C O N S E R V A T I O N P L A N CAMP PICO BLANCO SCOUT RESERVATION
Peek at the unspoiled beauty.
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C O N S E R V A T I O N P L A N CAMP PICO BLANCO SCOUT RESERVATION
PREPARED FOR
Boy Scouts of America Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council Ron Schoenmehl, Director of Support Services 970 W Julian Street San Jose, CA 95126 Tel 408.638.8325
PREPARED BY
EMC Planning Group Inc. Andrea Edwards, Associate Biologist 301 Lighthouse Avenue, Suite C Monterey, CA 93940 Tel 831.649.1799 [email protected] www.emcplanning.com
Drafted August 19, 2013. Revised September 18, 2013.
This document was produced on recycled paper.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION...... 1-1 1.1 Vision Statement and Land Ethic ...... 1-1 1.2 Location and Setting...... 1-3 1.3 Camp History...... 1-7
CHAPTER 2 CONSERVATION PLANNING STRATEGY ...... 2-1 2.1 Plan Purpose and Objectives...... 2-1 2.2 Conservation Committee Formation ...... 2-4 2.3 Plan Organization...... 2-5
CHAPTER 3 RESOURCE INVENTORY ...... 3-1 3.1 Plant Communities...... 3-1 3.2 Wildlife Habitats...... 3-2 3.3 Little Sur River ...... 3-6 3.4 Geology and Soils ...... 3-7 3.5 Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas ...... 3-7
CHAPTER 4 FOREST MANAGEMENT...... 4-1 4.1 Protected Trees...... 4-1 4.2 Sudden Oak Death...... 4-4 4.3 Hazardous Trees...... 4-7 4.4 Fire Clearance and Fuel Modification...... 4-11
CHAPTER 5 STEELHEAD WATERSHED MANAGEMENT ...... 5-1 5.1 Little Sur River Riparian Habitat...... 5-1 5.2 Steelhead Protection...... 5-3
CHAPTER 6 DUDLEY’S LOUSEWORT ...... 6-1 6.1 Species Information...... 6-1 6.2 Species Protection at Camp ...... 6-1
CHAPTER 7 NATURE EDUCATION AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH...... 7-1 7.1 Nature Education...... 7-1 7.2 Scientific Research ...... 7-2
EMC PLANNING GROUP INC. CHAPTER 8 RECREATIONAL USE...... 8-1 8.1 Camping Program Operation ...... 8-1 8.2 Trail/Road Maintenance and Erosion Control...... 8-3
CHAPTER 9 SUMMARY OF ACTION ITEMS ...... 9-1 9.1 Forest Management ...... 9-1 9.2 Steelhead Watershed Management...... 9-6 9.3 Dudley’s Lousewort ...... 9-8 9.4 Nature Education and Scientific Research ...... 9-11 9.5 Recreational Use...... 9-14
CHAPTER 10 REFERENCES...... 10-1
Appendices
Appendix A Men in the Making: Pico Blanco Scout Reservation Appendix B Monterey County Arborist and Forester Report Submittal Requirements Appendix C Monterey County Basic Defensible Space & Vegetation Management Guidelines For Property Owners Appendix D Opening the World through Nature Journaling (Second Edition) Appendix E CNPS Vascular Plants: Pico Blanco Boy Scout Camp Appendix F Teaching Leave No Trace Appendix G Wilderness Use Policy of the Boy Scouts of America
Figures
Figure 1 Location Map...... 1-5 Figure 2 Camp Facility Map...... 1-9 Figure 3 Biological Resources Map ...... 3-3
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To provide comprehensive and holistic natural resource management and foster responsible environmental stewardship at Camp Pico Blanco Scout Reservation, this Conservation Plan has been developed in association with the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council of Boy Scouts of America. The recommended policies and action items contained herein are intended to guide long-term camp management and operations.
1.1 VISION STATEMENT AND LAND ETHIC
The following vision statement has been developed for Camp Pico Blanco (Boy Scouts of America [BSA], Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council 2013):
The nearly 800 acres of Camp Pico Blanco along the Little Sur River, surrounded by the Ventana Wilderness and Los Padres National Forest, are the crowning jewel of Scouting properties. Scouts, Scouting leaders, and other campers learn to focus, create, and preserve.
Focus: As you enter Palo Colorado Road, the adventure begins as you turn back the clock to simpler times. You are "off the grid" now. Focus on your senses and listen for the river, smell the flowers, feel the breeze and cool water... Focus. Pico
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Blanco is not as much a place to "get away" as it is to "get in touch." Distractions are blocked and clarity is found.
Create: Creating memories for the youth who enjoy Pico Blanco is a second focal point. While we remember the past, we are forwardly focused to help our campers create new memories and capture those through various artistic means.
Preserve: Appreciate, learn, and practice how we coexist with the beauty of nature around us. During the summer at our organized camps, this is one of the focal points of our curriculum. Campers continue this exploration with hikes and overnight programs.
Today Pico Blanco Scout Reservation stands on this land, set aside to the sole end that it be preserved as a primitive area where American youth can have the inestimable experience of untouched wilderness and unspoiled natural beauty.
It is a reservation for youth, away from civilization, intended to offset the softening influence of our modern social life, and to help in the development of America’s future men and women to be self-reliant, of strong character, and physically fit.
Scout camping activities are based on the BSA Outdoor Code:
As an American, I will do my best to - Be clean in my outdoor manners. Be careful with fire. Be considerate in the outdoors. Be conservation minded.
The need for the BSA to practice responsible environmental stewardship on their properties is further inspired by various ethical foundations, such as the teachings of Aldo Leopold:
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A land ethic, then, reflects the existence of an ecological conscience, and this in turn reflects a conviction of individual responsibility for the health of the land. Health is the capacity of the land for self- renewal. Conservation is our effort to understand and preserve this capacity.
Finally, inspiration to create this Conservation Plan is also found in a quotation from Lord Baden Powell, the founder of Scouting, encouraging all Scouts toward resource protection:
As a Scout, you are the guardian of the woods. A Scout never damages a tree by hacking it with his knife or axe. It does not take long to fell a tree, but it takes many years to grow one, so a Scout cuts down a tree for a good reason only – not just for the sake of using his axe. For every tree felled, two should be planted.
This is the basic motivation guiding the specific conservation policies and projects developed for continued management and operation of Camp Pico Blanco.
1.2 LOCATION AND SETTING
Camp Pico Blanco is located in unincorporated southwest Monterey County, on the North Fork of the Little Sur River (a tributary to the Pacific Ocean), approximately 12 miles inland from State Route 1 on the Big Sur Coast of California. It is surrounded by Los Padres National Forest designated wilderness. The camp’s entrance is eight miles southeast from State Route 1 on Palo Colorado Road to the Bottcher’s Gap private access gate, and then another four miles from the gate to the camp, which sits at the bottom of a narrow valley between Mescal Ridge, Skinner Ridge, and Pico Blanco Mountain. The camp location is shown on Figure 1, Location Map.
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The Big Sur coastline is a scenic region where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. Big Sur's Cone Peak is the highest coastal mountain in the contiguous 48 states, ascending nearly a mile above sea level, only three miles from the ocean (Henson and Usner 1993). The camp is positioned along the Central Coast of California, within the “Outer South Coast Ranges” California Floristic Province; this includes the Sierra de Salinas, Santa Lucia Range, and San Rafael Mountains. Coastal areas in this region support small stands of redwood and mixed-evergreen forests to the north and oak forests to the south (Baldwin, et al. 2012).
Los Padres National Forest is located in two noncontiguous areas of southern and central California, including the Coast Ranges from Ventura to Monterey. The forest is approximately 1,950,000 acres in size. The "main division" of the forest includes lands within San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, and Kern Counties. The northern division is within Monterey County and is a popular area for hiking, with 323 miles of hiking trails and 11 campgrounds (Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau 2012). The camp is an important link in the Los Padres National Forest public trail system.
The camp experiences a Coastal California climate with warm, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The Big Sur Coast winter rains and summer coastal fog support dense redwood forests, and the perennial river corridor contains native riparian vegetation. The camp is situated on the Big Sur U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) quadrangle map. Topography varies from relatively flat to steeply sloped, and ranges in elevation from about 700 to 1,000 feet.
Camp Pico Blanco is a private recreational BSA reservation. The property is about 800 acres overall, although camping facilities and activities mainly occur in about a 100-acre area surrounded by steep terrain. Its physical address is 41352 Palo Colorado Road, Carmel, California 93923, on Assessor Parcel Numbers 418-181-021-000, 418- 181-022-000, and 418-021-056-000. It is owned and managed by the BSA Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council, and used primarily during the summer months as a recreational and instructional Scout camp.
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Figure 1 Location Map
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The camp contains various facilities including dirt access roads, a main parking area, hiking trails, designated campsites, a kitchen and Hayward Lodge dining hall, restroom/shower facilities, associated recreational structures (handicraft lodge, ecology conservation center, Scoutcraft area, chapel, boat house, trading post, volleyball court, and health lodge), and a section of the Little Sur River that is used as a recreational area in the summertime when water is impounded to form a reservoir behind a seasonal flashboard dam (see Figure 2, Camp Facility Map). The main camp area contains special-status biological resources and high quality wilderness habitat, including a redwood forest and the Little Sur River watershed.
1.3 CAMP HISTORY
The Big Sur region of California was once inhabited by the Esselen Native Americans, though it is not known to what extent they may have utilized the Camp Pico Blanco property. The only Native American artifacts identified at camp are a few metates located near the river. A metate, also called a mealing stone or grinding slab, is a rock surface with hollowed out areas that were used to grind acorns and other seeds, usually found among boulders or exposed rock outcroppings.
Camp Pico Blanco is the oldest BSA camp on the California Central Coast. Concerning the camp’s conservation history and stewardship background, the following excerpt is taken from a previously prepared conservation plan for the camp (Coffin and Anderson 1988):
Records show that the land was first settled by homesteaders who obtained parcels of acreage through United States government patents as early as the year 1891. These settlers were William F. Notley, 1891, Thomas W. Allen, 1891, Isaac N. Swetnam, 1894, Harry E. Morton, 1896, Samuel L. Trotter, 1901, Abijah C. Robbins, 1901 and Antere Pl. Lachance, 1904.
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Because tanbark was a lucrative source of income at that time, by 1916 the Eberhard and Kron Tanning Companies, of Santa Cruz, had acquired most of the acreage from the original owners. Timber was brought out by muleback and on clumsy wooden sleds and loaded by cable onto waiting vessels at Notley’s Landing, located near the entrance to the present Palo Colorado Road.
Interest in preserving the abundant growth of redwoods in the area prompted William Randolph Hearst, newspaper publisher, on November 18, 1921, Company, to purchase the entire acreage from the tanning companies at a cost of approximately $50,000.
Through the efforts of Albert M. Lester, Carmel, on July 23, 1948, the property was conveyed to the Boy Scouts of America, Monterey Bay Area Council, Inc., for $20,000, which the Hearst Foundation had already donated to the Council.
In 1952, construction began on Camp Pico Blanco, and the Pico Blanco Scout Reservation opened in 1954. The camp is designed to support upwards of 300 Scouts, 50 leaders, and 50 staff members during the summer season, which runs for up to nine weeks. During the non- summer season, weekend use typically consists of 0-200 people at camp. Off-season specialty programs include about 150 campers and 30 staff members. Camp history is documented with many historical photographs in a 1963 booklet that is included as Appendix A. A large wildfire in 2008 caused closure of the camping operation for that summer season until damages were assessed and addressed.
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Figure 2 Camp Facility Map
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2.1 PLAN PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES
The camp contains areas of high quality habitat for native plant and wildlife species due to its remoteness, pristine forests, and surrounding watershed. Overall, the entire camp property is considered to be environmentally sensitive. Responsible land management at the camp will abide by all local, regional, state, and federal laws protecting special-status biological resources, including sensitive ecosystems, watersheds, and species. Camp operation and maintenance must include compliance with federal regulations (Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Clean Water Act, etc.); state regulations (California Endangered Species Act, California Fish and Game Code, California Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act, California Environmental Quality Act, etc.); and on a regional/local scale, the camp is located in the Coastal Zone, and is regulated by the Monterey County Planning Department’s Coastal Implementation Plan, Big Sur Coast Land Use Plan, and Little Sur Protected Waterway Management Plan.
