Photo: Pathways for Wildlife and Big Sur Land Trust
Introduction
Ecological Requirements
Terrestrial Connectivity
- Areas of Conservation Emphasis (ACE) identified priority areas of terrestrial connectivity. Irreplaceable and Essential Corridors (ACE Rank 5) in and around the RCIS area:
- Gabilan Range (including Pinnacles National Park)- Santa Cruz mountains corridor (CDFW 2019a)
- The Santa Lucia Range–Inner Coast Range corridor (Figure 5 33) (CDFW 2019a).
- Conservation Planning Linkages (ACE Rank 4) in and around the RCIS area:
- Along the Santa Lucia Range from the Fort Ord south to the Carmel River, and further south to the Nacimiento River
- Carmel River Valley south east to the Inner Coast Range, Monterey Bay dunes and Fort Ord south west to Sierra de Salinas & Toro County Park, and south east to the Carmel River area to Fort Ord and the coastal dunes of Monterey Bay (across Hwy 68) (TAMC 2017)
- Along the Inner Coast range from Stockdale Mountain to the Gabilan Range.
- Bay Area Linkage Network identified large parcels of high ecological integrity, or Landscape Blocks: Gabilan Range and Pinnacles National Park, Inner Coast Range, Santa Lucia Range, Inner Coast Range and Stockdale Mountain (Penrod et al. 2013).
- Types of barriers to terrestrial habitat connectivity include transportation infrastructure and urban development
Aquatic Connectivity
Riparian Corridors
- Riparian corridors facilitate wildlife movement throughout the RCIS area, through unsuitable habitat, such as urban and agricultural areas (Hilty et al. 2006).
- California Essential Habitat Connectivity dataset identified potential riparian corridors that provide access to Landscape Blocks: Salinas River, Gabilan Creek and associated riparian corridor; San Antonio River; Nacimiento River (Spencer et al. 2010).
Fish Passage Barriers
The Fish Passage Assessment Database (CDFW 2019b) identifies barriers in California that hinder migration of salmonids. A total barrier (either natural or artificial) is a complete barrier to fish passage for all anadromous species at all life stages, at all times of year. All total (natural and artificial), and partial (natural and artificial) barriers and the aquatic resources affected by these barriers are shown in Figure 5 33. Major waterways and their direct tributaries that have these barriers include: Pacific Ocean, Garrapata Creek, Big Sur River, San Jose Creek, Carmel River, Arroyo Seco, Limekiln Creek, Mill Creek, San Clemente Creek, Salinas River, Big Creek, Big Sur Creek, Black Rock Creek, Danish Creek, Little Sur River, Prewitt Creek, Willow Creek The Fish Passage Assessment Database also identified the Arizona Crossing, located on private land, as a high-priority barrier affecting anadromous fish, whose migration impacts should be addressed promptly (CDFW 2019b). According to The California Department of Transportation, no other barriers to fish passage occur in the RCIS area (Moonjian, pers. comm, 2019). See steelhead actions for additional priority fish passage barriers.
Associated Non-Focal Species
Range and Modeled Habitat
Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment
The loss of habitat connectivity and increased habitat fragmentation will have a major impact on how wildlife and natural communities respond to climate change in the RCIS area. Development of agricultural and urban areas, especially installation of new linear features (e.g., roads and utility lines) or development in critical choke points (areas of constrained movement) can affect plant and wildlife dispersal and predator–prey relationships, leading to increased mortality and genetic isolation. Movement by focal species such as mountain lion can be used as an indicator of healthy connectivity between different terrestrial habitat types and climate change resilience, because of its occurrence in all the natural communities in the RCIS area and its large home range. Irreplaceable and Essential Corridors (ACE Rank 5) and Conservation Planning Linkages (ACE Rank 4) throughout the RCIS area have the potential for high climate change resiliency (ACE Rank 4 and 5) (Appendix B). However, habitat fragmentation and degradation can more acutely impact smaller species and exasperate climate change impacts.
Aquatic species are limited in their abilities to bypass connectivity barriers in streams. Improving fish passage throughout riparian corridors can increase habitat connectivity for steelhead and other water-bound species. Furthermore, maintaining healthy connectivity between freshwater and saltwater habitats is important for maintaining hydrological regimes, water quality, and sediment balances, and may improve climate change resiliency.
