Dudek, "Draft Spineflower Conservation Plan" (December 2007) D R A F T Spineflower Conservation Plan D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 7 P R E P A R E D F O R : The Newhall Land and Farming Company 23823 Valencia Blvd. Valencia, CA 91355 P R E P A R E D B Y : Dudek 25152 Springfield Court, Suite 180 Valencia, CA 91355 D R A F T SPINEFLOWER CONSERVATION PLAN Prepared for: THE NEWHALL LAND AND FARMING COMPANY 23823 Valencia Boulevard Valencia, California 91355 Contact: Matt Carpenter Prepared by: 25152 Springfield Court, Suite 180 Valencia, California 91355 Contact: Sherri Miller 661.705.4561 DECEMBER 2007 Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled material. Spineflower Conservation Plan December 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page No. 1.0 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Project Study Area Location ....................................................................................2 1.2 Purpose and Need ....................................................................................................2 2.0 BACKGROUND and regulatory framework................................................................. 7 3.0 BIOLOGICAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES................................................................ 8 4.0 SPECIES DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................. 15 4.1 Current Status.........................................................................................................15 4.2 Taxonomy ..............................................................................................................15 4.3 Distribution ............................................................................................................15 4.4 Abundance .............................................................................................................17 4.5 Description.............................................................................................................20 4.6 Habitat at Existing and Historical Locations .........................................................20 4.7 Competition............................................................................................................23 4.8 Reproduction..........................................................................................................25 4.9 Seed Dispersal........................................................................................................27 4.10 Seed Banks and Genetics.......................................................................................27 5.0 OCCURRENCE WITHIN PROJECT STUDY AREA ............................................... 28 5.1 Description of Annual Survey Efforts....................................................................28 5.2 Distribution and Abundance ..................................................................................28 5.2.1 Newhall Ranch Specific Plan.................................................................... 32 5.2.2 Valencia Commerce Center Study Area.................................................... 35 5.2.3 Entrada Study Area ................................................................................... 36 5.3 Habitat at Project Study Area.................................................................................36 5.3.1 Vegetation ................................................................................................. 36 5.3.2 Soils and Geology..................................................................................... 47 5.3.3 Elevation, Slope, and Aspect .................................................................... 48 6.0 ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING AND LAND USE ..................................................... 48 6.1 Environmental Setting and Existing Land Uses ....................................................48 6.1.1 Newhall Ranch Specific Plan Area........................................................... 48 6.1.2 Valencia Commerce Center Planning Area............................................... 50 6.1.3 Entrada Planning Area .............................................................................. 50 3738-18 i December 2007 Spineflower Conservation Plan December 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page No. 6.2 Planned Land Uses.................................................................................................51 6.2.1 Newhall Ranch Specific Plan.................................................................... 52 6.2.2 Valencia Commerce Center Planning Area............................................... 55 6.2.3 Entrada Planning Area .............................................................................. 55 7.0 PRESERVE DESIGN APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY.................................. 56 7.1 Habitat Suitability Index for the Entire Project Study Area ..................................61 7.2 Representative Model for the Preserve Areas........................................................62 7.3 Accommodating Population Fluctuation within Preserve Areas ...........................67 7.4 Connectivity between the Preserve Areas..............................................................71 8.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESERVES....................................................................... 71 8.1 Airport Mesa Preserve Area...................................................................................85 8.2 Grapevine Mesa Preserve Area..............................................................................89 8.3 San Martinez Grande Preserve Area......................................................................92 8.4 Potrero Preserve Area ............................................................................................96 8.5 Entrada Preserve Area..........................................................................................100 9.0 MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES .................................................................................. 107 9.1 General Management Measures...........................................................................107 9.1.1 Management Measures for Existing Agricultural Areas......................... 107 9.1.2 Management Measures during Construction .......................................... 109 9.2 General Management Measures for Preserve Areas ............................................113 9.2.1 Easements ............................................................................................... 113 9.2.2 Management Entities .............................................................................. 113 9.2.3 Landscape Planting Adjacent to Preserves ............................................. 113 9.2.4 Access ..................................................................................................... 113 9.2.5 Fencing.................................................................................................... 114 9.2.6 Signage.................................................................................................... 114 9.2.7 Water Control.......................................................................................... 115 9.2.8 Fuel Modification.................................................................................... 116 9.2.9 Argentine Ants ........................................................................................ 116 9.2.10 Restoration Activities within Preserve Areas.......................................... 118 9.2.11 Management Response to Wildfire/Geologic Events ............................. 120 9.3 Specific Management Activities for Each Preserve.............................................122 9.3.1 Management of Airport Mesa Preserve Area.......................................... 123 9.3.2 Management of Grapevine Mesa Preserve Area..................................... 124 3738-18 ii December 2007 Spineflower Conservation Plan December 2007 9.3.3 Management of San Martinez Grande Preserve Area............................. 125 9.3.4 Management of Potrero Preserve Area ................................................... 126 9.3.5 Management of Entrada Preserve Area................................................... 126 10.0 ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM .............................................................. 127 10.1 Development of the Adaptive Management Framework.....................................127 10.2 The Concept of Adaptive Management ...............................................................128 10.3 Components of the Adaptive Management Framework ......................................128 10.4 Programmatic Approach ......................................................................................129 10.5 Management Framework .....................................................................................130 11.0 MONITORING ACTIVITIES..................................................................................... 131 11.1 Qualifications.......................................................................................................131 11.2 Spineflower Monitoring Program........................................................................132 11.3 Monitoring of Preserve Area Vegetation..............................................................132 11.4 Quantitative Monitoring of Habitat Restoration Areas........................................133 11.5 Qualitative Monitoring of Preserve Areas ...........................................................133