The site exists in a rugged, semi-unimproved state, which is an important component of the wilderness experience at Camp Pico Blanco. The BSA strives to promote a conservative land ethic, stating on their website that “a thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.” Since 1954, the outdoor recreation program at Camp Pico Blanco Scout Reservation has promoted character development, citizenship, and physical fitness for thousands of boys and girls through the playground of the outdoors. Resource
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conservation, environmental stewardship, sound land ethics, “Leave No Trace” wilderness principles, and connecting children with nature are vital to the BSA. Camp staff should expand environmental education for campers to include an emphasis on scientific understanding of natural resources, which would in turn impact camper activities and behaviors in favor of the protection of sensitive
Fish and Wildlife Management biological resources. Merit Badge Past resource management and environmental stewardship efforts at the camp have fallen short of the exemplary BSA standards, and the newly formed local council recognized that camp land management ethics and natural resource stewardship goals needed redefining. The Monterey Bay Area Council and Santa Clara County Council merged at the beginning of 2013. The BSA principles of conservation and responsible land management are of great importance to the newly formed Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council, who now manages the Nature Merit Badge property and commissioned development of this Conservation Plan. The overall goal of the Plan is to outline and prioritize sustainable environmental practices for the camp so that Scouts can continue to safely utilize the site without adversely impacting the high quality natural resources present in this unique wilderness.
According to a 2013 leaflet, the Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council has over 3,000 Scouts attending local camps each year and serves
Soil and Water Conservation Monterey, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, and San Benito Counties. During Merit Badge 2012, an estimated 23,000 youths served in the council, which promotes character development and values-based leadership training. At Camp Pico Blanco, Scouts work to earn merit badges that include environmental science, fish and wildlife management, soil and water conservation, geology, forestry, reptile study, mammal study, nature, wilderness survival, and astronomy. Camp sport facilities include an aquatics reservoir and archery, rifle, and shotgun ranges; a handicraft studio is used for art, basketry, leatherwork, photography, Forestry Merit Badge cinematography, and welding.
The development, refinement, and implementation of this Conservation Plan will ensure that the use of the property does not impair the site’s uniquely sensitive biological functions and values. In
2-2 EMC PLANNING GROUP INC. CAMP PICO BLANCO SCOUT RESERVATION CONSERVATION PLAN this way, the land will be managed responsibly, sensitive species known to occur at the site will be protected, and overall ecosystem health will be maintained or improved so that future Scouts will have the same (or better) opportunities to experience and enjoy the camp.
Therefore, this comprehensive Conservation Plan has been developed to promote adaptive and integrated resource management policies. These policies are intended to guide sound, long-term environmental stewardship practices at the camp while continuing to serve youth. The objective is to achieve an operational balance for the camp between serving as good stewards of the environment and continuing to use the property as a Scout reservation. The Plan follows the national BSA guidelines, provided in the Council Conservation Committee Guidebook (BSA 2011) that identifies national guidelines and general best management practices for BSA properties. This guidebook states that “a conservation plan should be an evolving document that assesses and provides recommendations to meet the natural resource needs and the objectives of the Scout camp property.”
Conservation Plan development efforts were previously conducted for the camp in 1971, 1983, and 1988; much of this information focused on energy, recycling, timber harvesting, and road-building issues, and no longer has major relevancy. This current Conservation Plan replaces prior plans. Camp staff will implement the resource management strategies outlined in this Conservation Plan, with the assistance of the Scouts during summer camping sessions, the Beaver Patrol (a group of volunteers that work on camp improvement projects), and all others having a physical impact at Camp Pico Blanco.
As stated above, this Conservation Plan’s environmental stewardship strategy strives to balance protection of biological resources with continued recreational use of the property, providing the safest possible camping conditions with regard to wildfire threats and hazardous trees. In general, the recommendations contained herein include special-status species protection efforts, restoration of riparian and watershed resources, redwood forest management strategies, expanded environmental awareness programs and opportunities for scientific research, and improved facility maintenance techniques.
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The implementation of these policies will need to be balanced with summertime use of the camp by Scouts, as well as the use of the camp by various other groups.
Note that any camp improvements made to support an increase in property use, such as the potential construction of any new cabins or restrooms, etc., will require full environmental review and permits from the Monterey County Planning Department - especially if proposing the removal of any protected trees. The council’s strategic plan calls for “best in class” camps and facilities to enhance the outdoor programs offered the youth, adults, and other campers at all council camps. Over time, as Camp Pico Blanco is maintained and improved, the Land and Facility Committee will adopt best practices within the BSA for replacing and enhancing existing facilities, developing new program features, and improving conservation resources for the camps.
2.2 CONSERVATION COMMITTEE FORMATION
This Conservation Plan for the approximately 100-acre main camp activity area will guide camp policies and operational decisions regarding resource management and promotion of outdoor conservation programs. The BSA Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council is forming a volunteer Conservation Committee of regional partners to guide matters that pertain to natural resource conservation and environmental stewardship.
The purpose of such a committee is to provide expertise regarding ecology, conservation, and resource management to guide sustainable policies and programs through administration of the Conservation Plan. The committee must also make appropriate adjustments and revisions to keep the Plan current, updating it at least every three to five years. Finally, the Conservation Committee should communicate conservation projects with camp staff leaders, and ensure that the Conservation Plan policies are properly and consistently implemented.
This Conservation Plan is a basic framework to build upon, which will evolve over time with input and peer review from local, regional, state,
2-4 EMC PLANNING GROUP INC. CAMP PICO BLANCO SCOUT RESERVATION CONSERVATION PLAN and federal natural resource experts, including local Scout leaders, representatives from resource agencies and conservation organizations, etc. These experts will serve in a science and policy advisory capacity for this unique camp.
Key stakeholder support may include regular representative involvement or as-needed input from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), Monterey County Resource Management Agency – Planning Department, California Native Plant Society (CNPS) – Monterey Bay Chapter, Monterey Audubon Society, Big Sur Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, Ventana Wilderness Alliance, U.S. Forest Service – Los Padres National Forest (Monterey Ranger District), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire), Resource Conservation District of Monterey County, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB), Carmel River Steelhead Association, California Salmon and Steelhead Association, University of California – Davis (Big Sur Sudden Oak Death Project), California State University – Monterey Bay, etc.
2.3 PLAN ORGANIZATION
Recommended conservation practices are organized by general resource management category throughout this Plan, and labeled as action items. Major environmental sensitivity issues are discussed, followed by management recommendations to properly use, maintain, restore, improve, and protect resources from abuse. A relative priority scale is used for each recommended action item and the related implementation schedule, so that implementation of higher priority items can occur as soon as funding becomes available.
Although several conservation recommendations have already begun to be implemented at camp during 2013, this Plan is being developed and peer reviewed/refined with input from resource agencies, technical experts, and camp management staff during 2013. The 2013
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goal is, therefore, to develop a working Conservation Plan, and gain local council executive board commitment to and formal adoption of the Plan.
The BSA guidelines for conservation plans recommend a three-year implementation schedule, which can be adjusted over time as the plan is revised to reflect shifting priorities, funding availability, etc. The implementation years presented in this plan show the proposed initial implementation date, though many of the action items are management policies and conservation projects that either take longer than one year to complete or fully implement, or will be conducted/repeated on a periodic (often annual or as-needed) basis.
Therefore, though many recommendations are designed as on-going activities, the action items in this Plan are classified according to an initial three-year implementation schedule:
. High Priority/2014 Implementation
. Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation
. Low Priority/2016 Implementation
Cost estimates for each action item need to be developed in coordination with camp management staff, so that adequate funding or volunteer partnerships can be obtained to meet the projected schedule for each action item. The Conservation Committee will periodically update the Conservation Plan, adjusting priorities and schedules as needed.
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The following biological resources information is based on a reconnaissance-level habitat assessment survey conducted at camp by EMC Planning Group biologists Andrea Edwards and Bill Goggin on September 13, 2012. Biological resources are shown on Figure 3, Biological Resources Map.
3.1 PLANT COMMUNITIES
Redwood Forest
Although the main camp area has been disturbed by the long-term operation and maintenance of camp facilities, the area still supports a high quality, dense redwood forest plant community. This community is characterized by two distinct canopy layers: the upper layer (with trees up to about 200 feet tall) dominated by coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), mostly second growth but with a substantial old growth component; and the lower layer dominated by Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus), along with coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), interior live oak (Quercus wislizeni), and Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii).
The diverse forest understory is open, and absent in some areas due to disturbance associated with camp activities. Understory species include, but are not limited to, western bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum var. pubescens), giant chain fern (Woodwardia fimbriata), creeping snowberry (Symphoricarpos mollis), coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis), Douglas iris (Iris douglasiana), wood mint (Stachys bullata),
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cudweed/everlasting (Pseudognaphalium spp.), sword fern (Polystichum munitum), wood-sorrel (Oxalis spp.), fat Solomon (Maianthemum racemosum), California bedstraw (Galium californicum), California huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum), manzanita (Arctostaphylos sp.), and deer brush (Ceanothus spp.).
White Alder Grove
A narrow (approximately five-to-ten-foot-wide) band of riparian vegetation consisting mainly of white alder (Alnus rhombifolia) occurs along the banks of the Little Sur River corridor that passes through the center of the camp. This linear community has a predominantly open canopy, is composed of mature white alder trees and dense willow (Salix spp.) shrub thickets, and occurs along the margins of the river where periodic inducements of water support a specific assemblage of riparian, shade-tolerant plants. Additional tree species found in the riparian corridor include California bay (Umbellularia californica), big- leaf maple (Acer macrophyllum), and western sycamore (Platanus racemosa). Diverse understory species include, but are not limited to, California blackberry (Rubus ursinus), thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus), western poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum), willow-herb (Epilobium ciliatum), wild rose (Rosa sp.), rushes (Juncus spp.), five finger fern (Adiantum aleuticum), leopard lily (Lilium pardalinum), and horsetail (Equisetum sp.).
3.2 WILDLIFE HABITATS Wildlife habitat value is influenced by a combination of physical and biological features of the immediate environment. Species diversity is typically a function of the diversity of a particular site’s abiotic and biotic conditions, and may be affected by human use of the land. The type, size, and diversity of plant communities present and their degree of disturbance ultimately determine the quality of wildlife habitat. Degradation of the structural diversity of a plant community typically diminishes wildlife habitat quality and usually results in a reduced richness of animal species diversity.
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Figure 3 Biological Resources Map
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The high quality wildlife values offered by redwood forest habitat in camp include foraging and nesting opportunities, cover, and migration and dispersal corridors for a variety of wildlife species. Amphibians such as frogs and salamanders would be expected to utilize the abundant leaf litter and downed woody debris found at camp for cover and nesting. Insectivorous birds may feed on the plentiful insects found on the foliage within this habitat type. Based on habitat affinities, raptor species potentially foraging and/or nesting in or near the late- seral stage redwood forest habitats may include red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus), Cooper’s hawk (Accipiter cooperii), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), great horned owl (Bubo virginianus), and peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus). Large-bodied raptors (i.e. buteos or hawks) tend to nest in mature, large-sized trees, using twigs or branches to construct their nests.
The camp’s late-succession redwood forest and riparian woodland habitats provide favorable breeding opportunities for nesting birds, including both raptors and passerine (i.e., song) birds.
Common bird species detected during EMC Planning Group’s biological reconnaissance survey included banded kingfisher (Lacedo pulchella), red-tailed hawk, common raven (Corvus corax), yellow- rumped warbler (Setophaga coronata), Anna’s hummingbird (Calypte anna), northern flicker (Colaptes auratus), acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus), turkey vulture (Cathartes aura), and hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus). Notably, a granary tree, used by acorn woodpeckers to cache their nuts, was observed near the archery range.
Mammals such as dusky-footed woodrat (Neotoma sp.), long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata), and raccoon (Procyon lotor) are expected to forage and nest in coastal coniferous forest habitats and use dense woodland habitats as escape cover. Larger mammals, such as mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), mountain lion (Felis concolor), and bobcat (Lynx rufus) can utilize the understory of this community for thermal protection (shelter) and food. Mature conifer trees and snags, as well as cavities within anthropogenic structures such as vacant buildings, are important features within this habitat, as they can provide nesting and roosting areas for a variety of bat species that occur in this region,
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including little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus), long-legged myotis (Myotis volans), long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis), pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus), and hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus).
