DRAFT RECOVERY PLAN FOR CHAPARRAL AND SCRUB COMMUNITY SPECIES EAST OF SAN FRANCISCO BAY, CALIFORNIA (November 2002) Region 1 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Portland, Oregon Approved: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Manager, California/Nevada Operations Office, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Date: DISCLAIMER Recovery plans delineate reasonable actions that are believed to be required to recover and/or protect listed species. We, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, publish recovery plans, sometimes preparing them with the assistance of recovery teams, contractors, State agencies, and others. Objectives will be attained and any necessary funds made available subject to budgetary and other constraints affecting the parties involved, as well as the need to address other priorities. Recovery plans do not necessarily represent the views, official positions, or approval of any individuals or agencies involved in the plan formulation, other than our own. They represent our official position only after they have been signed by the Director, Regional Director, or California/Nevada Operations Office Manager as approved. Approved recovery plans are subject to modification as dictated by new findings, changes in species statuses, and the completion of recovery tasks. NOTICE OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL Permission to use copyrighted illustrations and images in the draft version of this recovery plan has been granted by the copyright holders. These illustrations are not placed in the public domain by their appearance herein. They cannot be copied or otherwise reproduced, except in their printed context within this document, without the written consent of the copyright holder. Literature Citation should read as follows: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 2002. Draft Recovery Plan for Chaparral and Scrub Community Species East of San Francisco Bay, California. Region 1, Portland, OR. xvi + 306 pp. An electronic copy of this recovery plan will be made available at http://www.r1.fws.gov/ecoservices/endangered/recovery/default.htm -i- PRIMARY AUTHORS The Draft Recovery Plan for Chaparral and Scrub Community Species East of San Francisco Bay, California was prepared by: Heather Bell U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Kirsten Tarp U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping analysis was conducted by : Tony McKinney U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service Steve Holzman U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service -ii- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The recovery planning process has benefitted from the expertise, advice, assistance and collaboration of many individuals, agencies and organizations. With apologies to anyone inadvertently left off of this list, we wish to sincerely thank and gratefully acknowledge the following people (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel in italics): Patricia Arentz, Caitlin Bean, Ruth Bell, Roxanne Bittman, Paul Campo, Jason Davis, Diane Elam, Ken Fuller, Theresa Funk, Charlene Hall, Lawrence Host, Curt Itson, David Janiger, Mark Jennings, Jan Knight, Sheila Larsen, Douglas Long, Curtis McCasland, Kevin Mackay, Darlene McGriff, Eric Muhler, Chris Nagano, Ken Nehoda, JoAnn Odemar, Beth Stone, Michael Thabault, David Tibor, Kevin Shaffer, Mary Yurlina, Gary Wallace, Carl Wilcox, Scott Wilson, Michelle Welk, Dieter Wilken, Joe Willingham, and Robin Wills. A special thank you to the species experts who took time from their busy schedules to provide invaluable information: Gary Beeman, Joe DiDonato, Steve Edwards, Barbara Ertter, Holly Forbes, Harry Greene, Sheila Larsen, Brad Olson, Thomas V. Parker, James Patton, Roger Raiche, Robert C. Stebbins, Brian K. Sullivan, Michael Vasey, Margariet Wetherwax, and Robert L. Wilbur. We extend a special thank you to species expert Karen Swaim for her generous contributions of knowledge and time in the preparation of the Alameda whipsnake portion of this recovery plan. Additionally, we would like to thank the following land management representatives; Steve Abbors from East Bay Municipal Utility District, Tim Koopman from San Francisco Public Utility, Joe DiDonato and Brad Olson from East Bay Regional Park District, David Sterner from Contra Costa Water District, Seth Adams of Save Mt. Diablo, Dale Saunders from the University of California at Berkeley, Joanne Kerbatz and Carl Nielson from Mt. Diablo State Parks, Randy Hawley from the City of Walnut Creek Open Space, Jim Woollett from the Department of Energy, and Sam Fitton from the Bureau of Land Management. -iii- We also wish to thank the University of California Press, Berkeley, Stanford University Press, and the Houghton Mifflin Company for permission to use illustrations and plates from their publications. Illustrations and