Roy's Redwoods Open Space Preserve
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ROY’S REDWOODS OPEN SPACE PRESERVE SITE ANALYSIS TECHNICAL MEMO DRAFT NOVEMBER 9, 2018 ROY’S REDWOODS OPEN SPACE PRESERVE SITE ANALYSIS TECHNICAL MEMO OCTOBER 22, 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES ..…….………………………………………………….2 2.0 WORKSHOP SUMMARY …..….……………………………………………………………..2 3.0 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY ..………………………………………………4 4.0 VISITOR USE SURVEY .………………………………………………………………………………….....5 5.0 SITE INVENTORY ..…………………………………………………………………………….6 5.1 GEOLOGIC SETTING ..……………………………………………………………………………7 5.2 HYDROLOGY ..…………………………………………………………………………………….8 5.3 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES ..…………………………………………………………………….9 5.4 HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND CULTURAL RESOURCES ..…………………………………17 5.5 RECREATION AND PUBLIC ACCESS………………………………………………….………19 APPENDICES 6.0 VISITOR USE SURVEY 7.0 ROY’S REDWOODS SPECIES LIST 8.0 MAP ATLAS 8.1 MARIN COUNTY & NEARBY REDWOOD GROVES 8.2 SAN GERONIMO VALLEY WATERSHED AND LOCATION MAP 8.3 PRESERVE MAP 8.4 WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS & POTENTIAL HABITAT 8.5 SOILS 8.6 VEGETATION PRESERVE LEVEL 8.7 AREA OF FOCUS 8.8 PROJECT AREA VEGETATION 8.9 SAN GERONIMO VALLEY VEGETATION ZONES 8.10 SOCIAL TRAILS & CREEK CROSSINGS 8.11 REDWOOD TREES 8.12 1971 AERIAL PHOTO 8.13 1954 COLOR INFRARED AERIAL PHOTO 8.14 1952 AERIAL PHOTO 9.0 WORKSHOP AND MEETING NOTES 11/09/2018 Roy's Redwoods Site Analysis Technical Memo 1 of 130 1.0 BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Roy's Redwoods Open Space Preserve (Preserve) is a 293-acre Marin County Open Space Preserve located within the San Geronimo Creek Watershed, a tributary to Lagunitas Creek that flows in Tomales Bay. The Preserve supports an abundance of wildlife and plant species, including the federally endangered northern spotted owl. The upper Larsen Creek alluvial valley, on the west side of the Preserve, is home to an old growth redwood forest with dozens of individual trees boasting diameters between 95 and 145 inches. The Preserve also provides easy access for families, hikers, and other visitors to experience the wonders of the redwood forest up close. As a result of unmanaged visitor use within the terrace redwood grove, a sprawling network of social trails has developed through the alluvial valley of Roy’s Redwoods and has resulted in habitat degradation and impaired hydrologic function. The Marin County Parks (MCP) seeks to protect the diverse biological resources that the area offers, improve hydrologic function, preserve the rich history of the landscape, and provide sustainable infrastructure for visitors to enjoy the Roy’s Redwoods into the future. In 2014 a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the four land management agencies charged with stewarding Mt. Tamalpais. In partnership with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy (Parks Conservancy), these agencies created the innovative Tamalpais Lands Collaborative (TLC). In 2016, planning and design for resource enhancement and protection as well as a sustainable visitor experience at the Preserve was identified as a priority project for the TLC work plan, thereby creating a multi- agency team charged with investigating opportunities for the site. In the Spring of 2017, the Parks Conservancy and MCP began work on a site inventory and visitor use survey to support future planning and design efforts. This Site Analysis Technical Memo is intended to support future planning and design efforts at the Preserve, and it documents the work undertaken from May 2017 through May 2018; key site analysis findings; and recommendations for further study and planning. The analysis included a visitor use survey, a literature review, a series of technical workshops, site inventory and mapping, and community engagement. A plan is needed to protect the diverse biological resources that the area offers, improve hydrologic function, preserve the rich history of the landscape, and provide access and amenities for visitors to enjoy the Roy’s Redwoods into the future. A critical element to this plan is the design of a landscape and trail circulation system that achieves multiple benefits of habitat restoration, hydrologic restoration, and an immersive and sustainable visitor experience. 