3.3 LITTLE SUR RIVER
In 1973, the State Legislature, with the support of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, designated the Little Sur River as a protected waterway. The Little Sur River Protected Waterway Management Plan was prepared by the CDFW and the County of Monterey to provide a framework for this designation. The Board of Supervisors approved this plan on November 5, 1985. The California Coastal Commission certified the plan on April 9, 1986. It describes natural resource conditions in this watershed area and identifies issues and concerns regarding watershed resources, fisheries resources, environmentally sensitive habitats, mineral resources, forestry and grazing, and recreation. It further contains numerous concerns for how the resources are managed, along with strategies, goals, objectives, and recommended policies to be implemented for resource management. The camp is identified as containing Sensitive Habitat Areas, specifically riparian corridor and sensitive plant habitat.
On page 70, the Little Sur River Protected Waterway Management Plan states that its primary goal is “to protect and enhance the outstanding natural values of the Little Sur River and its watershed as prime fish and wildlife habitat and for scenic and passive outdoor recreation and to support continued ranching use and those visitor-serving uses and limited resource dependent uses which are compatible with protection of these natural values.”
The Little Sur River is discussed in great detail in Chapter 5 of this Conservation Plan.
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3.4 GEOLOGY AND SOILS
According to a previous conservation plan for the camp (Coffin and Anderson 1988):
The developed Boy Scout camp facilities, which lie along the Little Sur River Valley, are located on the Palo Colorado Fault which is part of the San Gregorio-Hosgri Fault trend, which in turn is part of the San Andreas Fault system. The area is rated 6 (worst) on a 1-6 scale for landslide and erosion susceptibility. It can be expected that serious movement of the Palo Colorado Fault will continue. Planners of future improvements, including road construction, should be aware of the inherent earth instability in the area.
The predominant soil type mapped in the main camp activity area is the Sur-Junipero Complex, which occurs on very steep and extremely steep soils on mountains, mostly in the Los Padres National Forest and the Ventana Wilderness with slopes of 50 to 85 percent. The intermingled soils include Sur soils that make up about 60 percent of this complex, and Junipero soils that make up about 20 percent of this complex. The rest of the complex consists of sandy loam and brown sand. This complex is mainly associated with recreation, wildlife habitat, and watershed (USDA 1972 and 2013).
3.5 ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE HABITAT AREAS
In the Monterey County coastal zone, environmentally sensitive habitat areas (ESHAs) are defined as “areas in which plant or animal life or their habitats are either rare or especially valuable because of their special nature or role in an ecosystem and which could be easily disturbed or degraded by human activities and development.” Coastal Act Sections 30233 and 30240 regulate all development, including
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native vegetation removal, excavation, grading, filling, and the construction of roads and structures, in an ESHA.
In camp, redwood forest habitat, the Little Sur River’s riparian corridor, wildlife movement corridors (along the river, road, and trails), populations of rare plants, and areas occupied by nesting raptors or other protected animal species would be considered ESHAs.
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4.1 PROTECTED TREES
The main goal of camp forest management policies is to maintain the biological integrity and ecosystem health of the forest, preserving high quality habitat conditions for native vegetation and wildlife, including potentially occurring special-status species, while allowing safe recreational and educational activities to continue at camp. A camp priority is long-term protection of its magnificent and sensitive coast redwood forests.
The Monterey County 1981 Big Sur Coast Land Use Plan is guided by the fact that the Big Sur coastal area is biologically diverse, includes coast redwood forests, and supports many rare plants. It therefore contains policies regarding environmentally sensitive habitat development standards (which may apply to redwood forests and riparian woodlands), and forest resources development standards. Within environmentally sensitive habitats, development including vegetation removal is restricted if it may significantly disrupt habitat value, and requires approval and permitting by the County. Riparian habitat values are specifically protected, and commercial harvesting of old growth redwoods or other rare/sensitive tree species is considered inappropriate. The County protects all native trees that are 12 inches or more in diameter at breast height (DBH); landmark trees are defined as native trees that are 24 inches or more in DBH. The Big Sur Coast Land Use Plan states:
A coastal development permit must be obtained for the removal of trees and other major vegetation.
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However, in the Big Sur Coast area the following will not be considered as removal of major vegetation:
a. Removal of non-native or planted trees, except where this would result the exposure of structures in the critical viewshed;
b. Removal of hazardous trees which pose an imminent danger to life or property, or threaten contagion of nearby forested areas, subject to verification by the County or California Department of Forestry;
c. Thinning of small (less than 12" diameter) or dead trees from densely forested areas, especially as needed to reduce unsafe fuel accumulations adjacent to existing occupied buildings; and,
d. Prescribed burning, crushing, lopping or other methods of brush clearing which do not materially disturb underlying soils.
Selective removal of trees may be permitted where consistent with the Forest Resources policies of this Plan, provided that no impairment of the critical viewshed or degradation of environmentally sensitive habitat will result. Where the removal of trees is part of a stand improvement project or similar long-term management effort, the submission of a Forest Management Plan for the site will be encouraged by the County; approval of such plans pursuant to a coastal development permit will obviate the need for multiple permit requests on the same site.
Although the above-cited Big Sur Coast Land Use Plan does not protect dead trees or small trees, given the high ecological sensitivity of the
4-2 EMC PLANNING GROUP INC. CAMP PICO BLANCO SCOUT RESERVATION CONSERVATION PLAN forest habitat at camp, it is a good practice to keep the County informed of all planned tree removals, even if the trees are dead or less than 12 inches in DBH and a formal tree removal permit is not required. Highly hazardous tree removals, discussed in detail below, are frequently necessary at camp, especially due to wildfire damage and disease from the documented Sudden Oak Death pathogen present at camp, also discussed below.
Action Items:
. Track camp tree losses (both natural falls and removals) in an electronic spreadsheet. Include an assigned tracking number for each tree, tree species, estimation of tree height, diameter at breast height, date that the tree fell or was removed, reason for loss, general location, photograph(s), eventual use of the wood, and whether tree loss was covered by a County permit, CalFire order, or fell down naturally. This information should be shared with the County on an annual basis, and with other appropriate interested agencies and/or organizations if requested. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Retain standing dead trees whenever safely possible to provide habitat for roosting bats and nesting birds. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Aside from tree losses attributed to hazardous conditions or fire protection, for any camp improvements or repairs that require removal of protected trees, the appropriate Monterey County Planning Department permitting process will be followed and all necessary approvals obtained prior to removal. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. In appropriate disturbed sites throughout camp, to improve the health and amount of the native forest habitat, have a qualified botanist or naturalist supervise Scouts during manual non-native plant species removal as small-scale restoration projects. Dispose of non-native plants either through composting, or burning if
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compatible with the camp’s smoke management permit. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
. Develop a long-term Forest Management Plan for the camp, led by either the Natural Resources Conservation Service or a certified arborist/forester approved by the County, with additional input requested from the CNPS – Monterey Bay Chapter. Review and update the plan at least every ten years. Submit the plan to the Monterey County Resource Management Agency – Planning Department for review and approval. Implement recommendations of this plan, such as the monitoring of tree vigor, natural recruitment of different tree species, and overall forest health. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
4.2 SUDDEN OAK DEATH
Sudden Oak Death (SOD) is a tree disease that kills certain species of oak and is caused by a fungus-like water mold pathogen (Phytophthora ramorum). The disease has had devastating effects on forests in California and Oregon (California Oak Mortality Task Force 2012). It can cause either terminal canker disease or non-terminal foliar disease, depending on the species of plant that it infects.
SOD has been infecting vegetation at camp, including tanoaks within the redwood forest lower canopy level, resulting in tree death or health decline. This often leads to hazardous tree conditions. Tanoaks are
Photo by Kerri Frangioso particularly susceptible to terminal SOD infection. In contrast, coast redwoods are not affected by the pathogen. However, according to recent studies, coast redwoods seem more susceptible to wildfire damage in areas that are infected with SOD, potentially because the presence of standing dead trees provides increased flammable materials to fuel wildfires. The SOD pathogen spreads most easily when warm spring rain events occur.
Researcher Kerri Frangiosi leads the Big Sur SOD Project for the University of California – Davis (through the Rizzo Lab in the Plant Pathology Department); the Big Sur network of SOD forest monitoring
4-4 EMC PLANNING GROUP INC. CAMP PICO BLANCO SCOUT RESERVATION CONSERVATION PLAN plots remains a major research priority. Of seven test plots established at Camp Pico Blanco in 2006 and 2007, three plots have tested positive for the pathogen that causes SOD. The camp also provides access to 14 additional monitoring plots on surrounding Los Padres National Forest property. Detailed information on the disease can be found at: www.suddenoakdeath.org.
Ms. Frangioso believes that although many tanoaks at camp are dead or diseased, SOD seems to be moving somewhat more slowly through the camp property as compared to other areas in the sampling plot network. This is evidenced by a lower rate of tree mortality than recorded in similar forests in the area. In terms of the slower spread of the pathogen, this may be due in part to the relatively high density at camp of non-spore-producing hosts such as Douglas-fir and coast redwood, and the relatively low density at camp of spore-producing California bays (Umbellularia californica). The likelihood of a plot Photo by Kerri Frangioso becoming infested with the pathogen is closely correlated with the relative abundance of spore-producing hosts, especially California bay trees.
The non-infested SOD monitoring plots in and near camp represent the very few burned, northern, non-infested, redwood-tanoak plots in the plot study network. Almost all of the other northern redwood-tanoak plots are already infested with the pathogen and experiencing severe mortality of tanoaks.
Land managers of SOD-infested areas can help preserve some, but not all, of their oak trees, and must decide where to focus efforts. Tanoaks such as those found throughout camp can be killed by and also spread the pathogen. A broad-scale forest management tool to reduce the spread of SOD is removal of understory spore-producing pathogen hosts such as California bay and tanoak. Also, the pathogen does not thrive in hot and dry conditions, so pruning off lower branches on large California bays and tanoaks (opening up the understory) helps the large overstory trees survive, and is also beneficial for fuel modification/fire clearance purposes.
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Regarding tree removals at camp that may contain the SOD pathogen, according to Ms. Frangioso, the wood may be used for various on-site projects. Oaks and tanoaks have a minimal potential to spreading the pathogen once they have died. It is best to keep any wood taken from downed oaks and tanoaks dry, and to avoid stacking firewood at the base of a healthy oak or tanoak. Live California bay trees can harbor the pathogen in their leaves, so any California bay removal should not include piling bay leaves at the base of a healthy oak or tanoak. Once the leaves have dried out and died, they pose a minimal risk of spreading the pathogen. Any of the tree species in this area can be burned or chipped without spreading the pathogen.
Action Items:
. To the greatest practical extent, in order to protect stand health, remove understory spore-producing SOD pathogen hosts such as California bay and tanoak. Prune off lower branches on large California bays and tanoaks (opening up the understory). (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Keep any wood taken from downed oaks and tanoaks dry, and avoid stacking firewood or piling branches or brush at the base of a healthy oak or tanoak. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Implement SOD Scout conservation projects by developing an on- going monitoring program with the following activities. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
• Remove low sprouts and understory California bays and tanoaks that are in proximity to large oaks and tanoaks, in an effort to preserve the large trees.
• Search for and monitor SOD-symptomatic trees and spore- producing pathogen hosts.
• Record how long dead trees retain their dead leaves, in order to estimate how long dead trees pose a serious fire risk when left standing in place.
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• Conduct acorn counts, either by a timed count of how many acorns Scouts can find near a certain tree, or by establishing acorn traps under both “healthy” and “symptomatic” tanoak trees. For traps, check them each week to count the number of acorn caps and acorns. If desired, also measure the length and weight of each acorn, and open the acorns to determine if there are any weevils inside.
• Report all of the above SOD information to Ms. Frangioso on an annual basis.
