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North Coyote Valley Sobrato and Brandenburg Properties Biological Resources and Opportunities Assessment

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North Coyote Valley Sobrato and Brandenburg Properties Biological Resources and Opportunities Assessment North Coyote Valley Sobrato and Brandenburg Properties Biological Resources and Opportunities Assessment HTH #1337-22 Prepared for: Peninsula Open Space Trust 222 High Street Palo Alto, CA 94301 Prepared by: H. T. Harvey & Associates June 28, 2019 983 University Avenue, Building D Los Gatos, CA 95032 Ph: 408.458.3200 F: 408.458.3210 Executive Summary The Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) and Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (SCVOSA) are working with other conservation partners in an effort to acquire, preserve, and eventually enhance and restore strategic locations within the Coyote Valley of Santa Clara County, California. Currently, POST and SCVOSA are considering the acquisition of approximately 903 acres owned by The Sobrato Companies and Brandenburg Properties in North Coyote Valley. The purpose of this report is to describe existing biological resources on these properties, as well as potential opportunities for creation, restoration, and enhancement of native habitat, including habitat connectivity. Important existing biological resources in the study area include the following: • Extensive wetland, aquatic, and riparian resources, including seasonal wetland (113.95 acres), potential seasonal wetland (23.67 acres), coastal and valley freshwater marsh (9.46 acres), mixed riparian forest/scrub and freshwater marsh (16.02 acres), mixed riparian forest and willow riparian forest (23.03 acres), and pond (5.48 acres) habitats • Laguna Seca, the largest freshwater wetland area in the Santa Clara Valley • High-quality mixed oak woodland and forest (31.51 acres) • Serpentine bunchgrass grassland (1.22 acres) • Known occurrences of several special-status species, including California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense), bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), Swainson’s hawk (Buteo swainsoni), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), white-tailed kite (Elanus leucurus), tricolored blackbird (Agelaius tricolor), American peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus anatum), burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus), yellow warbler (Setophaga petechia), yellow-breasted chat (Icteria virens), Sacramento hitch (Lavinia exilicauda exilicauda), Central California roach (Lavinia symmetricus symmetricus), San Francisco dusky- footed woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes annectens), American badger (Taxidea taxus), and pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus). • High diversity and abundance of native wildlife species, including numerous bird species • High-quality wildlife movement pathways, primarily along Fisher Creek, connecting the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains and Diablo Range North Coyote Valley Sobrato/Brandenburg Properties H. T. Harvey & Associates i Biological Resources and Opportunities Assessment June 28, 2019 Despite the high existing ecological value of the study area, ample opportunities for considerable habitat creation, restoration, and enhancement exist; these include: • Restoration of Laguna Seca, including enhancement of its extent, depth, and hydroperiod, to enhance this regionally important wetland area • Restoration and enhancement of riparian, seasonal wetland, and oak woodland habitats • Creation and enhancement of ponds and upland habitat suitable for use by breeding California tiger salamanders and California red-legged frogs (Rana draytonii), as well as by western pond turtles (Actinemys marmorata) • Creation of nesting habitat for the tricolored blackbird • Enhancement of burrowing owl roosting, foraging, and potentially nesting habitat • Enhancement of Swainson’s hawk foraging habitat • Enhancement of serpentine grassland • Enhancement of wildlife movement and connectivity at a number of locations throughout the study area to facilitate cross-valley wildlife movement North Coyote Valley Sobrato/Brandenburg Properties H. T. Harvey & Associates ii Biological Resources and Opportunities Assessment June 28, 2019 Table of Contents Section 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Purpose of this Biological Resources and Opportunities Assessment ........................................................... 1 Section 2. Methods ......................................................................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Review of Background Information ..................................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Field Surveys ............................................................................................................................................................ 5 Section 3. Existing Conditions ..................................................................................................................................... 7 3.1 Study Area Location ................................................................................................................................................ 7 3.2 General Site Conditions ......................................................................................................................................... 7 3.2.1 Brandenburg West ........................................................................................................................................... 8 3.2.2 Brandenburg East .......................................................................................................................................... 17 3.2.3 Sobrato North ................................................................................................................................................ 19 3.2.4 Sobrato South ................................................................................................................................................ 21 3.3 Sensitive and Regulated Habitats ........................................................................................................................ 25 3.3.1 Jurisdictional Wetlands and Other Waters (i.e., Creeks, Freshwater Marsh, Seasonal Wetlands, and Ponds) ............................................................................................................................................................... 25 3.3.2 Riparian Habitats ........................................................................................................................................... 27 3.3.3 Oak Woodland ............................................................................................................................................... 28 3.3.4 Serpentine Grassland .................................................................................................................................... 29 3.4 Special-Status Plants .............................................................................................................................................. 29 3.5 Special-Status Animals .......................................................................................................................................... 32 3.6 Nonnative and Invasive Species.......................................................................................................................... 39 3.6.1 Invasive Plants ............................................................................................................................................... 39 3.6.2 Nonnative Animals ....................................................................................................................................... 41 3.6.3 Wildlife Movement........................................................................................................................................ 43 Santa Clara Valley Habitat Plan Applicability .......................................................................................................... 45 Section 4. Enhancement and Restoration Opportunities ...................................................................................... 47 4.1 Laguna Seca Enhancement .................................................................................................................................. 53 4.2 Oak Woodland/Savanna Restoration, Creation, and Enhancement ............................................................ 53 4.3 Riparian Woodland Enhancement and Restoration ........................................................................................ 54 4.4 Creation or Enhancement of Aquatic Breeding Habitat, and Enhancement of Upland Habitat, for the California Red-Legged Frog and/or California Tiger Salamander ................................................................ 55 4.5 Enhancement of Habitat for the Western Pond Turtle .................................................................................. 57 4.6 Creation of Tricolored Blackbird Breeding Habitat ........................................................................................ 57 4.7 Enhancement of Tricolored Blackbird Foraging Habitat ............................................................................... 58 4.8 Enhancement of Burrowing Owl Habitat ......................................................................................................... 59 4.9 Creation or Enhancement of Swainson’s Hawk/Raptor Foraging Habitat ................................................. 61 4.10 Enhancement of Serpentine Grasslands.........................................................................................................
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