In addition to providing habitat for aquatic species, riparian areas provide shade, water, and upland habitat for many terrestrial species. Riparian habitats disproportionately contribute to regional species richness (Krosby et al. 2018). These areas have the potential to function as dispersal corridors for both terrestrial and aquatic species because they often span multiple climatic gradients (Krosby et al. 2018). Riparian corridors in forested areas can reduce the effects of climate exposure by providing refugia from increasing air and water temperatures (Klausmeyer et al. 2011). Conservation strategies focusing on maintaining connectivity between various riparian habitats in the RCIS area have the potential to create future climate refugia for vulnerable species and maintain current species richness. The goals, objectives, and actions shown in Table 5 60 aim to protect, enhance, and restore present day habitat connectivity to create resiliency to projected climate changes.
Conservation Strategies
Habitat Connectivity Goals, Objectives, and Actions
There are 77 proposed actions. For complete goals, objectives and actions explanations see the complete table of conservation strategies in the RCIS PDF.
Species Goals, Objectives, and Actions
Goal BUOW 1
Promote persistence of burrowing owl populations in the RCIS area through protection, restoration, and enhancement of habitatObjective BUOW 1.2
Enhance occupied and suitable burrowing owl breeding, wintering, and foraging habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by acres of habitat and associated/equivalent acres enhanced and/or occupied by burrowing owls and or evidence of presence (occupied burrows).Action BUOW 1.2.1
Manage suitable vegetation structure (e.g., mowing, revegetation with low-growing and less dense native plants, controlled grazing) to encourage burrowing owl wintering and breeding occupancy (Shuford and Gardali 2008; USFWS 2003b).
Action BUOW 1.2.3
Create conservation agreements with row-crop agriculturalists and ranchers to encourage management of water conveyance structures, roadsides, and field margins to benefit burrowing owl (USFWS 2003b).
Objective BUOW 1.3
Restore occupied, and suitable burrowing owl breeding, wintering, and foraging habitat and create new habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by acres of habitat and adjacent/equivalent acres restored or created and/or by evidence of presence (occupied burrows).Action BUOW 1.3.1
Where potential nesting burrows are lacking, install artificial burrows or encourage the presence of California ground squirrels (USFWS 2003b).
Goal CACO 1
Increase and promote a self-sustaining California condor population in the RCIS area through protection, restoration, and enhancement of habitatObjective CACO 1.2
Enhance occupied and suitable California condor breeding, roosting, and foraging habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by acres of habitat and adjacent/equivalent acres enhanced and occupied by California condorsAction CACO 1.2.1
Maintain sustainable native ungulate populations to sustain the native prey base for California condor, by native ungulate reintroduction in historical foraging habitats (USFWS 1996). Ensure healthy population of other prey species (e.g., small mammals, coyotes).
Objective CACO 1.3
Restore occupied and suitable California condor breeding, roosting, and foraging habitat and create new habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by acres of habitat and adjacent/equivalent acres restored or created and/or occupied by California condors.Action CACO 1.3.1
Restore foraging habitat and roosting habitat adjacent to breeding locations. Restore breeding habitat adjacent to foraging and roosting locations.
Goal CN 2
Support stability and recovery of California newt populations in the RCIS area through measures to reduce direct mortality.Objective CN 2.1
Reduce vehicle-related mortality factors. Measure progress toward achieving this objective by the reduction of vehicle-related California newt deaths detected, compared to present day.Action CN 2.1.1
Install infrastructure to promote wildlife movement through roadways (e.g., wildlife tunnels, overpasses), to reduce road mortality in transportation corridors with high numbers of vehicle-related California newt mortality. Focus on areas adjacent to known breeding locations and protected habitats.
Goal CRLF 2
Support stability and recovery of California red-legged frog populations in the RCIS area through measures to reduce direct mortality factors.Objective CRLF 2.1
Reduce vehicle-related mortality factors. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the reduction of vehicle-related California red-legged frog deaths detected compared to present day.Action CRLF 2.1.1
Install infrastructure to promote wildlife movement through roadways (e.g., wildlife tunnels, overpasses) to reduce road mortality in transportation corridors with high number of vehicle-related California red-legged frog mortality. Focus on areas adjacent to known breeding locations and protected habitats.