. If requested, share camp Sudden Oak Death and hazardous tree information with the County Agricultural Commissioner. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
4.3 HAZARDOUS TREES
Due to natural forces, SOD, and wildfire, hazardous tree conditions exist throughout the camp to varying degrees. Certified arborist and tree risk assessor Frank Ono surveyed the camp following the 2008 Basin Complex wildfire, and based on root and trunk defects, lean, and tree position, identified 77 hazardous trees as requiring either further monitoring or removal. Based on his June 2009 Hazard Tree Assessment report, the camp obtained Monterey County tree removal permit number PLN-090234 approved on July 6, 2009 to remove 43 highly hazardous trees (coast redwoods, tanoaks, and Douglas-firs). Many of these hazardous trees were removed in 2009 and 2010. The remaining 34 hazardous trees were recommended for continued monitoring (Ono 2009).
The International Society of Arboriculture definition of a hazardous tree is when the likelihood of tree failure exceeds an acceptable level of risk. A hazard situation requires both a defective tree and a target. A defective tree is a tree with a structural problem that poses a risk. The target is something that would be affected in the event of tree failure. Because the camp is used primarily during summer months, it is considered a seasonal occupancy use as far as tree risk evaluations.
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This factor is important, as most trees failures occur during or shortly after winter rainy season storms, often due to high winds and water- saturated soils.
Typical tree risk assessments involve visual inspection of trees that appear unstable or present obvious above-normal risk for failure. Tree risk assessors rate the relative hazard of trees based upon the criteria of probability of failure, size of failure (tree) part, and potential target (factoring in the estimated duration of use of the specific site). Tree Hazard Evaluation Form scores of at least nine (out of 12) present the highest failure risk, and qualify as highly hazardous trees requiring prompt removal according to precedent in Monterey County.
Frank Ono re-surveyed the site in June 2013, and visually assessed and identified 11 highly hazardous trees requiring immediate removal to protect people and habitable structures. After having County-approved biologists confirm that tree removals would not impact special-status plants or nesting birds, Monterey County approved tree removal permit number PLN-130454 for 11 dead or dying tanoaks. Other trees visually assessed as less hazardous were identified for monitoring and potential future removal, if necessary. The 2013 tree assessment report also stated that ample successful regeneration was observed on the property, so that tree replanting efforts to replace lost trees did not appear necessary (Ono 2013).
Camp management staff has no plans for commercial tree removal or timber harvesting. Although visual hazardous tree risk assessments are useful and necessary to minimize observable safety risks at camp, it is not feasible to evaluate the internal and underground stability of all trees surrounding the densely wooded main camp activity area. If needed, further investigations that could be conducted for specific hazardous trees include core samples, root collar excavation and examination, and/or climbing of trees for a more complete visual inspection. At Camp Pico Blanco, as is typical in any natural forest,
Photos by Frank Ono during high winds occasional trees and/or branches fall.
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Action Items:
. Implement an on-going tree risk management and minimization process for the camp. Each year prior to the summer peak camping season, monitor potentially hazardous trees and have the camp visually assessed for hazardous trees by a certified arborist/forester and tree risk assessor approved by the County. As part of the annual visual tree assessment, monitoring of previously identified hazardous trees will include inspection for soil movement in the root or root plate, for cracking in the stem and branches, and for overall health and vigor. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Follow recommendations of the annual visual tree assessment report each year. Evaluation of tree risks will include the use of an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Tree Hazard Evaluation Form (THEF) to assess the likelihood of failure for each potentially hazardous tree. Highly hazardous trees (those with a THEF score of 9 to 12) should be removed each year, if possible, prior to the summer peak camping season. If they cannot be removed, follow alternate arborist/forester recommendations such as pruning, cabling and bracing, lightning protection systems, treatments to invigorate the trees, or exclusion. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Each annual Visual Tree Assessment report will contain photographs and a site location map of all trees recommended for removal and for continued monitoring. All tree assessment reports will meet current Monterey County “Arborist and Forester Report Submittal Requirements,” updated periodically and available on the County’s website (see Appendix B). (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Prior to removal (or significant trimming) of any protected tree(s), obtain a Monterey County Resource Management Agency – Planning Department tree removal permit, and if the County requires it, then a qualified biologist approved by the County should also inspect the tree(s) within two weeks prior to removal
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(or significant trimming) to ensure that removal would not impact any special-status species and, if tree removal is conducted between February 1 and September 15, to ensure that removal would not impact any nesting birds. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Have the camp ranger or other authorized representative select and supervise a qualified tree removal service for the both County-permitted hazardous tree removals and natural tree falls. For every hazardous tree that is removed or falls on its own, the camp ranger will supply the camp director with information to track camp tree losses. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. If a proposed hazardous tree removal would impact any federally or state-protected special-status species, then notify the appropriate regulatory agency in advance to coordinate the development of appropriate avoidance/minimization/mitigation measures and/or obtain necessary permits. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Remove tree debris in a safe manner, and use the wood in camp for conservation projects, trail and road demarcation, signage, firewood, dust control (application of wood chips to dirt trails and roads, and in established campsites), and other projects where suitable (benches, siding, wood carving, etc.). Tree debris will not be taken out of camp. Removed trees will not be used for commercial purposes (i.e., sold for profit as lumber, firewood, or mulch). (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Investigate whether a hazardous old-growth redwood tree that has caused the Pioneer campsite to be closed since the 2008 Basin Complex wildfire can be removed without significantly impacting biological resources, with or without forest and river mitigation measures. Determine whether partial or full tree removal is feasible in order to re-open the Pioneer campsite. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
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. If any on-site tree evaluation reports indicate the contribution of SOD to hazardous tree conditions, then submit a copy of the report to the County Agriculture Commissioner’s Office for informational purposes. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
4.4 FIRE CLEARANCE AND FUEL MODIFICATION
The camp is located in a natural area with extreme wildfire hazard. In 2008, Camp Pico Blanco was affected by the Basin Complex Fire; the camp lost a cabin and ropes/challenge course, and the wildfire damaged a number of native trees.
CalFire is the state agency charged with inspecting compliance with the Forest Practice Act and rules of the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. CalFire surveyed the camp in May 2013 to inspect current forest management and fuel modification practices, and refine the practices to promote fire safety and prevent structural damage in the event of future wildfires. CalFire recommended clearance of ladder fuels (tree or shrub branches that hang down low and/or touch the ground, which could allow wildfire to “climb” into the upper portions of trees or other tall vegetation). In a follow-up letter, CalFire stated that the camp “needs significant fuel reduction activity, especially with such regular use during peak season, with limited egress”. They also expressed fire safety concerns due to “continuing tanoak mortality,” which has been attributed to SOD documented on the property.
A CalFire official fire inspection occurred at camp in June 2013 to establish zones of priority for protection of life and property, and to develop a fire suppression plan. The camp was ordered to remove all dead or dying brush and trees within 100 feet of structures and all dead or dying branches within 15 inches of the ground within 100 feet of structures. CalFire stated that camp structures include not only buildings, but also campsite kitchenettes, the campfire bowl, water tanks, and storage sheds.
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Action Items:
. Cooperate fully with all scheduled “LE-100” Defensible Space Inspections. Comply with any fuel modification directives from CalFire or the Monterey County Regional Fire District in a timely manner, with manpower assistance from local agencies as available. Continue to clear all required flammable brush and ladder fuels. For wildfire safety, maintain all required or recommended fuelbreaks and defensible spaces throughout camp. Fire clearance required for safety by order of CalFire is exempt from County tree removal permits, but needs to be documented with a site map showing necessary tree/vegetation removals and a CalFire letter stating what must be removed. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Share any required fire clearance tree removal information with the Monterey County Resource Management Agency – Planning Department for their concurrence prior to tree removal. Meet all current Monterey County “Basic Defensible Space & Vegetation Management Guidelines for Property Owners,” updated periodically and available on the County’s website (see Appendix C). (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Work with CalFire, the U.S. Forest Service, and the volunteer Mid-Coast Fire Brigade to develop a camp-specific Fire Management Plan to identify areas where permanent/on-going fuel reduction is proposed. The camp has already been divided into zones and prioritized. Based on communications with CalFire, this plan will likely include several elements, including: provide a defensible area around Hayward Lodge; connect Hayward Lodge to the sprinkler system; if possible, separate the normal housing water system from the fire suppression system; in case of wildfire, move all camp occupants to Hayward Lodge; clear a defensible area along the water system from the spring boxes down the hill, including a four-foot clearance on each side of the water pipe; cover the water pipe with dirt to further protect it from fire; clear flammable vegetation (especially ladder fuels) from campsites, and from areas adjacent to structures and propane tanks. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
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5.1 LITTLE SUR RIVER RIPARIAN HABITAT
The main goal of the proposed watershed management policies contained herein is to maintain biological integrity and ecosystem health of the Little Sur River, preserving the watercourse’s high quality habitat conditions for native vegetation and wildlife, including potentially occurring and known special-status species, while allowing safe recreational and educational activities to continue at camp.
After the camp was established in 1954, a flashboard dam was constructed in 1955 and has been continuously operated and maintained since that time for summertime recreation through the seasonal impoundment of water. This waterfront program is a focal point of the camp for aquatic recreation, including instruction in life- saving, water safety, boating, and swimming. The water is impounded each year from late May/early June through early September from the main river flow along with flow from a small nearby tributary waterfall.
The seasonal flashboard dam is approximately 11 feet high and 75 feet long, and creates a water impoundment/seasonal reservoir about 75 feet wide and 300 feet long within the river’s channel. Directly above the dam, the riverbed is wide and open, lacking an overhanging shade canopy but offering excellent quality fishery habitat. It consists of a braided channel with thick gravel substrate and wide, shallow flow, with few small pools. Below the dam, the river is narrower and contains large amounts of woody debris, oxygenating riffles, and meandering bends, with pools two to four feet in depth.
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Riparian habitat restoration at camp would enhance wildlife habitat functions and values along the river in this pristine watershed, particularly helping to prevent erosion, facilitate wildlife movement, and increase water quality by reducing sedimentation.
Action Items:
. Implement habitat restoration projects to expand the vegetated river margin widths and improve the health and function of the river’s riparian corridor. Restore the narrowly vegetated riparian corridor throughout the main camp activity area by having supervised volunteers collect and plant willow stakes during the fall prior to winter rains within suitable restoration areas. Willow stakes should be about three feet long and one inch in diameter, cut flat at the top end and at a sharp angle at the bottom end, and collected from the river’s edge upstream or downstream of the main camp activity area. The cuttings should be stored during collection in a bucket partially filled with water, and installed later the same day in bare riverside sites, such as between the river and parking area, and between the river and adjacent campsites. The willow stakes should be gently hammered into the ground with a soft mallet if possible, so that about two feet of each stake is below ground (pointed end) and about one foot of each stake remains above ground (flat end). As these willows grow and stabilize the soil, other native riparian vegetation is expected to fill in naturally. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. When log jams naturally occur in the river, coordinate with the CDFW and NOAA Fisheries Service on how to proceed before removing jam(s); if practical, develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in advance on how to deal with this situation whenever it occurs. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
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5.2 STEELHEAD PROTECTION
The Little Sur River is host to the Central Coast steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss irideus), a federally listed Threatened species and California Species of Special Concern. This steelhead population is part of the South-Central California Coast Evolutionary Significant Unit (ESU) of the species. The Little Sur River provides high quality steelhead spawning and rearing habitat, with cool water, clean gravel, and pools (Swanson Hydrology & Geomorphology 2003). The camp contains USFWS-designated Critical Habitat for this species.
The Central California Coast Ecologically Significant Unit of steelhead includes all naturally spawned populations (and their progeny) in California streams from the Russian River to Aptos Creek, and the drainages of San Francisco and San Pablo Bays eastward to the Napa River (inclusive), excluding the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Basin.
Steelhead is an anadromous (i.e., fishes that spend most of their lives in either rivers or oceans and then migrate from freshwater to ocean or ocean to freshwater to breed) strain of rainbow trout. Within the range of California steelhead populations, spawning migrations occur throughout the year, with seasonal peaks of activity. In any given river basin there may be one or more peaks of migration.
The Central Coast steelhead has marine and riverine phases, with fish spending adult life in the ocean and swimming into natal streams to reproduce after late fall/early winter rains allow passage. Hatched young (called “fry”) spend up to two years in the natal freshwater stream. When they are large enough, they swim to the ocean (during March-May) and as “smolts”, physically change to adapt to saltwater conditions. They live up to five years and may spawn as many as three times, unlike other salmonid species that die soon after first spawning (Swanson Hydrology & Geomorphology 2003).
