not only managing, but actively restoring this world class resource which is home to handfuls of rare and protected plants including our own federally endangered Presidio Clarkia (Clarkia franciscana). Continued research and stewardship at the Prairie will help provide invaluable information on this hardy annual that is restricted to only two locations in the world.
Notably, a post-removal walk-through indicates that the work was completed with little disturbance to soils and existing flora. Please see the prairie for yourself, and then let the Park District and the Board of Directors know that this work is appreciated.
Stumps of Invasive Acacia sp.
View from the Trudeau Center Parking lot
Western Leatherwood (Dirca occidentalis) is a state and federally protected rare plant that is likely to get impacted by this project.
EBCNPS is in the process of reviewing the East Bay Hills Wildfire Hazard Reduction And Resource Management Plan and EIR (by East Bay Regional Parks). We have great concern that the management proposed for the Claremont Canyon area (in Oakland) will future damage to native habitat in the canyon as we know it. Approximately 80% of the canyon open space will undergo “initial treatment” or “maintenance” treatment. Past fuels treatments by the Park District have converted good habitat to areas the document maps as “non-native scrub”. Additionally, there is a plan to build a strategic fire route, aka fire road, up some of the steepest parts of the canyon. This road would further fragment habitat and prove an opening for weed invasion.
We ask you to see this wonderful place for yourself. Please print the above map and drive Claremont Avenue, or hike Gwin Canyon, or bike Grizzly Peak Boulevard above the canyon.
EBCNPS, then, asks reviewers knowledgeable about this area to consider commenting on the proposed treatments that may impact Claremont Canyon as we know it, see it, and enjoy it. We believe that some of the best intact vegetation communities and populations of rare plants will be disturbed and impacted by the proposed plan. EBCNPS believes that the “thinning” of coyote brush scrub and other scrub in the canyon will adversely impact this area and lead to greater ignition potential in this area.
An area this sensitive requires more specific plans to be presented at the EIR stage since this may be the only time public review will be considered for this plan.
Here’s our Green paper on the East Bay Hills Fuels Management.
Comments need to be submitted by October 30, 2009 to (EXTENDED BY EBRPD):
Brian Wiese, Chief, Planning and Stewardship
East Bay Regional Park District
2950 Peralta Oaks Court
Oakland, CA 94605-0381
Email: WildfireEIR@ebparks.org
Typical landscape in the East Bay Hills
The much anticipated “twin goals” plan for the East Bay Hills has been released for public review. This plan looks to reduce wildfire risk and actively manage parkland resources in the East Bay Hills. EBCNPS has been active in providing germane resource information related to this effort. Please read our Environmental Green Paper on East Bay Hills Vegetation Management. EBCNPS will be reviewing the Park District’s plan and providing written comments as appropriate.
East Bay Regional Park District: The EB Hills plan
The first public meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 2, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. at the Trudeau Center, 11500 Skyline Blvd., Oakland. Comments are due by October 1st, 2009.