Goal CSW 1
Promote persistence of California sycamore woodland habitat in the RCIS area through protection, restoration, and enhancement of habitat.Objective CSW 1.2
Enhance California sycamore woodland habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by acres of habitat and adjacent/equivalent acres enhanced.Action CSW 1.2.1
Manage and/or restore appropriate hydrology (such as intermittent flooding) in areas of potentially suitable habitat.
Goal CTS 1
Promote persistence of California tiger salamander populations in the RCIS area through protection, restoration, and enhancement of habitat.Objective CTS 1.1
Protect known occurrences and allow for expansion by protecting 109,000 acres of suitable habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the number of breeding locations, acres of adjacent upland habitat, and associated/equivalent acres protected.Action CTS 1.1.1
Acquire parcels with known breeding occurrences and adjacent dispersal/terrestrial habitat as well as parcels with unoccupied suitable habitat for California tiger salamander through fee title purchase of conservation easement. Habitats with vernal pools or other ephemeral breeding ponds and habitat that create corridors between metapopulations should be prioritized (USFWS 2017).
Goal CTS 2
Support stability and recovery of California tiger salamander populations in the RCIS area through measures to reduce direct mortality factors.Objective CTS 2.1
reduce vehicle-related mortality factors. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the reduction of vehicle-related California tiger salamander deaths detected compared to present day.Action CTS 2.1.1
Implement measures to reduce road mortality, such as by creating wildlife crossing infrastructure (tunnels or overpasses) that promote for California tiger salamander movement through transportation corridors (USFWS 2017). Focus on areas adjacent to known locations and protected habitats.
Goal HC 1
Protect, establish, and improving habitat connectivity and linkagesObjective HC 1.2
Establish and improve habitat connectivity. Measure progress toward achieving this objective in acres of corridor habitat protected and the number of barriers to movement modified, removed, or otherwise upgraded.Action HC 1.2.1
Install, repair, and improve infrastructure, such as culverts, under crossings, overcrossings, bridges, directional fencing, scuppers, barrier breaks, roadside animal detection systems, drift fences, wildlife tunnels, and remove existing barriers along linear infrastructure corridors, fire break treatment, and agricultural and urban development to promote wildlife movement.
Action HC 1.2.2
Conduct studies of species movement to identify areas to improve population connectivity.
Action HC 1.2.3
Work with transportation districts or others to collect and analyze roadkill data to identify hotspots where wildlife interactions occur to inform the location and design of wildlife crossing infrastructure improvements
Action HC 1.2.4
Restore and enhance linkages between habitats required for all life stages (i.e. improve linkages between upland and breeding and upland or foraging habitats).
Action HC 1.2.5
Restore and enhance terrestrial habitat corridors and linkages between small and large landscape blocks.
Goal HC 2
Improve aquatic and riparian connectivity throughout the RCIS area through protection, enhancement, and restorationObjective HC 2.1
Improve freshwater aquatic and riparian connectivity in areas that link sensitive species and habitats. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the improvement of aquatic conditions, water quality, and connectivity of aquatic and riparian resources.Action HC 2.1.1
Protect existing and intact aquatic and riparian habitat connectivity and linkages.
Action HC 2.1.2
Improve connectivity/ remove barriers to fish passage throughout RCIS area, including ground-truthing and monitoring assumed fish passage barriers.
Action HC 2.1.3
Improve quality and connectivity of riparian habitats, focusing on temperature profiles and appropriate substrate, especially considering areas of expected climate change impacts and future range.
Goal MB 1
Promote persistence of monarch butterfly populations in the RCIS area through protection, restoration, and enhancement of habitat.Objective MB 1.3
Restore occupied and suitable monarch butterfly habitat and create new habitat in the RCIS area. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by acres of occupied, suitable, and potentially suitable habitat and adjacent/equivalent acres restored or created and occupied by monarch butterfly.Action MB 1.3.1
Restore native tree stands in areas with suitable micro-habitats and adjacent habitat suitable for larval host plants
Goal ML 1
Promote persistence of mountain lion populations in the RCIS area by improving habitat connectivity, prey habitats, and public awareness.Objective ML 1.2
Improve habitat connectivity for mountain lion. Measure progress towards achieving this objective in acres of corridor habitat protected and the number of barriers to movement modified, removed, or otherwise upgraded, and used by mountain lion.Action ML 1.2.1
Install, repair, and improve infrastructure, such as adding large culverts, under crossings, overcrossings, bridges, directional fencing, scuppers, barrier breaks, roadside animal detection systems, and remove existing barriers to promote wildlife movement and reduce road mortality (Yap and Rose 2019). Focus on areas with high numbers of vehicle-related mountain lion mortality and areas with high Area of Conservation Emphasis Terrestrial Connectivity rankings.