Primary impacts to the steelhead in the vicinity of the site include sedimentation from land uses adjacent to streams, and hindrances to migratory movement due to flashboard and rock dams, which can inundate redds (breeding sites) or dewater downstream reaches.
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According to a National Marine Fisheries Service (precursor to NOAA Fisheries Service) report, steelhead numbers in the south-Central Coast area have dwindled from approximately 4,750 fish in the mid-1960s to approximately 800 by 2005, primarily due to pollution, stream course erosion, and dams.
Although the camp’s use of the seasonal flashboard dam is controversial, the CDFW determined that its use was statutorily exempt due to the continuous use of the dam since its original water rights program “license for the diversion and use of water” (dating from July 1958). The camp partnered with the NOAA Fisheries Service, CDFW, USACE, RWQCB, and Monterey County Resource Management Agency - Planning Department to oversee implementation of a steelhead passage and habitat enhancement project at the camp. The resulting seasonal fish ladder now provides bi- directional access for all size/age classes of steelhead while the flashboard dam is in use. The operation of the dam is conducted by an outside fishery consultant (Swanson Hydrology & Geomorphology), who seasonally installs and later removes the dam flashboards and fish ladder, following a stream condition monitoring and reporting protocol Photo by Waterways Consulting with daily measurements provided to the NOAA Fisheries Service and CDFW. The steelhead habitat enhancement project also included spillway modifications, large woody debris placement, and coarse sediment removal.
The camp is currently in compliance with regard to regulatory requirements pertaining to steelhead via a multi-agency agreement that allows the camp to operate the seasonal flashboard dam, filling the reservoir for summer recreation and instruction. However, there is a significant cost incurred by the BSA to maintain the agreement with the NOAA Fisheries Service and CDFW, mainly due to the required expert dam/fish ladder installation and removal services.
Seasonal use of the flashboard dam and fish ladder at camp involves the following permits:
. CDFW Streambed Alteration Agreement: Notification Numbers 1600-2003-0097-93 and 1600-2005-0240-3, dated 09/12/2005;
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amended 09/14/2010 to extend the expiration date to 12/31/2014;
. NOAA Fisheries Service Settlement Agreement and Biological Opinion: File Number 151422SWR2001SR8955, dated 08/19/2005;
. RWQCB Section 401 Water Quality Certification: Number 3270508WQ01, dated 09/03/2005;
. RWQCB Central Coast General Discharge Permit: Number CAG993001, dated 09/02/2005;
. USACE Nationwide Permit 27: Number 28340S project authorization for Stream and Wetland Restoration Activities, dated 08/31/2005; and
. Monterey County Planning Commission Combined Development Permit (including a Coastal Development Permit): Number PLN050303 for project within a riparian ESHA, dated 08/10/05.
A biological assessment was prepared for this flashboard dam restoration project and impoundment site (Swanson Hydrology & Geomorphology, with Dana Bland & Associates 2005). Overall, the restoration project involves a flashboard installation and removal procedure and stream conditions monitoring program; fish ladder construction, operation, and maintenance for bi-directional juvenile fish passage through a series of step pools; spillway modifications to increase flow depth and thereby enhance adult and juvenile fish passage when flashboards are not in place; habitat enhancement through appropriate placement of large woody debris structures in the river near the dam to provide cover habitat and resting areas; re- contouring of the river channel at the impoundment area to enhance Photo by Waterways Consulting fish passage by restoring a single thread channel from its braided condition caused by sediment deposition; and a camper-oriented environmental education program.
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Action Items:
. Continue seasonal (summertime) flashboard dam water impoundment (reservoir creation) in camp along the north fork of the Little Sur River in compliance with all approved project permits. Track the expiration dates and reporting requirements for these permits, and obtain new permits, renewals, or extensions when necessary. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Develop steelhead ecology field lessons for the Scouts, and implement annual fish counts and/or redd surveys (searches for riverbed hollows made by a trout to spawn in), led by a qualified fisheries instructor or naturalist. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Work with a qualified biological consulting firm to conduct a watershed assessment, focusing on existing hydrologic conditions and level of sediment accumulation in the steelhead habitat immediately upstream from the seasonal flashboard dam, thought to be the result of erosion resulting from the 2008 Basin Complex wildfire. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
. Coordinate steelhead conservation, education, and monitoring efforts with the Carmel River Steelhead Association and the California Salmon and Steelhead Association, and identify any important steelhead habitat restoration or enhancement actions, such as sediment removal above the seasonal flashboard dam to maintain optimal river habitat conditions for fish passage or addition of woody debris in the channel to promote successful spawning. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
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6.1 SPECIES INFORMATION
Dudley's lousewort (Pedicularis dudleyi) is a state-listed Rare species and CNPS Rare Plant Rank 1B (rare, threatened, or endangered in California and elsewhere). This perennial herb is endemic to central coastal California. The species prefers ground with a thin layer of leaf litter, and usually grows on flat stream terraces, in semi-shaded sites under large Douglas-firs and coast redwoods. It also can be found on steep road cuts and trail banks. Although its leaves die back each fall so that the plant is not visible, its underground roots remain alive during the winter and then sprout a new prostrate rosette of leaves, typically in February. The plant usually occurs in small clusters, and does not compete well with other plants. Its seeds do not germinate well in thick leaf litter or compacted soil. The plant’s association with large Douglas- firs may be based on the trees serving as host plants for this hemi- parasitic species. The trees are thought to provide nutrition to Dudley’s lousewort, and connections between the trees and Dudley’s lousewort through underground mycorrhizal fungus networks are thought to supply water and minerals.
6.2 SPECIES PROTECTION AT CAMP
Dudley's lousewort exists in several locations in camp, but it is concentrated with high population numbers in a main site just above the Hayward Lodge dining hall. These areas are already surrounded with long-term protective wooden fencing to prevent camp visitors from inadvertently trampling the small plants, and the areas are signed
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as “eco-areas” that are off-limits to all activities. It is estimated that more than half of the known individuals of this state-listed Rare species grow within the camp property.
Dudley’s lousewort is found in the North Fork Little Sur River watershed, including Camp Pico Blanco in Monterey County, and at the Portola Redwoods State Park area (Peters Creek and Pescadero Creek watersheds) in San Mateo County in the Santa Cruz Mountains. A third population of Dudley’s lousewort has been reported associated with chaparral habitat near Cinnabar Hill at Arroyo de la Cruz in northern San Luis Obispo County. These plants are morphologically and ecologically different, and may be a separate new species; more taxonomic research is required, and this population is not included in the information below.
In 2009-2011, plant researcher Kim Kuska documented a total population number for this species of 2,236 plants. The total number of occurrence sites for this species has decreased from 60 in the early 1980s, by about 39 percent; and the overall species population number has decreased by about 22 percent since earlier 1982 and 1991 surveys (Kuska 2011).
The largest occurrence site for this species is located at camp near the Hayward Lodge dining hall, as mentioned above; in 2011, it contained 1,027 plants, many of them quite small, comprising almost 46 percent of the entire Dudley’s lousewort population number. This site is impressive given the report that it was reduced to very few plants in 1987. This shows that although the large concentration at this site may have low genetic variability, the species has exhibited a huge potential to rebound in numbers given favorable habitat conditions.
Mr. Kuska collected and then planted 200 Dudley’s lousewort seeds at 100 individual spots in four separate locations within Camp Pico Blanco in September 2011; these planting locations are shown on Figure 3, Biological Resources Map, along with other locations in the camp where there are or have been occurrences of Dudley’s lousewort. Many of his recommendations for species recovery and restoration efforts have been incorporated into the Action Items below.
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The plants typically reach peak bloom in April, with white flowers attracting bumblebees for pollination. In May, the flowers turn reddish- purple after pollination, and start to wilt away. In 2011, it was estimated that almost half of the plants in the concentrated site near Hayward Lodge were grazed by deer, along with almost all the plants at scattered, smaller sites, which likely prevented many of those plants from producing seeds. However, camp staff installed a remotely activated wildlife camera in spring 2013 near this main concentration of plants, and no browsing attempts by wildlife were detected on or near the fenced Dudley’s lousewort.
Deer browse protection fencing from early April through mid-June may therefore benefit Dudley’s lousewort. Fencing may protect the plants during flowering and pollination, and then can be removed after most of the seeds have developed, just before the Scouts start their summer camp season. In theory, if deer browse on the plants after mid- June instead of in spring, then the deer will help disperse the Dudley’s lousewort seeds to new sites rather than preventing the plants from producing seeds.
In spring 2013, camp staff installed seven-foot-tall deer browse protection fencing surrounding the largest concentrations of Dudley’s lousewort and removed it in early summer. In addition, near isolated Dudley’s louseworts or smaller occurrence sites in camp, an organic granular product (Messina Wildlife’s Animal Stopper deer deterrent pellets) designed to discourage deer browsing was applied. It is not yet known whether or not these activities were helpful for the plant’s reproduction, so it would be best to initially approach such efforts with an experimental attitude to determine whether artificial spring deer browsing deterrence is or is not significantly beneficial for Dudley’s lousewort.
Action Items:
. Provide environmental awareness training to all camp visitors about Dudley’s lousewort, showing how to identify it by appearance; explaining that it is abundant in camp, yet incredibly rare overall and important to biodiversity conservation; and
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informing staff and visitors that it is illegal to harm it. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Coordinate conservation, education, and monitoring efforts for Dudley’s lousewort with the CNPS - Monterey Bay Chapter. Focus conservation efforts on long-term protection of this species at camp. For example, use available resources to permanently protect large populations and restore adjacent habitat by removing non-native plants and planting Douglas-fir saplings (described below), rather than trying to protect single plants that occur in highly trafficked areas or compacted soils in disturbed areas that are not likely to survive and proliferate. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Maintain permanent low-level wooden fencing and signage to protect the dense concentrations of this plant from inadvertent trampling and any other activities that could adversely impact the plants during routine recreational use and maintenance of the camp facilities. In particular, establish the main population habitat area behind the Hayward Lodge dining hall as a permanently “off-limits” area, protected from plant trampling, dust covering, and soil compaction. Establish this main population habitat area as a Dudley’s lousewort interpretive site to encourage plant observation, study, survival, and recovery. Although a portion of the currently fenced site is compacted and exposed to direct sunlight, and does not contain Dudley’s lousewort at this time, restore this area by maintaining a thin layer of leaf litter, and planting and maintaining genetically appropriate Douglas-fir trees as noted below to (over time) provide filtered sunlight conditions, soft and loose soil, and optimal underground nutrient associations for this hemi-parasitic plant. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Avoid any ground disturbance in the vicinity of the Dudley’s lousewort sites at camp during the winter, when the leaves are gone and the plant is not observable, but still alive underground. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
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. Collaborate with interested botanists in the CNPS – Monterey Bay Chapter to institute and expand restoration activities and monitor the camp occurrence sites of Dudley’s lousewort. All annual restoration efforts and data collection should be tracked and logged by the camp nature director, and made available upon request to the CNPS and CDFW. Measures should include: annual spring (April blooming period) population counts/estimates of all plants observed at the overall camp property in each occurrence site; annual inspection of the occurrence sites by a qualified botanist, with careful mechanical removal of intruding non-native species; restoration of the fenced/protected but partly non-populated portion of the main occurrence habitat area through the planting of Douglas-fir trees as described below; and experimental protection and monitoring of concentrated areas of the plant to determine if springtime browsing protection (while plants are flowering and during seed formation) is beneficial to the population at camp. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
. To restore and enhance the fenced “off-limits” Dudley’s lousewort habitat at the main occurrence area near Hayward Lodge and, in appropriate locations near the outskirts of the main camp activity area (sites unlikely to be impacted by camp recreation activities) where new habitat areas can be created for this species, replace trees lost naturally or due to wildfire damage or SOD. Work with the Scouts to propagate tree container stock for this habitat restoration. The tree saplings will be of appropriate genetic composition because parent material will be collected at the camp.
