BIG CANYON NATURE PARK RESOURCE AND RECREATION MANAGEMENT PLAN Orange County, California Prepared for: City of Newport Beach 100 Civic Center Drive Newport beach, CA 92660 Prepared by: Irvine Ranch Conservancy 4727 Portola Parkway Irvine, California 92620 Contact: Riley Pratt, Ph.D. and 31878 Camino Capistrano, Suite 200 San Juan Capistrano, California 92675 Contact: Scott Eckardt, Ryan Henry 949.450.2525 NOVEMBER 2016 Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled material. Big Canyon Nature Park Resource and Recreation Management Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page No. ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................... VI EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ..................................................................................................... VIII 1 INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................1 1.1 Purpose and Need for RRMP .................................................................................. 1 1.2 Big Canyon Nature Park Location .......................................................................... 3 1.3 Historical Overview/Relationship to Other Plans ................................................... 3 1.3.1 California Coastal Act................................................................................. 3 1.3.2 City of Newport Beach General Plan .......................................................... 4 1.3.3 City of Newport Beach Coastal Land Use Plan .......................................... 9 1.3.4 Central-Coastal Subregion Natural Community Conservation Plan/Habitat Conservation Plan ................................................................................................... 9 1.3.5 Nature Reserve of Orange County ............................................................ 13 1.3.6 Newport Beach Fire Department Guidelines and Standards .................... 19 1.3.7 Big Canyon Creek Historic Tidal Wetlands Conceptual Restoration Plan23 1.3.8 Central Orange County Integrated Regional and Coastal Watershed Management Plan (IRCWMP) – Phase II ............................................................. 24 1.3.9 Big Canyon Habitat Restoration and Water Quality Improvement Project - 2015 24 1.4 RRMP Public Participation Process ..................................................................... 25 1.5 RRMP Review and Approval Process .................................................................. 25 1.6 RRMP Updates and Amendments ........................................................................ 25 2 RESERVE EXISTING CONDITIONS .........................................................................27 2.1 Visual Resources ................................................................................................... 27 2.2 Physical Setting ..................................................................................................... 27 2.2.1 Topography ............................................................................................... 27 2.2.2 Geology and Soils ..................................................................................... 28 2.2.3 Climate ...................................................................................................... 33 2.2.4 Hydrology ................................................................................................. 33 2.3 Biological Resources ............................................................................................ 34 2.3.1 Vegetation Communities .......................................................................... 35 2.3.2 Floral Diversity ......................................................................................... 44 2.3.3 Wildlife Diversity ..................................................................................... 64 2.3.4 Wildlife Corridors ..................................................................................... 71 2.4 Cultural Resources ................................................................................................ 72 8811-01 i November 2016 Big Canyon Nature Park Resource and Recreation Management Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Section Page No. 2.5 Issues, Threats, and Potential Impacts .................................................................. 72 2.5.1 Public Use ................................................................................................. 72 2.5.2 Urban Edge Effect..................................................................................... 76 2.5.3 Habitat Fragmentation .............................................................................. 76 2.5.4 Invasive Species ........................................................................................ 77 2.5.5 Water Quality and Beneficial Uses ........................................................... 81 2.5.6 Existing Fuels and Fire Hazards ............................................................... 82 2.5.7 Erosion ...................................................................................................... 84 2.5.8 Vector Control .......................................................................................... 84 3 PUBLIC ACCESS AND RECREATION MANAGEMENT .......................................86 3.1 City of Newport Beach Management Goals ......................................................... 86 3.2 Adaptive Management .......................................................................................... 86 3.3 Existing Recreation Facilities ............................................................................... 88 3.3.1 Access Roads and Sewer Lines................................................................. 88 3.3.2 Trails and Trailheads................................................................................. 88 3.3.3 Visitor Resources ...................................................................................... 89 3.4 Proposed Recreation Facilities .............................................................................. 90 3.4.1 Trails and Trailheads................................................................................. 90 3.4.2 Visitor Resources and Signage ................................................................. 92 3.5 Proposed Management .......................................................................................... 96 3.5.1 Permitted Uses .......................................................................................... 97 3.5.2 Accessibility .............................................................................................. 97 3.5.3 Prohibited Uses ......................................................................................... 98 3.5.4 Operation and Access Strategies ............................................................... 98 3.5.5 Recreational Uses...................................................................................... 99 3.5.6 Infrastructure ............................................................................................. 99 3.5.7 Enforcement Procedures ........................................................................... 99 3.5.8 Safety and Security Measures ................................................................. 100 3.5.9 Emergency Procedures............................................................................ 100 3.6 Community Outreach and Education .................................................................. 101 3.6.1 Outreach and Education Plan .................................................................. 101 3.6.2 Docent and Volunteer Programs ............................................................. 101 3.7 Donation and Sponsorship Programs .................................................................. 102 4 CULTURAL, PHYSICAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT .....103 4.1 Cultural Resources .............................................................................................. 103 8811-01 ii November 2016 Big Canyon Nature Park Resource and Recreation Management Plan TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Section Page No. 4.2 Fuel Management................................................................................................ 103 4.3 Wildlife Habitat Management............................................................................. 103 4.4 Water Quality Management ................................................................................ 104 4.5 Habitat Restoration, Enhancement, and Mitigation ............................................ 105 5 MONITORING AND ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT ...............................................109 5.1 Coordination with NCC Plans ............................................................................ 110 5.2 Annual Progress Report ...................................................................................... 110 6 REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................113 APPENDICES A Covered and Conditionally Covered Species under the Central-Coastal NCCP/HCP B Plant Species within the BCNP C Wildlife Species within the BCNP D Species Sensitivity Categories EXHIBIT A Vegetation Communities Map FIGURES Figure 1 Regional Map ...........................................................................................................5 Figure 2 Vicinity Map ............................................................................................................7