Action ML 1.2.2
Work with transportation districts or others to collect and analyze roadkill data to identify hotspots where mountain lions are killed to inform the design of wildlife crossing infrastructure improvements (Yap and Rose 2019).
Action ML 1.2.3
Create and sustain long-term funding for long-term management of crossings, including but not limited to exclusion fencing repairs, solar panels for roadside detectors, weed abatement, culvert clean out, etc.
Objective ML 1.3
Support sustainable natural prey populations and habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by increases in prey populations and health of prey habitats compared to present day.Action ML 1.3.3
Manage utility transmission corridors to be compatible to mountain lions and their prey base.
Objective ML 1.5
Increase the mountain lion population size above the minimum effective population size (100) to prevent inbreeding depression (Yap and Rose 2019). Measure progress towards achieving this objective by numbers of individuals and increases in genetic diversity.Action ML 1.5.1
Increase connectivity to other population segments outside the RCIS area to increase gene flow (Yap and Rose 2019).
Goal SCCCS 1
Promote persistence of steelhead south-central California coast DPS populations in the RCIS area through protection, restoration, and enhancement of habitat.Objective SCCCS 1.2
Enhance occupied and suitable steelhead south-central California coast DPS habitat throughout the RCIS area, focusing on NMFS-designated Core Populations 1, 2 and 3 and throughout the RCIS area. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the number of acres of Core Population and RCIS area riparian, riverine, and estuary habitat enhanced and occupied by steelhead.Action SCCCS 1.2.1
Develop and implement operating criteria to ensure the pattern and magnitude of groundwater extractions and water releases, including bypass flows around diversions, from Uvas Dam, Pacheco Dam, Salinas Dam, San Antonio Dam, Nacimiento Dam, San Clemente Dam, Los Padres Dam, Arroyo Seco, Lower Salinas River, San Jose Creek, Little Sur River, Big Sur River to provide essential habitat functions (NMFS 2013).
Action SCCCS 1.2.3
On the Carmel River, develop and implement alternative off-channel water supply project to eliminate or decrease water extraction from the channel, including subsurface extractions (NMFS 2013). Ensure provisional fish passage of adults and juveniles around dams and ensure that seasonal releases from dams support all life history phases (NMFS 2013).
Objective SCCCS 1.3
Restore occupied and suitable steelhead habitat throughout the RCIS area, focusing on NMFS-designated Core Populations 1, 2, and 3. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by acres of Core Population and RCIS area habitat and adjacent/equivalent acres restored and occupied by steelhead (NMFS 2013).Action SCCCS 1.3.1
Physically modify or remove fish passage barriers on NMFS-designated Core Population 1, 2, and 3 watersheds, including Salinas Dam, San Antonio Dam, Nacimiento Dam, Los Padres Dam, Old Carmel River Dam (NMFS 2013) and throughout the RCIS area (NMFS 2013, 2016), using NMFS and CDFW priority rankings.
Action SCCCS 1.3.2
Re-establish access to upper watersheds in both small coastal streams (San Jose, Pismo, and Arroyo Grande creeks), Big Sur River, and larger interior river systems (Salinas, Pajaro, and Carmel rivers) (NMFS 2016).
Action SCCCS 1.3.3
Collaborate with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and county transportation departments with oversight on road practices to reduce or remove transportation related barriers to upstream and downstream passage (including railroad bridges, abutments, and similar structures) (NMFS 2013).
Action SCCCS 1.3.6
Implement restoration projects to provide fish access to historical spawning and rearing habitats throughout the DPS boundary (NMFS 2013, 2016). Historical watersheds that are anthropogenically blocked include riparian habitats above the Hernandez Dam, San Antonio Dam, Nacimiento Dam, Salinas Dam, Lopez Dam, and North Fork Pacheco Creek Dam (NMFS 2016).