• Focus on Douglas-fir and coast redwood cone collection, seed extraction, and propagation by Scouts and volunteers. Propagation could possibly be achieved in coordination with volunteers at MEarth, an environmental education nonprofit in Carmel Valley with a native plant nursery. Through such a partnership, the plants could be regularly cared for throughout the year (either by Scouts, MEarth
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volunteers, or Carmel Unified School District students), and the Scouts and camp staff working with a local naturalist or CNPS member could conduct tree plantings and maintenance at the camp. Redwoods can also be propagated from vegetative cuttings taken from young trees (best collected from stem tips during the summer), but this likely requires the use of a rooting hormone to dip the bases of the cuttings in before planting in a special substrate mixture.
• If use of a native plant nursery to grow container tree saplings is not achievable or desired, then it may be possible, and may also be faster and more efficient, to simply locate small Douglas-fir saplings at camp and carefully transplant them into the restoration area(s).
• Other native understory plants that could also be grown from on-site seed, or transplanted from within camp, to enhance habitat conditions in the restoration area(s) include huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum), wood rose (Rosa gymnocarpa var. gymnocarpa), and creeping snowberry (Symphoricarpos mollis). (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
. Have a qualified botanist annually prune any non-tree plants, including native species, that are out-competing and crowding out or over-shading the small Dudley’s lousewort individuals. Carefully manually remove non-native plants each year that are growing in proximity to Dudley’s lousewort. If necessary, reduce or increase the amount of leaf litter so that a thin layer is present. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
. Apply wood chips to the fire access road above Hayward Lodge that divides the two main on-site occurrences of Dudley’s lousewort, to discourage the spread of the plant into the unprotected roadway, which is frequently subject to foot traffic and occasionally to vehicular traffic. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
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. Collaborate with the CNPS and CDFW to allow select botanists to study seed pollination and germination, and to collect and transplant Dudley’s lousewort seeds to unoccupied but suitable habitat areas of the overall camp property away from highly trafficked areas, where they would be self-sustaining and not be disturbed by continued recreational use of the property. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
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7.1 NATURE EDUCATION
To increase environmental awareness, camp staff, led by the summer camp director and nature director, will continue to develop and refine Scout summer projects to augment the existing merit badge curricula and conservation programs. For nature-related merit badges, Scouts can observe, identify, and record plants and wildlife in various areas in camp and perform an approved conservation project – concentrating on a certain species, the redwood forest, river ecology, etc.
Camp management staff is in the process of developing camp-specific nature journaling curriculum in coordination with regional field guide expert John Muir Laws. The purpose is to create a field guide/nature journal template specific to Camp Pico Blanco that Scouts will use to create record information about the native plants and wildlife that abound at camp. It is based on the curriculum guide Opening the World through Nature Journaling (Second Edition) by John Muir Laws (2012), a nature illustrator and author, and an Eagle Scout from the Bay area who has agreed to edit the Scout-produced field guides into a unique publication for Camp Pico Blanco. This curriculum guide is included as Appendix D.
Action Items:
. Coordinate with the summer camp director and nature director to guide the Scouts in the implementation of action items from this Conservation Plan, and integrate activities with their merit badge projects. Arrange for naturalists and outdoor science educators to
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work with the Scouts on nature conservation lessons and projects, including those resulting in merit badges. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Provide a nature library at camp with a variety of useful reference materials and field guides about local natural resources. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Invite artists in residence/science illustrators to work with Scouts to observe and interpret the camp’s natural habitats and ecosystems, and encourage the Scouts to follow their individual interests to fully connect with the natural world surrounding them. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Develop and distribute a camp-specific field guide/nature journal template with information on many of the more commonly encountered summer plants and animals that Scouts can use to individually record observations through field notes, sketches, rubbings, photographs, etc. Utilize the Opening the World through Nature Journaling curriculum (Laws 2012) found in Appendix D to instruct, expand, and guide these activities. Whenever possible and permissible, before Scouts take these educational souvenirs home with them, borrow and scan their completed journals into PDF versions to compile into annual summer camp volumes. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
7.2 SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Camp Pico Blanco should be utilized by conservation-minded groups outside of the summer peak Scouting season, to promote biological and natural history research, outdoor recreation, and various types of training opportunities. This may also help generate revenue to fund conservation programs at camp. Examples include Sierra Club nature hikes, naturalist training sessions, fuel modification and fire suppression training sessions, steelhead habitat research, outdoor
7-2 EMC PLANNING GROUP INC. CAMP PICO BLANCO SCOUT RESERVATION CONSERVATION PLAN recreation and training for California State University – Monterey Bay student groups, team-building and nature immersion corporate retreats, etc.
Local experts on various topics can then provide useful information regarding the natural resources present at camp, including their condition and sustainability, and recommend and necessary conservation measures not already in place.
For example, according to communications with the summer camp director, during summer 2013, researcher Zane Moore documented six albino redwoods growing on the overall camp property and will continue to study them as he develops a research paper on this subject. These unique tree varieties have white needles that do not contain chlorophyll, and instead exist as parasites, obtaining nutrients from parent redwood trees. They are usually observed as small saplings or isolated branches on large trees, but individual albino redwood trees can sometimes reach heights up to about 65 feet. Photo by Zane Moore Action Items:
. Promote the utilization of the camp by conservation-minded groups as discussed above. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Arrange spring CNPS - Monterey Bay Chapter guided botanical hikes in part to update the existing plant species inventory list for the camp, which currently consists of a plant list that the CNPS created at camp in September 1988 (see Appendix E). (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Working with interested naturalists and regional biologists, develop a wildlife species inventory list for the camp, and attach it to this Conservation Plan as a new appendix when available. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
. Promote utilization of the camp as a research and observation site for ornithologists, possibly through Monterey Audubon Society field trips or Christmas Bird Counts, and/or independent research on various species, such as the California Species of
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Special Concern Vaux's swift (Chaetura vauxi), which was reported as exhibiting fall roosting behaviors at sunset from September through early October in camp over the waterfront area. Bird observations on the property could also include surveys for the California Species of Special Concern California spotted owl (Strix occidentalis occidentalis), California Species of Special Concern black swift (Cypseloides niger), and California Fully Protected golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). The spotted owl has reportedly been heard in camp at night by naturalists. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
. Coordinate river ecosystem research, such as determining whether the California Species of Special Concern Coast Range newt (Taricha torosa), southwestern pond turtle (Emys marmorata), and/or foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii) occur on the overall camp property. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
. Coordinate with CNPS volunteers to survey the overall camp property for plants that have moderate to high potential to occur, including Rare Plant Rank 1B (considered Rare, Threatened, or Endangered in California and elsewhere) species: Cone Peak bedstraw (Galium californicum ssp. luciense), Hutchinson’s larkspur (Delphinium hutchinsoniae), and tear drop moss (Dacryophyllum falcifolium). (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
. Research the camp’s cultural history and identify any archaeological resources or sites remaining from occupation by the Esselen Native Americans, or historical homesteading artifacts. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
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8.1 CAMPING PROGRAM OPERATION
Based on the camp’s unique natural setting, high biological sensitivity, and its remote and rugged location, the adoption of a natural science based, outdoor educational awareness camping program would benefit both the on-site resources and the camp visitors. Such a natural science based program would emphasize environmental sustainability and appreciation of the site’s redwood forest and riparian corridor ecosystems. Impacts to biological resources due to camp facility recreational use would be minimized by implementing the items presented below.
Action Items:
. Post informational signage at a highly visible location in camp, notifying camp visitors that no hunting, fishing, or timber harvesting is permitted at Camp Pico Blanco. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Although group camping on the property does generate trash, and large groups utilize a kitchen/dining hall and modern restroom/shower facilities, all campers should be required to minimize the use of water and electricity, place all trash in wildlife-proof receptacles, protect stream water quality, avoid trampling plants, etc. In particular, this would help reduce the number of common ravens at camp, which can kill or harass native wildlife. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
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. For all Scouts, provide an introductory camp orientation training that includes information on the BSA Outdoor Code, BSA Wilderness Use Policy, Tread Lightly! program, and teaching of the seven “Leave No Trace” outdoor ethic principles: plan ahead and prepare; travel and camp on durable surfaces; dispose of waste properly; leave what you find; minimize campfire impacts; respect wildlife; and be considerate of other visitors. The orientation training can include the already developed “Leave No Trace” sustainability concepts and activity plans available on the BSA website. This booklet is included as Appendix F, and the BSA Wilderness Use Policy is included as Appendix G. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
The orientation to guide camping behavior should cover the principles of Tread Lightly! As shown on www.treadlightly.org, these basic principles include:
• Travel Responsibly on land by staying on designated roads, trails and areas. Go over, not around, obstacles to avoid widening the trails. Cross streams only at designated fords. When possible, avoid wet, muddy trails. On water, stay on designated waterways and launch your watercraft in designated areas.
• Respect the Rights of Others including private property owners, all recreational trail users, campers and others so they can enjoy their recreational activities undisturbed. Leave gates as you found them. Yield right of way to those passing you or going uphill. On water, respect anglers, swimmers, skiers, boaters, divers and those on or near shore.
• Educate Yourself prior to your trip by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies. Plan for your trip, take recreation skills classes and know how to operate your equipment safely.
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• Avoid Sensitive Areas on land such as meadows, lake shores, wetlands and streams. Stay on designated routes. This protects wildlife habitats and sensitive soils from damage. Don’t disturb historical, archeological or paleontological sites. On water, avoid operating your watercraft in shallow waters or near shorelines at high speeds.
• Do Your Part by modeling appropriate behavior, leaving the area better than you found it, properly disposing of waste, minimizing the use of fire, avoiding the spread of invasive species and repairing degraded areas.
. Post the basic outdoor ethics concepts from the above-described Scout orientation training session in a prominent place at camp, such as on a bulletin board or at the dining hall, to remind the Scouts to promote environmental stewardship during their camping experience. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
8.2 TRAIL/ROAD MAINTENANCE AND EROSION CONTROL
The camp’s essential facility maintenance includes keeping trails and roads safely accessible. Camp staff should coordinate routine trail and road maintenance policies with the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County and RWQCB to maintain safe driving and hiking conditions while preventing erosion that could contribute sediment loading to the river, impacting water quality and environmentally sensitive wildlife habitat.
Action Items:
. To maintain safe vehicular access and essential fire protection, continue to level the camp’s dirt access road (Palo Colorado Road) each April/May, after the winter rainy season has ended
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and before the peak summer camping season has begun. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. To support tree/overall habitat health and minimize soil compaction and dust generation, eliminate all unnecessary vehicular travel (driving and parking) throughout camp by encouraging carpooling, and whenever possible, using lighter all- terrain vehicles (ATVs) to maintain/operate facilities and transport gear. Park vehicles in the disturbed and compacted main parking area rather than scattered throughout camp, under native vegetation. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Utilize wood chips from on-site vegetation removal (due to fuel modification or removal of hazardous trees) to line all existing roads and trails to reduce dust (that could contribute to air pollution and vegetation decline) and erosion (that could cause sedimentation in the river and thereby contribute to water pollution and habitat degradation). As appropriate, delineate edges of roads and trails using wood from naturally fallen or intentionally removed hazardous trees. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Continue working with the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County through their Rural Roads Program on the Camp Pico Blanco road assessment to identify the best road maintenance and management practices. Implement resulting recommendations to prevent erosion, maintain river water quality and aquatic habitat, and promote road stability along the three-mile dirt road stretch of Palo Colorado Road from Bottcher’s Gap to the camp parking area. Issues to explore include road drainage, road bank stability, road maintenance activities, dust suppression, and stream crossings. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
. As a useful resource to overall conservation efforts at camp, whenever helpful, coordinate with the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County for permitting or design assistance needed for road or camp projects that would have a habitat
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restoration element, such as river/creek/drainage crossings, road and trail erosion reduction, dust suppression, etc. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
. Complete on-going trail maintenance activities as needed, such as vegetation trimming and erosion control measures, so that the trails on the property remain accessible for Scouts, other camp users, and hikers/campers that access the extensive public trail system surrounding the property from camp or from Bottcher’s Gap staging area. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
. Regularly remove non-native plants throughout camp along roads and trails, supervised by a qualified naturalist or botanist and performed by Scouts and volunteers. Focus on invasive species (such as French broom (Genista monspessulana)) that have greatest potential to spread, degrading native habitat and reducing native biodiversity. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
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9.1 FOREST MANAGEMENT Protected Trees . Track camp tree losses (both natural falls and removals) in an electronic spreadsheet. Include an assigned tracking number for each tree, tree species, estimation of tree height, diameter at breast height, date that the tree fell or was removed, reason for loss, general location, photograph(s), eventual use of the wood, and whether tree loss was covered by a County permit, CalFire order, or fell down naturally. This information should be shared with the County on an annual basis, and with other appropriate interested agencies and/or organizations if requested. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Retain standing dead trees whenever safely possible to provide habitat for roosting bats and nesting birds. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Aside from tree losses attributed to hazardous conditions or fire protection, for any camp improvements or repairs that require removal of protected trees, the appropriate Monterey County Planning Department permitting process will be followed and all necessary approvals obtained prior to removal. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. In appropriate disturbed sites throughout camp, to improve the health and amount of the native forest habitat, have a qualified botanist or naturalist supervise Scouts during manual non-native
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plant species removal as small-scale restoration projects. Dispose of non-native plants either through composting, or burning if compatible with the camp’s smoke management permit. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
. Develop a long-term Forest Management Plan for the camp, led by either the Natural Resources Conservation Service or a certified arborist/forester approved by the County, with additional input requested from the CNPS – Monterey Bay Chapter. Review and update the plan at least every ten years. Submit the plan to the Monterey County Resource Management Agency – Planning Department for review and approval. Implement recommendations of this plan, such as the monitoring of tree vigor, natural recruitment of different tree species, and overall forest health. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
Sudden Oak Death (SOD)
. To the greatest practical extent, in order to protect stand health, remove understory spore-producing SOD pathogen hosts such as California bay and tanoak. Prune off lower branches on large California bays and tanoaks (opening up the understory). (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Keep any wood taken from downed oaks and tanoaks dry, and avoid stacking firewood or piling branches or brush at the base of a healthy oak or tanoak. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Implement SOD Scout conservation projects by developing an on-
Photo by Kerri Frangioso going monitoring program with the following activities. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
• Remove low sprouts and understory California bays and tanoaks that are in proximity to large oaks and tanoaks, in an effort to preserve the large trees.
