FINAL Baseline Biodiversity Survey for the San Luis Rey River Park Prepared for: County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation 5500 Overland Avenue Drive, Suite 410 San Diego, California 92123 Contact: Jessica Norton Prepared by: 605 Third Street Encinitas, California 92024 Contact: Brock Ortega OCTOBER 2011 Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled material. Final Baseline Biodiversity Survey for the San Luis Rey River Park TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page No. LIST OF ACROYNYMS ............................................................................................................. V EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................VII 1.0 INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................1 1.1 Purpose of the Report.............................................................................................. 1 1.2 MSCP Context ........................................................................................................ 2 2.0 STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION .......................................................................................9 2.1 Project Location ...................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Geographical Setting ............................................................................................... 9 2.3 Geology and Soils ................................................................................................... 9 2.4 Climate .................................................................................................................. 20 2.5 Hydrology ............................................................................................................. 21 2.6 Fire History ........................................................................................................... 21 2.7 Trails ..................................................................................................................... 22 3.0 METHODS .......................................................................................................................27 3.1 Vegetation Communities/Habitat .......................................................................... 30 3.1.1 Vegetation Communities Mapping ........................................................... 30 3.2 Plants ..................................................................................................................... 30 3.2.1 Floristic Surveys ....................................................................................... 30 3.3 Wildlife ................................................................................................................. 32 3.3.1 Invertebrates .............................................................................................. 32 3.3.2 Herpetofauna ............................................................................................. 33 3.3.3 Birds .......................................................................................................... 37 3.3.4 Mammals................................................................................................... 39 4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ......................................................................................43 4.1 Vegetation Communities/Habitat .......................................................................... 43 4.2 Plants ..................................................................................................................... 54 4.2.1 Special-Status Plant Species Observed ..................................................... 54 4.2.2 Special-Status Plant Species with High Potential to Occur ...................... 55 4.2.3 Non-native and/or Invasive Plants ............................................................ 56 6680-03 i October 2011 Final Baseline Biodiversity Survey for the San Luis Rey River Park TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Section Page No. 4.3 Wildlife ................................................................................................................. 60 4.3.1 Invertebrates .............................................................................................. 60 4.3.2 Herpetofauna ............................................................................................. 61 4.3.3 Birds .......................................................................................................... 62 4.3.4 Mammals................................................................................................... 64 4.3.5 Special-Status Wildlife Observed ............................................................. 67 4.3.6 Special-Status Wildlife with High Potential to Occur .............................. 92 4.3.7 Invasive Species ...................................................................................... 101 4.4 Wildlife Movement ............................................................................................. 101 5.0 CONCLUSIONS AND MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS .......................103 5.1 Vegetation Communities/Habitats ...................................................................... 103 5.2 Plants ................................................................................................................... 104 5.3 Wildlife ............................................................................................................... 104 5.3.1 Invertebrates ............................................................................................ 104 5.3.2 Herptofauna ............................................................................................. 105 5.3.3 Birds ........................................................................................................ 106 5.3.4 Mammals................................................................................................. 106 5.3.5 Critical Habitat ........................................................................................ 106 5.4 Non-Native Invasive Species Removal and Control .......................................... 107 5.4.1 Plants ....................................................................................................... 107 5.4.2 Wildlife ................................................................................................... 108 5.5 Restoration Opportunities ................................................................................... 109 5.6 Fire Management ................................................................................................ 110 5.7 Wildlife Linkages and Corridors ........................................................................ 110 5.8 Additional Management Recommendations ....................................................... 111 5.8.1 Public Access .......................................................................................... 111 5.8.2 Hydrological Management...................................................................... 111 6.0 REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................113 6680-03 ii October 2011 Final Baseline Biodiversity Survey for the San Luis Rey River Park TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Page No. LIST OF FIGURES 1 Regional Map .......................................................................................................................3 2 Vicinity Map ........................................................................................................................5 3 Draft North County MSCP Designations and Conserved Lands ..........................................7 4a Soils – Index Map ..............................................................................................................11 4b Soils Map ...........................................................................................................................13 4c Soils Map ...........................................................................................................................15 4d Soils Map ...........................................................................................................................17 5 Hydrology Map ..................................................................................................................23 6 Fire History ........................................................................................................................25 7 Biological Inventory Locations ..........................................................................................35 8a Vegetation Communities/Habitats – Index Map ................................................................45 8b Vegetation Communities/Habitats .....................................................................................47 8c Vegetation Communities/Habitats .....................................................................................49 8d Vegetation Communities/Habitats .....................................................................................51 9a Target Invasive Non-native Plant Species Locations and Potential Restoration Areas – Index Map ..........................................................................................................................69 9b Target Invasive Non-native Plant Species Locations and Potential Restoration Areas .....71 9c Target Invasive Non-native Plant