Goal SCLTS 2
Support stability and recovery of Santa Cruz long-toed salamander populations in the RCIS area through measures to reduce direct mortality factors.Objective SCLTS 2.1
Reduce vehicle-related mortality factors. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the reduction of vehicle-related Santa Cruz long-toed salamander deaths detected compared to present day.Action SCLTS 2.1.1
Develop wildlife crossing infrastructure improvements, such as drift fences, wildlife tunnels, or the construction of elevated roads, in transportation corridors with high numbers of vehicle-related Santa Cruz long-toed salamander mortality. Focus on areas adjacent to known locations and protected habitats (USFWS 1999, 2009, 2019a).
Objective SCLTS 2.2
Reduce pathogen-related mortality factors. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the reduction of pathogen-related Santa Cruz long-toed salamander deaths detected compared to present day.Action SCLTS 2.2.1
Monitor known and potential breeding ponds for presence of pathogens through traditional and eDNA methods.
Action SCLTS 2.2.2
Sterilize all equipment entering known or suitable Santa Cruz long-toed salamander breeding habitat to prevent introduction of disease.
Goal SJKF 1
Promote persistence of San Joaquin kit fox population in the RCIS area through protection, restoration, and enhancement of habitat and habitat corridors.Objective SJKF 1.1
Protect known occurrences and allow for expansion by protecting 107,000 acres of suitable habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective in the acres of habitat and adjacent/equivalent acres protected.Action SJKF 1.1.1
Acquire parcels with known breeding occurrences and suitable habitat for San Joaquin kit fox and adjacent dispersal habitat through fee title purchase or conservation easement. Focus acquisitions to protect or expand large blocks of land that are at least 10,000 acres in size (USFWS 2010).
Action SJKF 1.1.2
Acquire parcels to protect broad dispersal corridors (landscape linkages) through large landscape blocks supporting known breeding occurrences of San Joaquin kit fox and adjacent dispersal habitat through fee title purchase or conservation easement (USFWS 1998a, 2010). Focus acquisitions near Camp Roberts and Fort Hunter Liggett (Salinas-Pajaro Region) to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service -designated core populations in the Carrizo Plain Natural Area and San Joaquin Valley to enhance habitat connectivity (USFWS 1998a).
Objective SJKF 1.2
Enhance occupied and suitable San Joaquin kit fox habitat in the RCIS area. Measure progress towards achieving this objective in acres of habitat and adjacent/equivalent acres enhanced and occupied by San Joaquin kit fox. Habitat enhancements should focus on the Salinas-Pajaro Region, centered on Camp Roberts and Fort Hunter Liggett and corridors from this region to the Carrizo Plain and San Joaquin Valley (USFWS 1998a, 2010).Action SJKF 1.2.3
Design new infrastructure projects, such as renewable energy facilities, to ensure maintenance of enough prey base, den sites, and habitat connectivity (USFWS 1998a).
Goal WL 1
Sustain resilient and integrated working lands and natural communities for the full range of native species, habitats, and ecological functions in the RCIS area, where feasible, through enhancement and restoration of important habitat types supporting sensitive species.Objective WL 1.1
Participate and implement activities that support stewardship of habitats and ecological processes in croplands and grazing lands to maintain, enhance, and restore species populations and ecological functions.Action WL 1.1.6
Install, repair, and improve infrastructure, such as adding large culverts, under crossings, overcrossings, bridges, directional fencing, scuppers, barrier breaks, roadside animal detection systems, and remove existing barriers to promote wildlife movement and reduce road mortality of focal/non focal species.
Regional Goals, Objectives, and Actions
Goal RC 1
Sustain resilient, connected natural communities for the full range of native species, habitats, and ecological functions in the RCIS area through the protection of large blocks of continuous habitat supporting sensitive species.Objective RC 1.1
Protect and preserve existing intact non-marine habitats and resources and allow for expansion of habitat by protecting suitable or occupied habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the number of acres of habitat and adjacent/associated acres protected.Action RC 1.1.1
Acquire parcels with suitable habitat through fee title purchase or conservation easement.