• Search for and monitor SOD-symptomatic trees and spore- producing pathogen hosts.
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• Record how long dead trees retain their dead leaves, in order to estimate how long dead trees pose a serious fire risk when left standing in place.
• Conduct acorn counts, either by a timed count of how many acorns Scouts can find near a certain tree, or by establishing acorn traps under both “healthy” and “symptomatic” tanoak trees. For traps, check them each week to count the Photo by Kerri Frangioso number of acorn caps and acorns. If desired, also measure the length and weight of each acorn, and open the acorns to determine if there are any weevils inside.
• Report all of the above SOD information to Ms. Frangioso on an annual basis.
. If requested, share camp Sudden Oak Death and hazardous tree information with the County Agricultural Commissioner. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
Hazardous Trees
. Implement an on-going tree risk management and minimization process for the camp. Each year prior to the summer peak camping season, monitor potentially hazardous trees and have the camp visually assessed for hazardous trees by a certified arborist/forester and tree risk assessor approved by the County. As part of the annual visual tree assessment, monitoring of previously identified hazardous trees will include inspection for soil movement in the root or root plate, for cracking in the stem and branches, and for overall health and vigor. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Follow recommendations of the annual visual tree assessment report each year. Evaluation of tree risks will include the use of an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Tree Hazard Evaluation Form (THEF) to assess the likelihood of failure for each potentially hazardous tree. Highly hazardous trees (those with a THEF score of 9 to 12) should be removed each year, if
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possible, prior to the summer peak camping season. If they cannot be removed, follow alternate arborist/forester recommendations such as pruning, cabling and bracing, lightning protection systems, treatments to invigorate the trees, or exclusion. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Each annual Visual Tree Assessment report will contain photographs and a site location map of all trees recommended for removal and for continued monitoring. All tree assessment reports will meet current Monterey County “Arborist and Forester Report Submittal Requirements,” updated periodically and available on the County’s website (see Appendix B). (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Prior to removal (or significant trimming) of any protected tree(s), obtain a Monterey County Resource Management Agency – Planning Department tree removal permit, and if the County requires it, then a qualified biologist approved by the County should also inspect the tree(s) within two weeks prior to removal (or significant trimming) to ensure that removal would not impact any special-status species and, if tree removal is conducted between February 1 and September 15, to ensure that removal would not impact any nesting birds. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Have the camp ranger or other authorized representative select and supervise a qualified tree removal service for the both County-permitted hazardous tree removals and natural tree falls. For every hazardous tree that is removed or falls on its own, the camp ranger will supply the camp director with information to track camp tree losses. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. If a proposed hazardous tree removal would impact any federally or state-protected special-status species, then notify the appropriate regulatory agency in advance to coordinate the Photo by Frank Ono development of appropriate avoidance/minimization/mitigation measures and/or obtain necessary permits. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
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. Remove tree debris in a safe manner, and use the wood in camp for conservation projects, trail and road demarcation, signage, firewood, dust control (application of wood chips to dirt trails and roads, and in established campsites), and other projects where suitable (benches, siding, wood carving, etc.). Tree debris will not be taken out of camp. Removed trees will not be used for commercial purposes (i.e., sold for profit as lumber, firewood, or mulch). (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Investigate whether a hazardous old-growth redwood tree that has caused the Pioneer campsite to be closed since the 2008 Basin Complex wildfire can be removed without significantly impacting biological resources, with or without forest and river mitigation measures. Determine whether partial or full tree removal is feasible in order to re-open the Pioneer campsite. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
. If any on-site tree evaluation reports indicate the contribution of SOD to hazardous tree conditions, then submit a copy of the report to the County Agriculture Commissioner’s Office for informational purposes. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
Fire Clearance and Fuel Modification
. Cooperate fully with all scheduled “LE-100” Defensible Space Inspections. Comply with any fuel modification directives from CalFire or the Monterey County Regional Fire District in a timely manner, with manpower assistance from local agencies as available. Continue to clear all required flammable brush and ladder fuels. For wildfire safety, maintain all required or recommended fuelbreaks and defensible spaces throughout camp. Fire clearance required for safety by order of CalFire is exempt from County tree removal permits, but needs to be documented with a site map showing necessary tree/vegetation removals and a CalFire letter stating what must be removed. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
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. Share any required fire clearance tree removal information with the Monterey County Resource Management Agency – Planning Department for their concurrence prior to tree removal. Meet all current Monterey County “Basic Defensible Space & Vegetation Management Guidelines for Property Owners,” updated periodically and available on the County’s website (see Appendix C). (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Work with CalFire, the U.S. Forest Service, and the volunteer Mid-Coast Fire Brigade to develop a camp-specific Fire Management Plan to identify areas where permanent/on-going fuel reduction is proposed. The camp has already been divided into zones and prioritized. Based on communications with CalFire, this plan will likely include several elements, including: provide a defensible area around Hayward Lodge; connect Hayward Lodge to the sprinkler system; if possible, separate the normal housing water system from the fire suppression system; in case of wildfire, move all camp occupants to Hayward Lodge; clear a defensible area along the water system from the spring boxes down the hill, including a four-foot clearance on each side of the water pipe; cover the water pipe with dirt to further protect it from fire; clear flammable vegetation (especially ladder fuels) from campsites, and from areas adjacent to structures and propane tanks. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
9.2 STEELHEAD WATERSHED MANAGEMENT
Little Sur River Riparian Habitat
. Implement habitat restoration projects to expand the vegetated river margin widths and improve the health and function of the river’s riparian corridor. Restore the narrowly vegetated riparian corridor throughout the main camp activity area by having supervised volunteers collect and plant willow stakes during the fall prior to winter rains within suitable restoration areas. Willow stakes should be about three feet long and one inch in diameter,
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cut flat at the top end and at a sharp angle at the bottom end, and collected from the river’s edge upstream or downstream of the main camp activity area. The cuttings should be stored during collection in a bucket partially filled with water, and installed later the same day in bare riverside sites, such as between the river and parking area, and between the river and adjacent campsites. The willow stakes should be gently hammered into the ground with a soft mallet if possible, so that about two feet of each stake is below ground (pointed end) and about one foot of each stake remains above ground (flat end). As these willows grow and stabilize the soil, other native riparian vegetation is expected to fill in naturally. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. When log jams naturally occur in the river, coordinate with the CDFW and NOAA Fisheries Service on how to proceed before removing jam(s); if practical, develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in advance on how to deal with this situation whenever it occurs. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
Steelhead Protection
. Continue seasonal (summertime) flashboard dam water impoundment (reservoir creation) in camp along the north fork of the Little Sur River in compliance with all approved project permits. Track the expiration dates and reporting requirements for these permits, and obtain new permits, renewals, or extensions when necessary. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Develop steelhead ecology field lessons for the Scouts, and implement annual fish counts and/or redd surveys (searches for riverbed hollows made by a trout to spawn in), led by a qualified fisheries instructor or naturalist. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Work with a qualified biological consulting firm to conduct a watershed assessment, focusing on existing hydrologic conditions and level of sediment accumulation in the steelhead habitat
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immediately upstream from the seasonal flashboard dam, thought to be the result of erosion resulting from the 2008 Basin Complex wildfire. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
. Coordinate steelhead conservation, education, and monitoring efforts with the Carmel River Steelhead Association and the California Salmon and Steelhead Association, and identify any important steelhead habitat restoration or enhancement actions, such as sediment removal above the seasonal flashboard dam to maintain optimal river habitat conditions for fish passage or addition of woody debris in the channel to promote successful spawning. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
9.3 DUDLEY’S LOUSEWORT
. Provide environmental awareness training to all camp visitors about Dudley’s lousewort, showing how to identify it by appearance; explaining that it is abundant in camp, yet incredibly rare overall and important to biodiversity conservation; and informing staff and visitors that it is illegal to harm it. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Coordinate conservation, education, and monitoring efforts for Dudley’s lousewort with the CNPS - Monterey Bay Chapter. Focus conservation efforts on long-term protection of this species at camp. For example, use available resources to permanently protect large populations and restore adjacent habitat by removing non-native plants and planting Douglas-fir saplings (described below), rather than trying to protect single plants that occur in highly trafficked areas or compacted soils in disturbed areas that are not likely to survive and proliferate. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Maintain permanent low-level wooden fencing and signage to protect the dense concentrations of this plant from inadvertent trampling and any other activities that could adversely impact the plants during routine recreational use and maintenance of the
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camp facilities. In particular, establish the main population habitat area behind the Hayward Lodge dining hall as a permanently “off-limits” area, protected from plant trampling, dust covering, and soil compaction. Establish this main population habitat area as a Dudley’s lousewort interpretive site to encourage plant observation, study, survival, and recovery. Although a portion of the currently fenced site is compacted and exposed to direct sunlight, and does not contain Dudley’s lousewort at this time, restore this area by maintaining a thin layer of leaf litter, and planting and maintaining genetically appropriate Douglas-fir trees as noted below to (over time) provide filtered sunlight conditions, soft and loose soil, and optimal underground nutrient associations for this hemi-parasitic plant. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Avoid any ground disturbance in the vicinity of the Dudley’s lousewort sites at camp during the winter, when the leaves are gone and the plant is not observable, but still alive underground. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Collaborate with interested botanists in the CNPS – Monterey Bay Chapter to institute and expand restoration activities and monitor the camp occurrence sites of Dudley’s lousewort. All annual restoration efforts and data collection should be tracked and logged by the camp nature director, and made available upon request to the CNPS and CDFW. Measures should include: annual spring (April blooming period) population counts/estimates of all plants observed at the overall camp property in each occurrence site; annual inspection of the occurrence sites by a qualified botanist, with careful mechanical removal of intruding non-native species; restoration of the fenced/protected but partly non-populated portion of the main occurrence habitat area through the planting of Douglas-fir trees as described below; and experimental protection and monitoring of concentrated areas of the plant to determine if springtime deer browsing protection (while plants are flowering and during seed
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formation) is beneficial to the population at camp. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
. To restore and enhance the fenced “off-limits” Dudley’s lousewort habitat at the main occurrence area near Hayward Lodge and, in appropriate locations near the outskirts of the main camp activity area (sites unlikely to be impacted by camp recreation activities) where new habitat areas can be created for this species, replace trees lost naturally or due to wildfire damage or SOD. Work with the Scouts to propagate tree container stock for this habitat restoration. The tree saplings will be of appropriate genetic composition because parent material will be collected at the camp.
