FINAL Baseline Biodiversity Survey for Potrero Mason Property Prepared for: County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation 5500 Overland Avenue Drive, Suite 410 San Diego, California 92123 Contact: Jennifer Price Prepared by: 605 Third Street Encinitas, California 92024 Contact: Brock Ortega DECEMBER 2012 Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled material. Final Baseline Biodiversity Survey Potrero Mason Property TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page No. LIST OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................ V EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................................................................................VII 1.0 INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................1 1.1 Purpose of the Report.............................................................................................. 1 1.2 MSCP Context ........................................................................................................ 1 2.0 PROPERTY DESCRIPTION ...........................................................................................9 2.1 Project Location ...................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Geographical Setting ............................................................................................... 9 2.3 Geology and Soils ................................................................................................... 9 2.4 Climate .................................................................................................................. 13 2.5 Hydrology ............................................................................................................. 13 2.6 Fire History ........................................................................................................... 14 2.7 Trails ..................................................................................................................... 14 3.0 METHODS .......................................................................................................................21 3.1 Vegetation Communities/Habitat .......................................................................... 23 3.1.1 Vegetation Communities Mapping ........................................................... 23 3.2 Plants ..................................................................................................................... 24 3.2.1 Floristic Surveys ....................................................................................... 24 3.3 Wildlife ................................................................................................................. 25 3.3.1 Invertebrates .............................................................................................. 26 3.3.2 Herpetofauna ............................................................................................. 26 3.3.3 Birds .......................................................................................................... 30 3.3.4 Mammals................................................................................................... 32 4.0 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ......................................................................................35 4.1 Vegetation Communities/Habitat .......................................................................... 35 4.2 Plants ..................................................................................................................... 47 4.2.1 Special-Status Plant Species Observed ..................................................... 47 4.2.2 Special-Status Plant Species with High Potential to Occur ...................... 51 4.2.3 Non-Native and/or Invasive Plants ........................................................... 52 4.3 Wildlife ................................................................................................................. 59 4.3.1 Invertebrates .............................................................................................. 60 4.3.2 Herpetofauna ............................................................................................. 61 4.3.3 Birds .......................................................................................................... 62 6680-10 i December 2012 Final Baseline Biodiversity Survey Potrero Mason Property TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Section Page No. 4.3.4 Mammals................................................................................................... 64 4.3.5 Special-Status Wildlife Observed ............................................................. 70 4.3.6 Special-Status Wildlife with High Potential to Occur .............................. 82 4.3.7 Invasive Species ........................................................................................ 87 4.4 Wildlife Movement ............................................................................................... 87 5.0 CONCLUSIONS AND MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS .........................89 5.1 Vegetation Communities/Habitats ........................................................................ 89 5.2 Plants ..................................................................................................................... 90 5.3 Wildlife ................................................................................................................. 91 5.3.1 Invertebrates .............................................................................................. 91 5.3.2 Herpetofauna ............................................................................................. 91 5.3.3 Birds .......................................................................................................... 93 5.3.4 Mammals................................................................................................... 94 5.3.5 Critical Habitat .......................................................................................... 95 5.4 Non-Native Invasive Species Removal and Control ............................................ 95 5.4.1 Plants ......................................................................................................... 95 5.4.2 Wildlife ..................................................................................................... 96 5.5 Restoration Opportunities ..................................................................................... 97 5.6 Fire Management .................................................................................................. 98 5.7 Wildlife Linkages and Corridors .......................................................................... 99 5.8 Additional Management Recommendations ......................................................... 99 5.8.1 Public Access ............................................................................................ 99 5.8.2 Hydrological Management...................................................................... 100 6.0 REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................101 APPENDICES A Observed Species List - Plants B Observed Species List - Wildlife C Avian Point Location Photographs D Special-Status Plant Species Detected or Potentially Occurring within the Potrero Mason Property Site elevation 725 to 870 meters AMSL (2380-2853 feet) E Sensitive Wildlife Species Detected or Potentially Occurring at Potrero Mason Property F Site Photographs 6680-10 ii December 2012 Final Baseline Biodiversity Survey Potrero Mason Property TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Section Page No. FIGURES 1 Regional Map .......................................................................................................................3 2 Vicinity Map ........................................................................................................................5 3 Adjacent Conserved Lands ..................................................................................................7 4 Soils Map ...........................................................................................................................11 5 Hydrology Map ..................................................................................................................15 6 Fire History ........................................................................................................................17 7 Trails Map ..........................................................................................................................19 8 Biological Inventory Locations ..........................................................................................27 9a Vegetation Communities and Land Cover Types (VCM) .................................................39 9b Vegetation Communities and Land Cover Types (Holland) .............................................41 10 Special-Status Plant ...........................................................................................................49 11 Invasive Non-Native Plant Species Locations ...................................................................55 12 Special-Status Wildlife Locations ......................................................................................71 TABLES 1 Potrero Mason Property Fire Intervals ...............................................................................14