Action RC 1.1.2
Conduct surveys using eDNA and/or traditional survey methods in suitable or potentially suitable habitat to locate undocumented occurrences of focal species and other conservation elements and opportunities for habitat protection, enhancement, restoration, and creation (USFWS 2008).
Action RC 1.1.3
Create and sustain long-term funding for protected areas maintenance.
Action RC 1.1.4
Establish an incentive program for private landowners to protect occurrences and manage habitat.
Action RC 1.1.5
Protect populations from impacts from construction, vegetation management, and/or activities, including by surveying areas such as roads/trails and implementing species protection measures.
Objective RC 1.2
Enhance occupied and suitable habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by number of acres of habitat enhanced and/or occupied.Action RC 1.2.1
Manage current and future recreation access including off-road vehicles, biking, equestrian, foot traffic, and unleashed pets to reduce impacts and disturbance to sensitive species and habitats. Ensure recreation is compatible with suitable and future potentially suitable habitat and adjacent areas, and areas of known occurrences. Enforcement and fencing may be used to prevent illegal off-road vehicle use (USFWS 2010).
Action RC 1.2.10
Work with private landowners and stakeholders to research species biology, threats, populations, densities, and/or ranges.
Action RC 1.2.11
Create/enhance connections between ecologically required habitat types, such as between aquatic breeding and upland dispersal habitats.
Action RC 1.2.2
Control non-native invasive species from occupied and/or suitable habitat, and areas designated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as critical habitat throughout the RCIS area.
Action RC 1.2.3
Reduce/eliminate pesticide, rodenticide (especially first- and second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides), and herbicide use, including for roadside vegetation removal projects as part of integrated pest management efforts in identified suitable habitat, and sensitive natural communities. Promote alternative pest reduction methods, such as promoting natural predator populations (Ventura County Public Works Agency 2017).
Action RC 1.2.4
Minimize impacts from native and non-native predator populations that have increased due to anthropogenic factors, including through educational outreach and trainings on how to safely coexist with native predators and predator removal programs where appropriate.
Action RC 1.2.5
Reduce anthropogenic impacts on habitat, including infrastructure construction and maintenance, inappropriate grazing, uncontrolled grazing, or overgrazing, off-road vehicles, foot traffic, fire suppression, recreational development and activities, non-native plants, and sand mining
Action RC 1.2.6
Manage infrastructure construction and maintenance projects, including transportation, solar energy facilities and projects on military properties, to be compatible for sensitive species.
Action RC 1.2.7
Manage grazing, including the installation of wildlife-friendly fencing, to ensure it is compatible with suitable and future potentially suitable habitat and adjacent areas, and areas of known occurrences. Grazing in sensitive natural communities, public lands should be reduced.
Action RC 1.2.8
Reduce trash dumping in areas with suitable and future potentially suitable habitat and adjacent areas, and areas of known occurrences.
Action RC 1.2.9
Enhance and restore native vegetation in occupied habitat and suitable but unoccupied habitat.
Goal RC 2
Promote persistence of species and important natural communities through the establishment and improvement of habitat connectivity in the RCIS area.Objective RC 2.1
Establish and improve habitat connectivity between large blocks of suitable habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the number of improved connectivity corridors used by sensitive species.Action RC 2.1.1
Install, repair, and improve infrastructure, such as adding large culverts, under crossings, overcrossings, bridges, directional fencing, scuppers, barrier breaks, roadside animal detection systems, sound barriers, limiting lighting at constructed or natural linkages and remove existing barriers to promote wildlife movement and reduce road mortality (Yap and Rose 2019). Focus on areas with high numbers of vehicle-related mortality, areas with high Area of Conservation Emphasis Terrestrial Connectivity rankings and include areas to create corridor redundancy.
Action RC 2.1.2
Enhance habitat on either side of crossing structures, including protecting adjacent areas, restricting human activity nearby, etc.
Action RC 2.1.3
Create and sustain long-term funding for long-term management of crossings, including acquisition and maintenance of adjacent habitat where suitable.
Action RC 2.1.4
Work with transportation districts or others to collect and analyze roadkill data to identify hotspots where mortality occurs to inform the design of wildlife crossing infrastructure improvements (Yap and Rose 2019).