• Focus on Douglas-fir and coast redwood cone collection, seed extraction, and propagation by Scouts and volunteers. Propagation could possibly be achieved in coordination with volunteers at MEarth, an environmental education nonprofit in Carmel Valley with a native plant nursery. Through such a partnership, the plants could be regularly cared for throughout the year (either by Scouts, MEarth volunteers, or Carmel Unified School District students), and the Scouts and camp staff working with a local naturalist or CNPS member could conduct tree plantings and maintenance at the camp. Redwoods can also be propagated from vegetative cuttings taken from young trees (best collected from stem tips during the summer), but this likely requires the use of a rooting hormone to dip the bases of the cuttings in before planting in a special substrate mixture.
• If use of a native plant nursery to grow container tree saplings is not achievable or desired, then it may be possible, and may also be faster and more efficient, to simply locate small Douglas-fir saplings at camp and carefully transplant them into the restoration area(s).
• Other native understory plants that could also be grown from on-site seed, or transplanted from within camp, to
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enhance habitat conditions in the restoration area(s) include huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum), wood rose (Rosa gymnocarpa var. gymnocarpa), and creeping snowberry (Symphoricarpos mollis). (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
. Have a qualified botanist annually prune any non-tree plants, including native species, that are out-competing and crowding out or over-shading the small Dudley’s lousewort individuals. Carefully manually remove non-native plants each year that are growing in proximity to Dudley’s lousewort. If necessary, reduce or increase the amount of leaf litter so that a thin layer is present. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
. Apply wood chips to the fire access road above Hayward Lodge that divides the two main on-site occurrences of Dudley’s lousewort, to discourage the spread of the plant into the unprotected roadway, which is frequently subject to foot traffic and occasionally to vehicular traffic. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
. Collaborate with the CNPS and CDFW to allow select botanists to study seed pollination and germination, and to collect and transplant Dudley’s lousewort seeds to unoccupied but suitable habitat areas of the overall camp property away from highly trafficked areas, where they would be self-sustaining and not be disturbed by continued recreational use of the property. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
9.4 NATURE EDUCATION AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Nature Education
. Coordinate with the summer camp director and nature director to guide the Scouts in the implementation of action items from this Conservation Plan, and integrate activities with their merit badge
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projects. Arrange for naturalists and outdoor science educators to work with the Scouts on nature conservation lessons and projects, including those resulting in merit badges. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Provide a nature library at camp with a variety of useful reference materials and field guides about local natural resources. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Invite artists in residence/science illustrators to work with Scouts to observe and interpret the camp’s natural habitats and ecosystems, and encourage the Scouts to follow their individual interests to fully connect with the natural world surrounding them. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Develop and distribute a camp-specific field guide/nature journal template with information on many of the more commonly encountered summer plants and animals that Scouts can use to individually record observations through field notes, sketches, rubbings, photographs, etc. Utilize the Opening the World through Nature Journaling curriculum (Laws 2012) found in Appendix D to instruct, expand, and guide these activities. Whenever possible and permissible, before Scouts take these educational souvenirs home with them, borrow and scan their completed journals into PDF versions to compile into annual summer camp volumes. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
Scientific Research
. Promote the utilization of the camp by conservation-minded groups as discussed above. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Arrange spring CNPS - Monterey Bay Chapter guided botanical hikes in part to update the existing plant species inventory list for the camp, which currently consists of a plant list that the CNPS created at camp in September 1988 (see Appendix E). (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
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. Working with interested naturalists and regional biologists, develop a wildlife species inventory list for the camp, and attach it to this Conservation Plan as a new appendix when available. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
. Promote utilization of the camp as a research and observation site for ornithologists, possibly through Monterey Audubon Society field trips or Christmas Bird Counts, and/or independent research on various species, such as the California Species of Special Concern Vaux's swift (Chaetura vauxi), which was reported as exhibiting fall roosting behaviors at sunset from September through early October in camp over the waterfront area. Bird observations on the property could also include surveys for the California Species of Special Concern California spotted owl (Strix occidentalis occidentalis), California Species of Special Concern black swift (Cypseloides niger), and California Fully Protected golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). The spotted owl has reportedly been heard in camp at night by naturalists. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
. Coordinate river ecosystem research, such as determining whether the California Species of Special Concern Coast Range newt (Taricha torosa), southwestern pond turtle (Emys marmorata), and/or foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii) occur on the overall camp property. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
. Coordinate with CNPS volunteers to survey the overall camp property for plants that have moderate to high potential to occur, including Rare Plant Rank 1B (considered Rare, Threatened, or Endangered in California and elsewhere) species: Cone Peak bedstraw (Galium californicum ssp. luciense), Hutchinson’s larkspur (Delphinium hutchinsoniae), and tear drop moss (Dacryophyllum falcifolium). (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
. Research the camp’s cultural history and identify any archaeological resources or sites remaining from occupation by the Esselen Native Americans, or historical homesteading artifacts. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
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9.5 RECREATIONAL USE
Camping Program Operation
. Post informational signage at a highly visible location in camp, notifying camp visitors that no hunting, fishing, or timber harvesting is permitted at Camp Pico Blanco. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Although group camping on the property does generate trash, and large groups utilize a kitchen/dining hall and modern restroom/shower facilities, all campers should be required to minimize the use of water and electricity, place all trash in wildlife-proof receptacles, protect stream water quality, avoid trampling plants, etc. In particular, this would help reduce the number of common ravens at camp, which can kill or harass native wildlife. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. For all Scouts, provide an introductory camp orientation training that includes information on the BSA Outdoor Code, BSA Wilderness Use Policy, Tread Lightly! program, and teaching of the seven “Leave No Trace” outdoor ethic principles: plan ahead and prepare; travel and camp on durable surfaces; dispose of waste properly; leave what you find; minimize campfire impacts; respect wildlife; and be considerate of other visitors. The orientation training can include the already developed “Leave No Trace” sustainability concepts and activity plans available on the BSA website. This booklet is included as Appendix F, and the BSA Wilderness Use Policy is included as Appendix G. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
The orientation to guide camping behavior should cover the principles of Tread Lightly! As shown on www.treadlightly.org, these basic principles include:
• Travel Responsibly on land by staying on designated roads, trails and areas. Go over, not around, obstacles to avoid widening the trails. Cross streams only at designated fords.
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When possible, avoid wet, muddy trails. On water, stay on designated waterways and launch your watercraft in designated areas.
• Respect the Rights of Others including private property owners, all recreational trail users, campers and others so they can enjoy their recreational activities undisturbed. Leave gates as you found them. Yield right of way to those passing you or going uphill. On water, respect anglers, swimmers, skiers, boaters, divers and those on or near shore.
• Educate Yourself prior to your trip by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies. Plan for your trip, take recreation skills classes and know how to operate your equipment safely.
• Avoid Sensitive Areas on land such as meadows, lake shores, wetlands and streams. Stay on designated routes. This protects wildlife habitats and sensitive soils from damage. Don’t disturb historical, archeological or paleontological sites. On water, avoid operating your watercraft in shallow waters or near shorelines at high speeds.
• Do Your Part by modeling appropriate behavior, leaving the area better than you found it, properly disposing of waste, minimizing the use of fire, avoiding the spread of invasive species and repairing degraded areas.
. Post the basic outdoor ethics concepts from the above-described Scout orientation training session in a prominent place at camp, such as on a bulletin board or at the dining hall, to remind the Scouts to promote environmental stewardship during their camping experience. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
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Trail/Road Maintenance and Erosion Control
. To maintain safe vehicular access and essential fire protection, continue to level the camp’s dirt access road (Palo Colorado Road) each April/May, after the winter rainy season has ended and before the peak summer camping season has begun. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. To support tree/overall habitat health and minimize soil compaction and dust generation, eliminate all unnecessary vehicular travel (driving and parking) throughout camp by encouraging carpooling, and whenever possible, using lighter all- terrain vehicles (ATVs) to maintain/operate facilities and transport gear. Park vehicles in the disturbed and compacted main parking area rather than scattered throughout camp, under native vegetation. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Utilize wood chips from on-site vegetation removal (due to fuel modification or removal of hazardous trees) to line all existing roads and trails to reduce dust (that could contribute to air pollution and vegetation decline) and erosion (that could cause sedimentation in the river and thereby contribute to water pollution and habitat degradation). As appropriate, delineate edges of roads and trails using wood from naturally fallen or intentionally removed hazardous trees. (High Priority/2014 Implementation)
. Continue working with the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County through their Rural Roads Program on the Camp Pico Blanco road assessment to identify the best road maintenance and management practices. Implement resulting recommendations to prevent erosion, maintain river water quality and aquatic habitat, and promote road stability along the three-mile dirt road stretch of Palo Colorado Road from Bottcher’s Gap to the camp parking area. Issues to explore include road drainage, road bank stability, road maintenance activities, dust suppression, and stream crossings. (Moderate Priority/2015 Implementation)
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. As a useful resource to overall conservation efforts at camp, whenever helpful, coordinate with the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County for permitting or design assistance needed for road or camp projects that would have a habitat restoration element, such as river/creek/drainage crossings, road and trail erosion reduction, dust suppression, etc. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
. Complete on-going trail maintenance activities as needed, such as vegetation trimming and erosion control measures, so that the trails on the property remain accessible for Scouts, other camp users, and hikers/campers that access the extensive public trail system surrounding the property from camp or from Bottcher’s Gap staging area. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
. Regularly remove non-native plants throughout camp along roads and trails, supervised by a qualified naturalist or botanist and performed by Scouts and volunteers. Focus on invasive species (such as French broom (Genista monspessulana)) that have greatest potential to spread, degrading native habitat and reducing native biodiversity. (Low Priority/2016 Implementation)
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Baldwin, Bruce, et al., editors. The Jepson Manual: Vascular Plants of California (Second Edition). University of California Press; Berkeley, California, 2012.
Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Council Conservation Committee Guidebook. 2011. http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/430-022.pdf
Boy Scouts of America, Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council. Property Plan & Program Vision: Camp Pico Blanco, Camp Chesebrough, Camp Hi-Sierra. San Jose, California, 2013.
California Oak Mortality Task Force. Website accessed September 2012. http://www.suddenoakdeath.org/
Coffin, Robert and Roy Anderson. Camp Pico Blanco Conservation Plans. Prepared for the Boy Scouts of America. 1988.
Henson, Paul and Usner, Donald. The Natural History of Big Sur. University of California Press; Berkeley, California, 1993.
Kuska, Kim. On Site Germination of Pedicularis dudleyi for Restoration: CDFG Permit Number 2081(a)-11-10-RP Annual Progress Report for Dudley’s lousewort. San Mateo, California, September 26, 2011.
Laws, John Muir, et al. Opening the World through Nature Journaling: Integrating Art, Science, & Language Arts; Second Edition. Curriculum developed by the California Native Plant Society. Sacramento, California, 2012.
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Monterey County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Website accessed September 2012. http://www.seemonterey.com/things-to- do/parks/los-padres/
Ono, Frank. Hazard Assessment – Pico Blanco, 41352 Palo Colorado Road, Big Sur. Pacific Grove, California, June 3, 2013.
Ono, Frank. Hazard Tree Assessment: Camp Pico Blanco. Pacific Grove, California, June 17, 2009.
Swanson Hydrology & Geomorphology. Pico Blanco Boy Scout Camp: Flashboard Dam Monitoring Report. Submitted to Boy Scouts of America, Monterey Bay Area Council. Santa Cruz, California, March 19, 2003.
Photo by Frank Ono Swanson Hydrology & Geomorphology, with Dana Bland & Associates. Camp Pico Blanco Steelhead Passage Improvement and Habitat Enhancement Project: Biological Assessment. Prepared for the Monterey Bay Area Council, Boy Scouts of America. Santa Cruz, California, March 11, 2005.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Natural Resources Conservation Service. Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) Database for Monterey County, California. 2013.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Soils Conservation Service. Soils Survey of Monterey County, California. 1972.
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