plate from A FIELD GUIDE TO WESTERN REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS, 2/e. Copyright (c) 1985 by Robert C. Stebbins. Reprinted by permission of Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Illustrations from ILLUSTRATED FLORA OF THE PACIFIC STATES. VOL. II. Copyright (c) 1950 by Leroy Abrams. Reprinted by permission of Stanford University Press. All rights reserved. Illustrations from ILLUSTRATED FLORA OF THE PACIFIC STATES. VOL. III. Copyright (c) 1951 by Leroy Abrams. Reprinted by permission of Stanford University Press. All rights reserved. Illustrations from MAMMALS OF THE PACIFIC STATES 1/e. Copyright (c) 1965 by Lloyd G. Ingles. Reprinted by permission of Stanford University Press. All rights reserved. -iv- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction: This recovery plan covers six species of plants and animals that occur primarily in chaparral and scrub habitat in a three-county area east of San Francisco Bay in California. One plant, Arctostaphylos pallida (pallid manzanita), and one animal, Alameda whipsnake (Masticophis lateralis euryxanthus), are federally listed as threatened. In addition, four species of concern are addressed, three plants (Arctostaphylos manzanita ssp. laevigata [Contra Costa manzanita], Cordylanthus nidularius [Mt. Diablo bird’s-beak], and Eriogonum truncatum [Mt. Diablo buckwheat]) and one animal (Berkeley kangaroo rat [Dipodomys heermanni berkeleyensis]). The latter two are presumed extinct. To varying degrees the loss, fragmentation, and degradation of habitat has resulted in, or continues to cause, the decline of species covered in this recovery plan. This trend is likely to continue. The Association of Bay Area Governments projects 1.4 million new residents will work and live within the greater San Francisco Bay area by the year 2020. The counties east of San Francisco Bay are expected to lead the region in this growth. As the population grows, protecting remaining habitat and conducting land management actions essential for species recovery are likely to become more difficult. Whether it be returning natural disturbance regimes to fire adapted habitats such as chaparral, or conducting fuel reduction for the prevention of catastrophic wildfires, conducting vegetation management on highly flammable habitats within the urban/wildland interface will be a challenge. The Endangered Species Act mandates the preparation of recovery plans for listed species unless such a plan would not contribute to their conservation. Recovery plans detail the actions necessary to achieve self-sustaining, wild populations of listed species so they will no longer require protection under the Endangered Species Act. Species of concern are not required to have recovery plans. However, nonlisted species are included in this recovery plan because a community-level strategy provides opportunities for pre-listing conservation of species that have needs similar to those of listed species. -v- Recovery Objectives: The ultimate goal of this recovery plan is to delist the two threatened species and to ensure the long-term conservation of the extant species of concern. For the two presumed extinct species of concern the immediate goal is to confirm their status. If the species are not rediscovered, insights gained about the reasons for their extinction may assist in community restoration. If extant populations of the species are discovered, the ultimate goal would be to ensure their long-term conservation. Recovery Priority: Priority numbers, per criteria published by Federal Register notice (48 FR 43098; September 21, 1983), are 9C for Alameda whipsnake and 11C for Arctostaphylos pallida. Community-Level Strategy for Recovery and Conservation: This recovery plan presents a community-level strategy for recovery and conservation because all of the listed and nonlisted species addressed here co-occur in the same natural communities. The likelihood of successful recovery for listed species is increased by protection of intact communities. Protecting the community will provide opportunities for pre-listing conservation of nonlisted species, which likely have needs similar to those of listed species. The community-level strategy is determined by the available information on biology, distribution, and population status of covered species; extent, location, and quality of existing habitats; and how present and anticipated land and fire management activities will affect these species within the landscape east of San Francisco Bay. The major goals of the recovery strategy include: • formation of a Recovery Implementation Team that will work to develop and implement both immediate and long-term cooperative active management of the chaparral and scrub communities; • protection of identified habitat from development, fragmentation, degradation, and incompatible uses; • restoration of successional habitat through reintroduction