Water Goals, Objectives, and Actions
Goal Water 1
Improve conditions of water resources, aquatic and riparian habitats, and connectivity throughout the RCIS area through enhancement and restoration.Objective Water 1.1
Improve freshwater aquatic and riparian habitat conditions in areas with sensitive species and habitats. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the improvement and restoration of aquatic and riparian conditions (inundation duration, water depth, water chemical composition, stream substrate composition and/or stream characterization, habitat structure, native species diversity, percent cover), water quality, and connectivity of water resources.Action Water 1.1.1
Reduce water pollutants such as fine sediments, pesticides, herbicides, sewage effluent, and other non-point and point source waste discharges, including through development and implementation of stormwater policy and infrastructure.
Action Water 1.1.2
Improve/ remove barriers to fish passage throughout RCIS area, includes ground truthing and monitoring all assumed fish passage barriers.
Action Water 1.1.3
Improve quality of wetland habitats and create new wetland habitats, including through invasive species control, increased water period, and recontouring to enhance proper elevation, etc.
Action Water 1.1.4
Improve quality of riparian habitats and create new riparian habitats, focusing on temperature profiles and appropriate substrate, especially considering areas of expected climate change impacts and future range.
Action Water 1.1.5
Minimize impacts to water resources from construction, military activities, and agricultural practices.
Action Water 1.1.6
Reduce introduction of sediments in creek channels from bank erosion, livestock grazing, timber harvestings, unpaved roads and trails, and recreation.
Action Water 1.1.7
Improve and expand existing riparian and upland buffers and create new buffers where they are lacking around stream and wetland habitats, as well as connectivity corridors between heterogeneous habitats. A qualified biologist and the best available science should determine buffer distances.
Action Water 1.1.8
Preserve and protect intact aquatic and riparian resources where protection is lacking.
Objective Water 1.2
Improve appropriate hydrology and hydrological functions to support sensitive species and habitats. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the improvement of hydrological indicators such as water depth, stream flow, water temperature and chemical composition.Action Water 1.2.1
Moderate extreme water temperature fluctuations by controlling water flow regimes downstream of impoundments, water diversions, and residential or industrial developments.
Action Water 1.2.2
Ensure releases from water storage and diversion facilities maintain surface flows necessary for all life history stages of sensitive species (NMFS 2013).
Action Water 1.2.3
Maintain appropriate management of flood-control activities (both routine and emergency) to be compatible with sensitive species (NMFS 2013).
Action Water 1.2.4
Restore hydrological functions of waterways to mimic natural flow, temperature regimes, and sediment loads where feasible (Hayes et al. 2016).
Action Water 1.2.5
Develop and implement operating criteria to ensure the pattern and magnitude of groundwater extractions and water releases provide essential ecological functions.
Objective Water 1.3
Improve estuarine and marine aquatic conditions in areas with sensitive species and habitats. Measure progress towards achieving this objective by the improvement of aquatic conditions (water chemical composition, habitat structure, native species diversity) water quality, and connectivity of water resources.Action Water 1.3.1
Minimize impacts to estuary water quality and tidal regimes from coastal transportation, military activities, and agricultural practices upstream, and other development projects.
Action Water 1.3.2
Enhance water quality in occupied and suitable estuary and lagoon habitats.
Action Water 1.3.3
Manage negative impacts of upstream and estuarine channelization and water quality (USFWS 2005a).
Action Water 1.3.4
Develop and implement strategies for managing freshwater inflow to estuary and lagoon habitats (USFWS 2005a).
Amphibian Goals, Objectives, and Actions
Goal Amphibian 1
Promote persistence of amphibian populations in the RCIS area through habitat protection, restoration, and enhancementObjective Amphibian 1.2
Restore occupied and suitable habitat and create new habitat. Measure progress towards achieving this objective in acres of habitat and adjacent/associated acres restored or created habitat and number of breeding ponds.Action Amphibian 1.2.2
Establish native vegetation with suitable density and structure in upland habitats within dispersal distance of known breeding locations.
Action Amphibian 1.2.3
Create suitable breeding habitat, such as artificial perennial and/or ephemeral ponds within the dispersal distance of known breeding locations.
Action Amphibian 1.2.4
Create suitable upland habitat within dispersal distance of known and suitable breeding habitat.