2.0 WORKSHOPS SUMMARY 2.1 WORKSHOP 1: SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS This first workshop (Tuesday, May 9, 10a.m. – 2p.m. at the Fairfax Community Church) brought MCP Parks and Parks Conservancy staff together with subject matter experts to develop an initial site inventory, identify opportunities and constraints, and to provide guidance to the project team on areas to focus further study. Workshop participants consisted of representatives from: • Marin County Parks • Marin Resource Conservation District 11/09/2018 Roy's Redwoods Site Analysis Technical Memo 2 of 130 • Parks Conservancy • US Geologic Survey • San Geronimo Valley Planning Group • Save the Redwoods League • Point Blue Conservation Science • SF Regional Water Quality Control Board • CA Department of Fish and Wildlife • National Park Service • Wildlife Ecology and Consulting • Kamman Hydrology • A consulting botanist The workshop was organized into small focus groups that shared their local knowledge and expertise about the Preserve and surrounding areas regarding the sites hydrology, biological resources, history, public access and visitor use. The focus groups resulted in guiding questions and suggestions to lead the refinement of the site inventory and analysis, potential data gaps to research, as well as data sources identified for additional information. The workshop established that the appropriate area of focus was the meadow, the redwood grove and alluvial valley area of Larsen Creek. It is also important to consider this area of focus in the larger context of the San Geronimo Creek and Lagunitas Creek watersheds. A critical need identified early on was a study of the hydrology of upper Larsen Creek, its relationship to important habitat downstream, and opportunities for hydrologic restoration. It was also identified that a better assessment of the species and habitat composition, particularly within the redwood grove and the meadow, would help inform resource protection and restoration priorities. Another critical area of further study was identified as understanding visitor use patterns, points of interest, and types of visitor experiences. The Workshop 1 notes are provided in the appendix and provide a complete list of attendees, site inventory notes, and opportunities and constraints. 2.2 WORKSHOP 2: STAKEHOLDERS This second workshop (Wednesday, August 2, 4p.m. – 7p.m. on-site and at the Lagunitas School) brought MCP and Parks Conservancy staff together with community stakeholders to introduce the project and goals, share work completed to-date, and gather additional knowledge of the site. Workshop participants consisted of representatives from: • Marin County Parks • Parks Conservancy • Marin County Board of Supervisors • Sierra Club Marin Group • Marin Audubon Society • San Geronimo Valley Planning Group • Dougherty Ranch • California Native Plant Society • Marin Conservation League • Lagunitas School District • Prunuske Chatham, Inc. • Marin Horse Council • SPAWN/Turtle Island Restoration • Environmental Action Committee of Network West Marin • Foot People • Local residents The workshop was organized into an on-site field visit to walk the project area, introduce the project, and informally hear about participant’s site-based knowledge. After the site visit, the workshop reconvened for a presentation of work to-date then participants were asked to contribute knowledge and ideas regarding biological resources, visitor circulation, visitor experience, and visitor uses. This workshop confirmed that resource protection, habitat restoration, and an improved visitor experience was desired by stakeholders. Along with identifying key visitor destinations, the workshop established that the lack of a formal trail system is understood to be detrimental to biological resources but also degrades the visitor experience. It is important to provide a visitor experience that preserves a sense of 11/09/2018 Roy's Redwoods Site Analysis Technical Memo 3 of 130 discovery and exploration, is universally accessible, and does not impact sensitive resources. The importance of retaining access to Roy’s Redwoods for local school and environmental education programs was also emphasized. 3.0 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SUMMARY The following is a summary of the various public events that One Tam hosted as part of a community engagement strategy to gather community input and build community support specifically for a project at Roy’s Redwoods and more generally for projects throughout the TLC managed lands. 3.1 BIOBLITZ On March 25, 2017, 23 volunteers of all ages came to the Preserve for the first Marin County Parks/One Tam Bioblitz of 2017. Along with staff and interns from MCP, One Tam, the Parks Conservancy, and the Marin Municipal Water District, the group divided into teams to survey four areas of the preserve, including grasslands, meadow, redwood forest, and mixed evergreen forest. Using a smartphone app called iNaturalist, the group took photos of plants, animals, lichen, and fungi, with the goal of documenting every living species in sight. In the afternoon, volunteers and staff reconvened at the San Geronimo Community Center for lunch, and to share photos and work on identifications. Novices and experts alike sat together and consulted field guides and the internet. Over the next few weeks, the iNaturalist community also contributed identifications. 79 research grade observations were made, which means that the iNaturalist